Jacksonville/St. Augustine

We left Fernandina on a rising tide which happened to be at noon so we didn't travel very far that day.  We anchored off the ICW a little past the St. Johns River in the Jacksonville area. We had just finished a great dinner of Chinese bbq chicken and the fixings and decided to play a few hands of cards as we were waiting for an approaching storm.  Rylee started barking - which he does when he hears, sees and smells dolphin. Ed and I both thought that was what it was until we saw blue flashing lights around Makai.  Eva went to the cockpit and noticed a coast guard boat circling us.  She asked if everything was alright and they stated - just checking to see if you were o.k. as they saw the flashing lights on Makai.  The lights are an auxiliary anchor light that are solar powered attached to the stern arch. We did have a few squalls with some lightening and thunder and heavy rain, but all was fine.

 We left  the anchorage Wednesday morning and made our way to St. Augustine.  We were able to anchor right after noon just north of the Bridge of Lions which is being restored to it's full glory by dismantling it and rebuilding it on and off site. This bridge has served the city for over 80 years and it has been and will be again the prettiest bridge on the ICW.  As construction is going on a new temporary lift bridge was built there  to let boat traffic pass and will be completely removed after all construction is completed.  St. Augustine is the oldest city in Florida and another one of our favorites.  We are going to find the "Fountain of Youth" so we both can stay young a little longer! 

  

There are so many places and things to see in St. Augustine, one being the Great Cross.  It is a massive structure made of stainless steel and rises 280 feet above the marshes of the Matanza River. The cross weighs 70 tons and to prevent any damage from hurricane force winds, the lower 65 feet is filled with concrete.  It has lights shining on it at night. One can easily stay here for several days and not see everything.  St. Augustine is the oldest city in Florida and surely one of our favorites. 

Survival!!!!

Second Attempt for Outside the ICW

Up early on Monday morning.  Captain Ed checked the weather on line and Eva spoke with Chris Parker regarding going out the inlet and down to St. Augustine. The winds were to be N 10-15 changing to NE at 10.  Seas were 2-4'.  Eva also  checked on the St. Augustine inlet as we have never gone in or out of it.  Everything looked fine, so the line was dropped from the mooring ball at 7:15 am and we headed towards the St. Mary/Fernandina inlet.  Going out was fine with a very light 5 knot north wind. There are jetties on both sides that extend out a couple of miles.  As we got past the breakwater the waves grew to 9-12' with short intervals. Waves came crashing over the bow and another came from the side into the stern and cockpit.  Captain Ed got soaked and poor Rylee (wearing a tether) quickly jumped to get off the deck and avoided swimming in water.  At that point we turned south to remove ourselves from the current in the channel hoping for relief.   A couple miles south of the inlet the seas calmed down somewhat to 8-9 feet. The waters were still too rough (no thanks to the NOAA weather forecast and buoy information)  We noticed another sailboat going in the inlet and Eva contacted them on the radio asking if it has been rough while they were out.  The answer was yes! They stated it had gotten worse the last few hours so they were coming in.  Well, we had to make a decision. We were heading back turning the boat around like the survival turn in the movie "Perfect Storm".  Our comfort is more important than being able to sail offshore.  We are currently back in Fernandina and will continue on down the ICW in the morning as the winds will shift more easterly.

Fernandina, Florida

We made it to Fernandina Beach FL, a part of Amelia Island on Friday, after a very tiring day.  The last section of Georgia had the two worst spots on the whole ICW - Little Mud River and Jeckyll Creek.  We had to leave the anchorage a bit later than normal, waiting for the waters to rise in order for us to pass through the areas without hitting the keel of Makai.  Captain Ed made magic and glided Makai right through with out a blink of an eye!  We are on a mooring ball at Fernandina Harbor Marina and we will take a break from traveling and enjoy the city for a few days.    One of our stops will be to visit northeastern Florida's oldest continuously operating bar, the Palace Saloon.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Built in 1878, what started as a haberdashery, it was purchased in 1903, stocked with booze and named the Palace Saloon.  The mosaic floors, tin ceilings and a 40-foot bar are just some of the relics found in this treasured location. In 1999, a fire swept through the Palace, but the saloon was restored and is still a landmark in the community. The Rockefeller's and Carnegie's were just some of the famous names that were regulars at the establishment. In 1905, the hard liquor bar was the first of its kind to serve Coca-Cola.

