First, let me say that cruising on the C Bay is like nothing we have done so far. The water is big and deep. The banks are lined with hills and trees. It is severely affected by winds and tides. You might even think you were on the Santa Barbara Channel, except the water is not that deep.
The water is not blue, but it is not coffee colored either. When I say that the winds and tides severely affect the water, what I mean is that if the wind is opposing the tide, the conditions can go from docile to severe very quickly. The water will take on a chop like none other, with very steep and closely spaced wind waves beating the heck out of the boat. I have noticed, however, that the commercial fisherman all have boats of very similar design that seem to do very well in the chop and slop. I have been referring to them as Chesapeake Bay Runners. These boats are relatively low to the water for their length. They have a very high prow, compared to their length, and the house is low as well. It would appear to me that these boats are designed to cut right through the chop, and have the length to maneuver through the slop without getting caught in the trough. They look something like this:
Or like this:
Sorry for the crappy photo quality. I did not take these. Rather, I found them on the internet and cut and pasted them. I think you ge the idea, however. I really like these boats as they handle the chop and slop better than any "cruising boat" I have seen.
Well, after a great time celebrating Jodie's birthday in Norfolk, we waited for the wind to lie down a bit and headed out towards Deltaville, Virginia. We waited until almost 10:30 to leave. After we got going, the wind did not lie down. In fact, it picked up. By the time we got to the turn off of the Elizabeth River and onto the C Bay, it was smokin' and we were going to get pounded. So, we headed into the Hampton Roads area and hid out just outside the Hampton River mouth to wait it out a little longer. The National Whatever Service had forecast dropping winds throughout the day and afternoon, but we were not seeing it just yet. We were anchored nearly an hour and a half before the flag on the point finally drooped. That was our signal to boogie. So, we did.
As we headed out onto the C Bay, the wind was starting to drop, but the waves were coming along a little more slowly. After a while, the wind dropped and the waves dropped and we were having just a glorious ride north on the Bay. Our only concern at that point was whether or not we would make it to Deltaville before dark. The entrance to the Jackson Creek where we planned to anchor can be tricky and it was the last thing I wanted to do in the dark. So, we had a number of contingency plans. What we really needed was the effect of the tide shift to kick in so we would get that boost we needed; nothing like a couple knots to make it seem like things are going by quickly.
Alas, we got the tide shift we were planning for and we were smokin' along at 7-8 knots. As we picked up speed, I recalculated and recalculated and determined that if we held our speed the rest of the way, we would get in with time to spare. What I did not anticipate, however, were the hundreds of crab pot markers floating all over the place as we got into the mouth of the Piankatank River which takes you to Jackson Creek and into Deltaville. Nor did I anticipated the fact that we would have the sun flat in our eyes as we were negotiating a mine field of crab pot markers. So, we just buckled down and made it happen. We got through the mess with nary a scathe.
When we pulled into Jackson Creek in front of the Deltaville Boatyard and Marina, the water was like a mirror. There were several other boats anchored out so finding the right place was not a problem. Once the hook was in the water, and the engine was shut down, we were overwhelmed with this sense of calm. It was like we arrived at Cat Harbor. We felt as though the place were familiar. It was certainly one of the most beautiful places we have anchored in over 3000 miles.
The banks of the river are lined with tall trees - pines and cypress, as well as maples and various kinds of trees one associates with Christmas. Someone was having a fire and the smell of burning wood was in the air. The sun was setting and a big moon was rising. It was simply beautiful. We didn't go into town that evening as it had been a very long day, but we buckled down to some fine cocktails aboard and passed out early.
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| This is a typical lighthouse on the Chesapeake bay. This one was just outside the Piankatank River. |
In the morning, we awoke to a clear sky and the temperature was a little warmer. It was slated to be in the 80's this day. For the past 3-4 days, it had been a lot cooler; a seriously welcome relief to the days in the 90's we had been compelled to tolerate. The heat is bad but the humidity really sucks. Oh well. We have been running our generator a lot as we need it to keep the air conditioning on at night so we can sleep. It's all good though.
The marina there is very inviting to cruising boats. They let you tie up the dinghy for free. They do charge a lot if you want to drop off trash, however, so we kept ours on the boat. The nice man in the office gave us a "not so much to scale" map and pointed us in the direction of town. Now, the town in Deltaville is not really all that. What it is, is a series of businesses along a 2.5 mile stretch of the main highway. So, there is no "center of town" as it were. Nevertheless, it is a very pleasant walk. Lots of trees and very courteous drivers.
We visited a number of stores along the way and finally found Brenda a new bicycle. It's interesting to think one can actually find a beach cruiser in Deltaville, Virginia, along the banks of the Piankatank River, but we did. We left it there so we did not have to bring it with us for the rest of our walk. We would pick it up on the way back.
So, it was getting close to lunch time and I wanted to sample the local fare. From what I understand, this includes oysters, shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, and flounder. There is a place called The Galley that got good reviews, so we found it. Low and behold, they had a seafood sampler platter that had everything I was looking for. It was pricey, but since I would be trying it all at once, I would not have to go to but more than this one place. So, I went for it. I cannot say that much for the crab cakes, but then again, I really don't know what they are supposed to be like. Again, no expectations. If I were to prepare them, however, I think I would do them differently. They were fine, however and I'm not complaining. All in all, it was excellent.
After lunch, we were walking back to the store where we got the bike and stopped to peak into a couple other stores along the way just for fun. At this point,however, Brenda announced that she was not feeling all that well. So, we kept our store visits short and continued on our way to pick up the bike.
