Norfolk-Hampton VA

This morning we sailed past the little cove that we were warned against and found that it was empty.  Next time we'll consider staying there.  We tucked in behind a tug who got us through a restricted bridge a few minutes early only to get stuck at a RR bridge for 20 minutes.  We heard a ferry captain make a comment about all the sailboats in the "Southern Branch."  One tug skipper remarked that "It makes me feel so safe when those sailboats run into each other."  It took us a little while to figure out what he was talking about but after passing a bend in the river we saw what looked like hundreds of sailboats wandering around in all different directions across the river.  

Picking our way through them was a real challenge.  We were under power and they were all sailing - so every last one of them had the right of way over us.  We managed to get by most of them but as we cruised along the leeward side of the channel a cannon went off.  We found ourselves at the start of one of the divisions.  I wish my timing was as good in any of the races I've entered.  We crossed the line just as the cannon sounded - a perfect start!

Everyone in the Norfolk area must own a sailboat.  I don't think I've seen so many sailboats in one place since Block Island Race Week!  The wind was gusting to about 25 knots so boats were moving fast and rounding up in the gusts - but what a beautiful scene.

We ended up following this little Hinckley yawl for awhile.
Pretty boat but over-canvassed as were most of the boats in this race.

Combining our boat speed with the true wind we were getting readings of 32 knots in the gusts.  We figured maybe this wasn't a good day for us to motor directly into the wind up the Chesapeake so we headed across the harbor to Downtown Hampton Pier Marina.  The marina is conveniently located next to the Virginia Air and Space Museum.  Last October I had wanted to visit the Imax theater at the Museum but we didn't have the time.  Today we saw the 3D Imax movie: "Into the Arctic."  I love 3D regardless of the quality of the movie.  This one was fun.  I marveled at the divers who swam with the large IMAX cameras under the ice.  Underwater shots of swimming polar bears and walruses made me wonder how crazy you have to be to film them.  Two thumbs up!

Maybe tomorrow we will be able to head into the wind to Deltaville, VA.