  One of the neatest places for breakfast or lunch is T-Ray's. Just ask any local for the best place to eat and they say - the gas station!  It is a former Exxon gas station and the interior has not been changed.  It has a counter and six tables with mix matched chairs, plates and silverware from the 50's and 60's.  There is also outdoor seating, right next to the gas pumps. You place your order at the counter and they bring it to your table.  T-Ray will walk by your table, ask how your food is, and call you honey.  He noticed that Eva did not have grits on her plate and questioned her as to why not! You are also responsible for clearing your dishes and putting them in the bin for washing.

Georgia

As stated in the Skipper Bob books, "The USACOE does not have the funds to maintain the ICW in lower South Carolina/Georgia area."  In other words, they can't afford to do any dredging!  Many of the areas are becoming so shallow, they are practically impassable. Hands down, Georgia remains the most difficult stretch of the ICW to navigate.  The problem is shoaling, and that is likely to remain the case until the state finds some environmentally acceptable spoil disposal sites. Georgia has 139 miles of ICW and many cruisers choose not to go on the ICW, but if you "play the tides" and watch the depths, it isn't all that bad.  Our first anchorage in Georgia was the Vernon River, which is large and deep.  We were able to rest peacefully before attempting Hell's Gate, Florida Passage and Creighton Narrows.  Our second nights anchorage was on the North River, which was only a few miles from the beginning of the next leg which was Little Mud River, Altamaha Sound, Buttermilk Sound and lastly Jekyll Creek. Little Mud River and Jekyll Creek rank first and second, respectively, for the worst shoaling on the 1,200 miles of ICW from Norfolk, VA to Key West, FL.

Cumberland Island is the last section of land in Georgia and is known for the "wild horses".  We were lucky enough to see several of them walking the beach.
Throughout the Georgia portion of the waterway we'd seen very little development and often few signs if any of people in Georgia!  The ICW winds back and forth but it does so through much virgin land and it is very pretty.  All in all, we loved Georgia---it is one of our favorite parts of the ICW!

Anchorages in South Carolina

After the Bull River anchorage, we by-passed Beaufort, SC and anchored in Cowen Creek right before the Port Royal/Hilton Head Inlet.  We found a great housing development being built that we were able to dingy up to a floating dock and take an nice relaxing walk with Rylee.  After the sun set, we sat and watch the stars beginning to twinkle in the fall sky. We again discussed the possibility of going on the outside.  Captain Ed checked the weather and East winds were predicted.  Did not feel like taking the 6-8' waves on the side of the boat, so we made our way through some more dreaded "trouble spots" like Ramshorn Creek, Walls' Cut and Fields Cut.  Unless you travel these areas when the tide is high, you will be sitting aground --- we had no problem!

South Carolina High Tide Marina

This marina was an easy stop for us and was very inexpensive .  The utilities are at a distance but at $.75 a foot what a deal.  The only drawback is you can not leave until high tide.

South Carolina

Two things you must keep in mind while on the water...
1. You don't make a time schedule
2. Plans can change at any time making a need for an alternate plan. (Plan A & Plan B)


As we sat at anchor in Charleston and listened to the weather forecast on Saturday it seemed like it would be fine to plan an outside run on Monday.  Well, Saturday evening and all day Sunday, the winds blew.  After taking Rylee to shore on Sunday evening and getting drenched from the rough water in the process, we took the motor off the dingy and secured everything up for the outside run. Ed and I were both up early on Monday to listen to the weather and get an up dated report.  Winds were still blowing 18-20 knots and the seas had 6' waves. Even if the winds died down a bit it would take awhile for the seas to calm down. So plan B was being put into effect. We were going to stay inside and follow the ICW down. It will take us more time and more stop overs, but it is the more protected route. On Makai safety is first!  So, the anchor was pulled up and we headed out.  Was able to catch the favorable currents for the majority of the day and had no trouble in the "trouble spots" noted on the charts.  We had the whole anchorage at Bull Creek, which is 16 miles north of Beufort, SC all to ourselves! The sun is shining and we are ready for a beautiful sunset.  The difference between a sunrise and sunset is...nothing!  Same thing - as we were told some time ago from an old Salt.

