Norfolk – Hospital Point

Hospital Point is a popular anchorage across from the USS Missouri, a destroyer turned museum.  For those of you that know me, no we are NOT here for the hospital! 

As I figured, it was painful to leave our dear friends in Deltaville.  We were certainly not alone in heading south today.  I quit counting the other boats once I hit 20.  We had plenty of company.  The winds were favorable, but extremely light.  There was no apparent wind (wind speed after taking into account boat speed) since Hold Fast now wants to motor along above six knots.  Sailors love a clean bottom.  All the sailboats tried to make a go of sailing, but in the end we all had to motor in to Norfolk.  We could hear on the radio that Hampton Roads had no anchoring space and was packed in with boats due to the pending rally from there to somewhere in the Caribbean.  Not our usual gig so we have no idea of the details.

We met the tug boat ‘Captain Johnny’ going north out of Norfolk.  That is one of John Melvin’s tugs (Floyd’s nephew).  John Melvin’s son Jay is the captain but we did not bother him on the radio to say ‘hey we know your daddy, uncle, great uncle, cousins, etc…’  Let him work in peace.

This is our first time in this anchorage.  It is significantly populated with the herd heading south.  We are anchored right next to Bob and Ann on ‘Baloo,’ a Valiant 40.  Bob rowed over to visit us, bearing homemade chocolate chip cookies and some types of tea I have never tried (white leaf and vanilla caramel).  They are super nice folks that have sailed many of the same waters as us on the west coast.

We have folks anchored on the other side of us that are really close.  The winds should be light tonight so we did not get too excited and just put out fenders on that side of Hold Fast.  Kind of says it all.

I hate to be so selfish, but I sure hope all these boats anchored around us are taking the Virginia Cut route and not the Dismal Canal!  We will see what tomorrow brings.

Love to all (even our anchored neighbors!),

Dena

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{GMST}36|50.763|N|076|18.002|W|Anchored|{GEND}