As we were getting along, a woman in a car stops in the middle of the highway and asks, "are y'all sailors in need of a ride someplace?" We said, we were just going back to the hardware store and were doing just fine, thanks. She would have none of it. She insisted we get in the car and allow her to give us a ride, "it is 85 degrees out, afterall." So, she drove us to the hardware store where we were picking up the bike. The next thing you know, she grabs us both by the arms and marches us into the store and calls out for Sam, the owner of the store. She then tells him, "These fine sailors apparently purchased a bike here and were planning on walking it all the way back to the marina. It's hot out there Sam, so why don't you get your truck and give them a ride." Sam was certainly not one to argue, so he got his truck, loaded us and the bike in the truck and then gave us a ride the rest of the way back to the marina. Both of these fine folks said that they couldn't let us walk in this heat, for the friendly reputation of Deltaville was at stake and dependent on it.
Now, I have witnessed many acts of kindness in my days, and have been prone to engage in one or two myself. Brenda, on the other hand, knows of no other way. It certainly was something however, to be a "victim" of an act of such kindness. It sort of leaves you scratching your head and wondering what just happened. I wish there were more people and places like this. I must say that in the short time we were in Deltaville, it gets my vote for the friendliest place we have visited to date.
You might know that Deltaville was recently hammered by a tornedo. It happened in April of this year. It was the first time this town had ever experienced anything like that. However, to walk through the town as we did, you would hardly know anything untoward had happened. As far as the folks we talked to were concerned, it simply meant that the community had to pull itself up by its bootstraps and get on with it. The local churches raised all kinds of money very quickly to help out their folks. They took care of each other in a devastating time of need. But, it was like not big deal. It was simply understood and expected.
We were told that one of the things that makes this community unique is that the folks who live here do so because they want to not because they have to or happen to. We noticed how the locals all know each other and greet each other. I guess having lunch at the Galley was like going to the local spot where all the locals go. What we saw there in terms of the interaction of folks was impressive. I really liked that. It sure is nice to know that there are still places where folks know each other and care for each other because they share, if nothing else, at least one thing in common: they are all human beings and they all suffer from the same frailties, and all deserve to be treated with decency and respect afforded on a most basic level.
We left Deltaville on our quest to reach Washington DC which is at the top of the Potomac River, still two days away (at least). I suppose it would have been nice to spend a few more days in Deltaville, but maybe next time.
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| This is the light that guards the lower half of the mouth of the Potomac River. |
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| This is where we are anchored. |
While there has not been too much going on deserving of much written expose, let me take this opportunity to introduce you to a couple other members of our "crew."
Most of you know Brenda and I. Or, at least, you have seen us or heard of us. Well, our responsibilities are numerous as we own the boat and operate it on a day to day basis.
Then, you have probably heard of and/or seen the least useful members of our crew, Runway and Tarmac. They are cats and their duties include........well, they actually do nothing. Tarmac barfs a lot, and Runway leaves hair all over everything. But other than that, well.....they really do nothing but make us smile on a daily basis. They are good crew. They don't eat much, and if I could only get them to clean their own box, then we might get somewhere. Brenda professes cats can be potty trained. I got news. When you have to manually pump to effectuate the removal of waste, well, that takes thumbs, baby, and they ain't got 'em. That's all I'm going to say about that.
We have picked up some new crew members along the way, members who have, in their own subtle ways, made our lives a little more tolerable. First, allow me to introduce you to the most senior member of our crew, Otto.
Otto has been part of the crew from the time we first adopted Abreojos. He was concieved in Goleta, California, but we believe he was actually born in Maryland. His interests include driving, and driving. When he is not driving, he is driving. When he is not driving or driving, he likes to lay quietly in the sun and relax. He doesn't say much. Some might think he was shy. Actually, since the day he came aboard, he has been the most reliable member of the crew bar none. He can go on and on and on. Thanks Otto. We love you.
Next. one of the newest members of our crew, "Olga".
We are not sure where Olga was born or raised, although we believe Olga is of Korean descent. We found her in Titusville, Florida. She became a member of our crew just when things were beginning to heat up, both literally and figuratively. Olga has proved herself time and again when things get quite warm and stiffling. We just close up the boat and turn Olga on and she cools the place down pretty quickly. She works on both ac shore power and ac generator power and doesn't quibble at all. She eats virtually nothing and requires no waste management. We sure are glad she joined us, but we sometimes wish we adopted her bigger sister.
You have already met Leon.
Leon has continued to prove himself indespensable in the battle of the bugs. Recently, however, we have supplemented Leon with two old Jewish women, who love to eat bugs as much as Leon.
Allow me to introduce, Henna and Schteutle, the twins.
These two girls originally hale from Brooklyn by way of Odessa. Don't let their green "do's" fool ya. They are red hot when it comes to blasting away at the smaller insects on the inside of the windshield. In a recent contest, Henna was up by nearly 20 before Schteutle even got out of bed. Not to be out done, however, Schteutle soon caught up. Between the two of them, Leon has his work cut out for him. However, because of their differences in physiology, it is not fair to compare. While Leon lacks the whip, Henna and Schteutle cannot dispense with wasps or other critters larger than themselves.
Finally, allow me to introduce Haiery.
Anyways, that is just about all the crew members worth discussing at this point. If we add to our crew list in the future, we will let you know. In the interim.....
That's all for now.
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