Going Green

With the environment such a major concern Makai vows to do her part.  We plan on following the "3 R's" - Reuse, Recycle and Reduce.  Eva has plenty of canvas bags, so when we go to the grocery store we forego the plastic bags.  We have also stopped using styrofoam and now use only paper plates and cups when necessary.  We separate our trash and when possible place the recycles in the bins at the various marinas.  In the islands, we will separate trash into three bags - one for burning, one for recycling and one for the landfill.  There are islands where you are not permitted to leave trash at all as they have no way of getting rid of it.  Last season Ed installed two solar panels which generate energy when the sun is shining, more so down in Florida and the Bahamas rather than up north!  This season he installed a wind generator which has been working great with all the strong winds we have encountered this trip.  Between the two systems our batteries are at full charge eliminating the need to use the gas Honda generator we also have.

Charleston, SC

After several great evenings at fantastic anchorages we made our way to Charleston.  The last bridge that we needed to open was the Ben Sawyer Bridge.  It is another old swing bridge in need of repair.  Repairs are slated for the second week in November and will be closed to waterway boat traffic for approximately ten days.  This is a "on request" bridge that opens at any time without restrictions.  As the bridge started to open all hell broke loose. We were almost ready to pass through when the bridge started to close causing us to quickly change our course. Then all of a sudden we heard sirens!  We both looked and saw fire engines and emergency equipment needing to cross the bridge.  The bridge tender then radioed to us that as soon as he got the permission to open, he would do so.  In the mean time, Makai was fighting the current and shallow sides.  We sat and waited.  It was a delay of an hour.  As we started our way into Charleston harbor, it started to rain.  Not just a drizzle but a downpour!  So with rain gear on we continued to the anchorage which is directly across from Charleston City Marina. The anchorage is dotted with old boats that seem to be abandoned.  The other problem that we have had is the black birds.  They seem to be attracted to the boats every morning and every evening. You need to be on "bird watch" and chase them away!

The city of Charleston is a peninsula bordered by the Ashley river on one side and the Cooper river on the other.  These two rivers merge into what is called the Charleston Harbor, and follow a common channel out into the Atlantic.  The harbors entrance which is most impressive if Fort Sumter.  There are two other historical forts that were built to guard the harbor at different times in history --- Fort Moultrie and Fort Johnson.  Fort Sumter is the fort where the civil war began in 1861 when Confederate troops fired on the Union garrison manning the fort.  This was the first shot fired in the Civil War.  We enjoy the city and will wait out the rain and hopefully head outside for an overnight trip down to Fernandia, FL.

Little River/Waccamaw

   We were the first boat to leave the anchorage at Wrightsville Beach, knowing it was going to be a long day with 60 miles to travel.  We had the current with us as we traveled the Cape Fear River, permitting Makai to make 10 knots - which is a first!  Normally we have a speed of around 6 1/2 knots. 

   We had several bridges to pass under and only one that needed opening (Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge).  This bridge is a single lane, wooden deck pontoon, that is reported to be the last of its kind along the entire east coast. The opening involves the bridge tender to stop all vehicular traffic.  Then he walks down a spiral staircase to the engine room. There sits this huge German-built diesel engine, with a back-up engine as breakdowns are common.  The bridge opens and closes with the use of cables and hydraulic controls atop a platform off of the engine. Once the alarm sounds, boats are free to pass by the bridge. Boats must wait for the signal from the bridge tender to continue through or the propellers might get caught on the cables that sink to the bottom of the waterway.  In the event of an approaching hurricane or tropical storm, the bridge tender has to wait until everyone is evacuated (only mandatory evacuations) to secure the bridge to protect it from high winds and surf. The bridge cannot be operated during winds higher than 40 mph. Even though this old bridge is strong and well-built, it can be severely damaged in hurricane or tropical storm force winds. It will not open in low tides as it needs water to float.  The bridge is wearing out, and is scheduled to be replaced with an unmanned high-rise bridge that will open in 2010. Hopefully the polite bridge tender will be able to retire or be relocated to another location.

   We passed the North Carolina/South Carolina border. There was no welcome sign just confederate flags flying proudly. Soon afterwards, we pulled into the Calabash River, a few miles north of Myrtle Beach and anchored for the night.

