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dipped our feet in. As a welcoming, Rockhopper was met by a pod of dolphin that beckoned the way.
We left the marina at about 3:45 on Thursday afternoon and proceeded down the James, anchoring for the night
off the Something river, where Prince George, Surry and Charles City counties meet. It was just up river from the
thriving megalopolis of Clarement (population, 338). Although we were still technically in the James, we were far
enough off the channel, tucked in behind a line of crab pots, that we felt safe and secure. However, since this
was only the third or fourth time we had been at anchor all night, we were still apprehensive about the batteries
maintaining a charge all night and still having enough juice to fire up the engine in the morning. However, the
system worked fine and we were even able to watch an hour of television before going to be. Interestingly, we
got all of the Richmond channels, and some even better than we get in Richmond.
We took down the genoa and left up the mizzen up while we started the engine again. After getting lost (again) in
the Ghost Fleet – very aptly named – we were finally straightened out and headed to Blue Water yachts in
Hampton. We had stayed at Blue Water last year when we brought Rocky home and it just seemed symbolically
right. Besides, they have a good restaurant and a great pool! We also decide to fuel up, since we had last filled
the diesel tanks in Coinjock, almost exactly a year before.
We took on 80 gallons of diesel, which amazed us since our capacity is only 150 gallons total. Our readings of
our gauges indicated that we had about 40 gallons left, but obviously the gauges are mismarked somewhat. The
evening found us tucked in beside a charming couple from Fredericksburg and introduced us to Rick, another
cruiser who had bought his Tayana 37 (sorry if I have the length wrong, Rick) last year about the same time we
bought Rockhopper. Rick was working his way up the East Coast, trying to get to Maine this year, but had
decided that Hampton was far enough for the time being. Rick and I need to get together and form a support
group for cruisers called West Marine Anonymous – the primary requirement for joining will be at least 10 of the
coupons they give you for spending $300 at West Marine.
headed out about 10:00 to find the
ocean. Frank suffers a bit from MCPS
(male chart perception syndrome). It is
a malady which causes one to look at
the chart, measure the distances
involved, calculate the speed necessary
to get to the location, evaluate the
possible boat speed and then, chuck
everything and optimistically assume
you can get “there” by noon. It really
doesn’t matter where “there” is – a
person who suffers from MCPS can
look at a map showing the distance
from the earth to the moon and come
up with the perception that it is possible
to get “there a little after noon, as long
as we leave right after breakfast.”
sails, lowered all of the sails and raised the mizzen again. Suzanne, on the other hand, had discovered a floating
monument off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that turned out to be the conning tower of a US Navy
submarine. Somehow, they always look different when they are underway (and guarded by people in small
boats with big guns).
around us. A dozen of these amazing animals started sounding and playing, coming towards us, then beside
then away again. Suzanne tried desperately to photograph them and they tried desperately to be
photographed, but our camera refused to cooperate and most of the shots were of the spot that dolphins had
just been in. Frank tried to encourage her to take the picture BEFORE the dolphins surfaced, so that they
would appear in it - but Suzanne refused to see the logic.
call over the radio from "Navy Warship One." Navy Warship One turned out to be the super-secret code name
for the USS Theodore Roosevelt - which wasn't too hard to figure out since, although the Navy and Coast
Guard insisted on referring to her (odd calling a ship called the Theodore Roosevelt :"her", but...) as "Navy
Warship One," the harbor pilots going out to meet her referred to her as Carrier 71.
quickly appeared
behind us, getting
larger and larger as
she charged along.
Eventually the
Coasties decided to
come up and remind
us that we needed to
be 500 yards away -
a fact that WE
needed no reminding
of. In fact, we did a
slow round turn on
location as TR went
past and then
followed her into the
harbor.
recharge the batteries before bed time. It was sad to have to disturb the quiet of our surroundings - OK, we were
only two or three hundred yards from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel - but it was quiet and peaceful and perfect.
Frank sat in the cockpit and remembered all of the times that he had driven across the HRBT, thinking as he saw
the sailboats that someday he would be in the sailboat, watching the traffic. Cross one more thing off the "Before I
Die To-Do List."
Sunday found us on our way back up river to the slip. Another long day but the boat dropped into the slip perfectly
and night found us tucked in, cooled down and ready for our next adventure!
