Photo blog: Chesapeake 3 – Norfolk, VA

Hi all!  Not quite caught up yet, but getting there. I reported last week about the great time we had at the Looper Rendezvous in Norfolk.  Here are some pics.

With all projects finished and the dinghy mounted, we left Deltaville for the last time until next year. Amanda from the Deltaville Boatyard took some pictures of us leaving, and shared them with us when we saw her again at the Rendezvous, where the Boatyard was a sponsor.  We were happy to get her pictures as it’s hard to get a picture of your own boat underway!  Don’t we look good?!

On our way south, we enjoyed watching a group of 5 or 6 dolphins surfing in our wake.

A couple of Chesapeake lighthouses:

The Norfolk/Hampton Roads area is an extremely busy waterway. We had some big neighbors:

But things looked pretty quiet as we passed the largest naval base in the world.

As we approached Waterside Marina on the Elizabeth River, we passed the Nauticus Museum, a maritime-based science center and museum (really well done!) and the retired WWII battleship Wisconsin.

Waterside Marina is in downtown Norfolk, a really convenient location, with a great dog-walking park right next to the dock. Joey and Bailey met lots of other Looping dogs there. And there’s a really good hairdresser about 3 blocks away where I got my first “looper” haircut!  Approaching Waterside Marina:

As we approached the marina, we saw this navy ship in dry dock right across the river from us.

By the time we were tied up and settled, she had been lowered into the water and was moving out.  For a minute it looked like she was going to come right into the marina, but a flotilla of tugboats steered her safely out of the shipyard.  Impressive to watch!

Like other cities have public art cows, pigs and squirrels, Norfolk has mermaids.   The flowered one is “Princess Azalea.”  The silver one with the fountain is “Karen”!  

                      

We walked over to get a closer look at the Wisconsin. That is one big boat!

At night – the views from our boat, toward downtown and across to the shipyards.

Before we said goodbye to Norfolk, Craig posed with some new friends:

Next time, pics from our trip north to Annapolis again with friends Steve and Jeanne!

Photo blog: Chesapeake 2 – Annapolis with Karen

 

For the past few days we have been in lovely St. Michaels, MD, on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, and I want to devote a whole posting to our visit here.  But first I want to continue getting us caught up with pictures from the past couple of weeks.  This time it’s our trip to Annapolis with Karen, April 26-30.

Our midway stop between Deltaville and Annapolis was Solomons, MD, where we also stopped last fall when we brought the boat south from Cape Cod. Zahniser’s is a really nice marina with the best marina showers!  It caters primarily to sailboaters, so we were in the distinct minority, but were made to feel very welcome:

Our slip at the Annapolis City Marina was right next to the Annapolis Yacht Club and gave us a perfect seat for the weekly Wednesday sailing races.  Craig said it reminded him of bees leaving a nests, one right after the other.  Our favorites were the little kids, some as young as eight:

A mama duck laid her eggs in a pot of purple pansies at the marina.  When we returned 2 weeks later, the nest was empty and there were lots of baby ducks in the marina. 

                         

Looking across Spa Creek to Annapolis at night:

 

We were all excited to have Karen arrive!

 

She brought 5 nights of presents: Craig’s birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, our anniversary and Barb’s birthday, so we had parties every night!

We visited the Naval Academy and were able to watch a full dress parade on Friday afternoon with the full Brigade of Midshipmen.  Impressive!

The Academy chapel is huge and beautiful:

The next day we took a cruise on the Severn River past the Naval Academy and about 10 miles further up. Very pretty, lots of nice homes.

Lots of places to eat in Annapolis.  One of our favorites was Chick & Ruth’s Delly.  Great crab cakes and milkshakes. Craig and Karen REALLY liked the milkshakes!

Karen trying on a Preakness hat.  There’s no talk of “Derby” out here!

We showed Karen the inn where she stayed on her first vacation at about 8 weeks old!

Craig found a sale on wine and just the right transportation to bring it back to the boat!

We hated to say good bye, but it was great having her with us for such a wonderful long weekend.

Next up – photos from our busy week in Norfolk.

Photo blog: Chesapeake 1 – Deltaville and Dogs

 

Not sure if this is going to work, but I’m trying a new program that I hope will easily let me add pictures to the blog. If successful, I’ll add the pictures to the blog as we go along.  In the meantime, this will start catching us up, picture-wise.

Here are a few scenes from the Deltaville Marina, where the boat has been since October, and where we spent much of the first couple of weeks of our trip.

We have seen dozens of nesting ospreys around Deltaville and almost everywhere along the way:

Blue Heron returning to dock in Deltaville:

Friend Kevin came out from Cincinnati to see the boat and drive our car home for  us.  Thanks again, Kevin!

Hanging out at the boatyard:

The dogs have adjusted to life on the boat pretty well.  Joey makes himself comfortable on the bow…    

  

…or on the stern…                         …or anywhere in between…

Doesn’t really love his life jacket, though…

 

Bailey tends to stick pretty close to her favorite spot under the desk…

But a few times she has been persuaded to join the boys outside…

Next time I’ll send some pictures of our time in Annapolis with Karen!