   South Carolina is interesting. The waterway is loaded with tree stumps trying to snag your boat. We passed a tremendous amount of development in the Myrtle Beach area.  Golf courses and beautiful new homes line the waterway and more are actively under construction, but there are also a large number of homes with for sale signs.  We continued through a 4 mile stretch called "the rock pile". The banks are rock ledges that are invisible at high tide water, so you MUST stay in channel if you don’t want to rip the side out of your boat! It’s noted in the cruising guides and they advise you to call ahead on the VHF to check for any north-bound tugs before starting through it, since it is so narrow.



  It started to rain early this morning and turned a bit chilly, making it a miserable day to travel - but we pushed on.  We are at anchor in Thoroughfare Creek, a really nice spot for the night but more stumps so caution is necessary.

Inside Makai

If you are a boater and own a boat then you know what a boat looks like inside. If you have no clue as to how we can live on a sailboat well then - step inside Makai.  Makai is a 40' long range cruiser. She is 13' wide with approximately 225 gallons of fuel enough for about 1600 miles of motoring when the sails are not up.  She has a complete galley (kitchen) with a microwave, stove, sink, fridge and freezer.  We also have 2 staterooms (bedrooms) each with queen size beds.  And there are 2 heads (bathrooms), both having a stand up shower. The salon (living room) has two couches and a dining table.  We also have a flat screen tv, stereo system and over 200 DVD's and over 150 CD's to watch and listen to.  The stereo can even be played outside in the cockpit (back porch to Eva) if we are entertaining.  Everything that we had in the house, is here in the boat - well, maybe not everything!  But we do have a full set of pots and pans, baking dishes, mixer, toaster, pressure cooker, dish service for 8 and even crystal wine glasses! We have plenty of storage as the seat cushions lift up and things are under there as well as the back cushions.  Even under the bed opens up for storage! Outside we have the largest swimming pool you can imagine! There is one rule regarding "things" --- every thing has a place and we always put things away, not just put them down!  Makai is a vacation on the water.  Most pleasurable most of the time with great memories of the cruising life

Jump Outside

The alarm went off at 4:30am...pretty dark! Coffee was made and Rylee got one last walk in the park.  Conditions were right so lines were cast off and Makai was out of the slip at 5:00am and heading to the Beufort Inlet for an outside (Atlantic waters) ride down to Wrightsville Beach. We opted to go outside to avoid the shallows of the waterway (Swansboro) and delays at the seven bridges. Winds were out of the Northeast and the waters were calm with only less then 1 foot seas.  We were under full sail and enjoying the ride. The afternoon winds changed and the seas grew to 4 to 5 foot. Thank goodness I gave Rylee a sedative as he gets very anxious when it is a rough ride!  Makai, Capt. Ed and myself handled the conditions well and were at anchor in Wrightsville Beach at 4:30pm where we will stay for a day or so. 

Wahoo

We may have missed the Annapolis Boat Show this past weekend but we were able to see the Annual Wahoo Fishing Challenge held in Morehead City, NC.  There were 48 boats registered and they were all vying for the grand prize of $75,000 for the largest Wahoo caught.  The winner came in with a 51 pound fish!  We also saw several vendors and Captain Ed spotted a new fishing pole and reel he just had to have --- so, an early christmas gift for him!  Now we have no reason not to catch fish while cruising the Bahamas.

Morehead City, NC

We pulled up anchor at Oriental after a very peaceful night.  We had a short easy trip of only 23 miles to Morehead City, NC.  Captain Ed thought that we should top off on fuel and I had called several places and found one that would be very close to the marina.  The winds were blowing around 15 knots and the current was about 1.5 knots.  After putting in 60 plus gallons of diesel fuel at $2.32 a gallon, we pulled into and tied up at the Morehead City Docks which was not an easy task with the winds and the cross current.  They are brand new floating docks with electric and water.  The restroom/shower/laundry facilities are still in the process of being built, but we have facilities on Makai and the laundry can wait until we get to Wrightsville Beach. We are in a slip right next to the Morehead City Fire & EMS boat, so Captain (Fireman) Ed got into gear and gave it a wash-down! 

