Wednesday, June 6, 2012
     It is 11 AM and I am just passing  Cape Charles. 17 hours. The seas have been pretty calm for a while.For some reason I thought the trip was almost over. I pictured in my head the charts that I had looked over before even leaving my house. On the chart after passing the cape you go from this lighter blue area to a darker blue, and eventually into a white area which is the channel. As I actually get into the Chesapeake Bay, I realize that I can't see the other side, now I realize that the other side is 20 miles away, another 4 hours. Once I get to the other side and catch the channel then I have to head up the bay to Hampton Roads and into the Elizabeth River. This as I will learn will take another 3 hours.    I go across the Chesapeake and catch the 'Thimble Shoal Channel'. You need this channel to get you past the Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel road way. by now things are starting to get a little ugly. Not to mention that I am starting to get pretty tired. Now, not only is it getting rough as I proceed along the channel, but there are also war ships, container ships, and freighters whizzing by you. Their wakes are tremendous, and they don't slow up for you. Another problem is because of the chop, and the fact that the markers are pretty far apart, it is difficult to see them. Anyway I move along in this chop until I finally make my turn into Hampton Roads. At this point the waves are behind me, and with each wave I am lifted and then surfing. Things don't calm down until I reach the Elizabeth River. When you enter the river, if you make that first left turn you wind up in Willioughby Bay. I pulled in anchored, had a delicious dinner of beans and rice, called a friend, and then hit the sack. I was on the road for 24 hours. Very tired. BTW I have only used 13 gallons of diesel fuel to get to this point.