Goodbye Chesapeake Bay

Well, it's goodbye to the bay. Tonight we are anchored in Hampton Roads near Norfolk. Two months is not enough time to spend here. In looking at the chart of places we visited last fall and this spring, it's clear we only touched the edges of the bay. Sounds like a reason to come back, but probably in another boat so we can take advantage of lower bridge clearances and faster speed. There are so many places to visit and explore. I think it would take a couple of years to see it all. We bypassed so many places. It was hard to choose, but we had to make choices and are satisfied with the ones we made. I hope to return some day to visit the upper reaches of the Potomac, Rappahannock, Pocomoke, Nanticoke, Wicomoco, James....the list of rivers and creeks seems endless.

Today as we entered Hampton Roads we saw an aircraft carrier leaving port and a guided missle cruiser arriving followed by 3 inbound commercial ocean going container ships. A busy place after spending so much time recently in the company of only a few cruising boats or no one at all. The navy vessels reminded me of the battle of the Monitor and Virginia during the Civil War. First battle between two "iron clad" ships. The battle happened about a mile from our anchorage.

Today's departure from the Chesapeake was nothing like our arrival last fall. Today started with zero wind and a smooth as glass York River. A sport fishermen headed north on the glass threw a wake that in the morning sunlight looked like a silver ribbon fluttering from his stern. We did catch a light southerly that allowed us to sail for an hour or so before cranking up the "iron jib" to take us to our anchorage.

I know I've sent several pictures in the past month or so. Here are a few of my favorites not yet posted.

The First Mate (she lets me think I'm the Captain)

The USS Constellation (which I identified in error as the Constitution earlier)

A 'crabber' working his trout line off our stern near Oxford, MD

A neighbor in a snug anchorage on Dividing Creek off the Wye River.

The MAP shows where we have been the last few days (not far). Next stop Manteo on Roanoke Island home of the "Lost Colony" and a grocery store.