Cruising in Norfolk

June 25, 2004

We left Elizabeth City around noon, motoring our way through overgrown canal. It was raining like nuts and our outboard must have gotten a cold. Mr. Winky, as I affectionately call him all the time, coughed up few times and then there was long silence in which our little boat was drifting aimlessly in the mist. It was the narrowest part of the Swamp. Green mini-lilies covered the water and thick growth on both banks was almost closing above our heads. My attempts at catching fickly puffs of wind coming each time from a different direction were hardly successful and we almost ran into the bank. After an hour or so of this drifting, out of nowhere in this dismal drizzle another boat appeared and I was able to wave them down requesting for help. I probably didn't look my best sporting only my boxer shorts with imprints of hardboiled eggs, being completely drenched with water pouring from my hair but nevertheless soon we were on our way towed behind our rescuers to the nearest lock, closed now for the night. We tied up beside each other and had a dinner together with two couples: Anne, Ken, Victoria and Jim. We had a great time swapping stories in their spacious cabin, always happy to meet other cruisers.

June 26, 2004

Next morning our engine was back in service, since there was not much moisture in the air anymore and we went through Deep Creek lock and bridge and then another one. We were motoring in the Ditch for some 30 miles or more and I did it all. Tobs wasn't feeling her best. Admitting later she was PMSing, crying and eating her way through misery, she was reading "Prey" by Crichton in between.

We arrived in Norfolk around 5 pm and docked our boat at community dock and public boat ramp. On the dock some kids were crabbing by wrapping a piece of meat in a string and raising it from the bottom with unsuspecting crabs attached. By the time these creatures realized they are staring into black kid's face they would let go, usually too late, landing in the little, green net below. The boat access ramp and dock was in a nice enough park, but there was nothing interesting around. This part of Portsmouth was kind of ghetto-ish and drunken yells could be heard all night long until next morning when more boats and sea-doos were being launched off the ramp and park become alive once again.

June 27, 2004

After chasing a bus down in the morning we went to Norfolk's downtown. We hanged out at huge McArthur Mall and had some Johnny Rockets for lunch - burgers and Hagen Daas ice cream to sweeten things up. We also played some rummy to which we both are helplessly addicted. We walked down to the waterfront to find a huge Cajun fair. All over sudden we were in a crowd of thousands of people. We walked around tables of roasted sweet corn and crawfish, crab cakes and gumbo in the cacophony of sounds. The big fair was pretty much winding down and soon our interest was drown towards nearby tall ships. We toured the Cuauhtemoc from Mexico and I sneak a pick on couple of other big ships as well, fascinated by the size of the rigging, winches, steering and everything else. To compare these tall ships to my little sloop is like comparing a train to a tricycle. It was just breathtaking.