We woke on Thursday, April 2nd at Atlantic Yacht Basin to warmer weather, the long‑awaited part for the boat, and a calmer Chesapeake Bay. With genuine relief, we applauded the newly installed gear‑driven raw water pump on the port engine. After returning the rental car and settling our bill, we pointed BenjOllie north and slipped through Norfolk.
Six boats entered Great Bridge Lock at Chesapeake to get us through to Norfolk—BenjOllie was number two—and what should have been a routine passage turned into an unexpected maneuvering drill. The lead sailboat was being driven by a novice who simply couldn’t get tied up. With his engine and bow thruster working overtime, he kept drifting toward us, coming uncomfortably close to crashing into our hull. Thankfully, he missed and eventually managed to secure himself on the opposite wall of the lock, well out of our way.
Once clear of the lock, the rest of the day unfolded easily. We made a smooth two‑hour run to HOSPITAL POINT, next to Portsmouth Naval Hospital and officially mile zero of the ICW. There we anchored for the night, ready to tackle the 100‑plus miles to Colonial Beach over the next two days.
Carey made my favorite loaded hot dogs for dinner, complete with a side of spicy corn, beans, and tomatoes. We ate while taking in the evening views from our anchorage (see photos below). A full moon over the Norfolk skyline and the Battleship Wisconsin with a full display of lights. A peaceful end to a very nice day. Now to bed.
On to WINDMILL POINT MARINA at the bottom of the Rappahannock River. The winds were almost 15 knots but the ride was not unpleasant as we had following seas. It was a 60 mile run so we were ready to stop when we arrived there about 2 PM. We moored quickly as we hadn’t had lunch yet and wanted to check out their Tiki Bar. A pleasant visit as we enjoyed the outdoor seating and a nice lunch. Once back on the boat we made plans for our last day of the trip — tomorrow when we pull into Colonial Beach.
Underway at 7:30 AM Saturday morning we motored up the Chesapeake Bay in 1 foot seas and light wind, turning into the Potomac River 20 miles north of Windmill Point for our 50 mile trek up the River to Colonial Beach. All total it was a 70 mile run that ended with a 3 PM arrival at our old familiar slip. The Boathouse Marina group welcomed us home and helped get us tied up. We truly enjoyed the 5 month trip but realized that we’re advancing in age and some of the chores on a trip like that took a lot more out of us then previous runs over the last 20 years. We’ll see how we feel about another winter trip after a couple days at home. If you have followed along we hope you enjoyed the story. And, we absolutely recommend long cruises to fellow boaters. The journey is definitely as enjoyable as the destinations!