 Rylee loved the small park right by the docks.  Captain Ed found a great marine supply store which was bigger and much more stock than any West Marine, but at Wal-mart prices!  Lots of great restaurants within walking distance.  You have to glance down and follow the street sign and "Look" where it says to look!. The weather is perfect and since we are plugged into shore power, the air conditioning is on mostly to correct the humidity problem in the area.

Oriental, NC

Todays journey took us to Oriental, NC, which involved crossing the Pamlico River and the Neuse River. If the winds are blowing in the wrong direction on the rivers, it could be a very rough or wet ride, but ours was smooth sailing! Oriental is known as "The Sailing Capital of North Carolina." It is a nostalgic little town of 1,000 people who welcome boaters. It has a very infectious atmosphere, where the local fisherman sell fresh fish, a local farmer's market has fresh vegtables, great restaurants and cute little homes with fall flowers in the front yards.  As you walk on the street across from the marina, there are signs posted "Beware of Snakes", since its fresh water in the creek, water moccasin have taken up residence so you have to stomp while walking along side the creek to let them know you in the area. There are also dragon nesting areas that are protected by North Carolina Wildlife! The Inland Waterway Provision Company is a fully stocked ships store where Captain Ed purchased a few things for Makai. They even have loaner bikes for use to get you to other stores at the end of town, a mile away. We are currently the only boat at anchor enjoying the mild breezes of the evening.

Belhaven, NC

Things are going well as we travel down the ICW. The weather was cooperative so we crossed the Albarmarle Sound, which is approximately 10 miles of open water. We anchored overnight in the Alligator River and sunrise brought us through the Alligator/Pungo River canal, where we spotted three deer on the river bank and also 2 turkeys (getting hungry). Tonight we are anchored in Belhaven, NC which is a very small but very friendly town.  Nowhere else have we seen an Ace hardware store that sells champagne and caviar in the cooler along side wine, bread, milk and even an ice cream cone. Of course you can get the tools needed and other supplies!  There also is a book store/wine store/cafe. Good place to read a book while having lunch. This is a nice pit stop on the ICW as they also have a Laundromat, grocery store, liquor store and even a couple of fast food restaurants.  As we were walking back from the grocery store, a gentleman stopped along side us and asked if we wanted a ride - which is a very familiar gesture from the locals here.  We will wait here and check the weather as we have another large open body of water to cross - the Neuse River.

Norfolk, to Broad Creek, NC

Had a fantastic first day on the ICW!  Pulled up anchor from Hospital Point, Portsmouth (Norfolk, VA) which is mile 0 of the ICW.  Todays leg took us through 14 bridges and 1 set of locks.  Most of the bridges had to be opened for us to pass through - The bridges were either the swing or bascular type.  We were able to make 61 miles today, anchoring at Broad Creek, which is just before the Albarmarle Sound, in North Carolina. We are 3 weeks ahead of last year's schedule and sit's surprising to see as many boats already heading south.  Normally, we would stay in Annapolis, MD until the end of the week visiting the annual sail boat show there.

The Intercoastal Waterway - ICW

The Intracoastal Waterway, usually just called the ICW, covers the area between Norfolk, VA and Key West, FL. In fact, Norfolk is mile 0, and you can travel all 1,243 miles south. There are even physical "mile markers" stuck near the shore that you'll see at some places. What began as a project many years ago to promote safe passage for commercial vessels has today become a virtual blue highway for sailors.

Traffic    Once underway on the ICW, you'll find that you're sharing the water with an array of different boats. The commercial traffic that we encounter is an occasional tug and barge. US Coast Guard workboats are commonly seen maintaining the aids to navigation along the way. Casino boats, tour boats or commercial fishermen heading to or from a nearby inlet round out the fleet. If you meet commercial traffic in a narrow stretch of the ICW and are unsure of their intentions, a quick call on VHF Channel 16 or 13 will help you coordinate a safe passage.  The volume of traffic on the ICW peaks in the spring during the months of April and May, then again in the fall months of October and November. These are the months of seasonal migration during which thousands of boats travel to and from various winter destinations.  New friendships are easily made along the way. You'll find yourself continually running into the same boats time and time again at fuel stops, anchorages, and marinas. Happy-hour gatherings and the sharing of information soon become a way of life. Veteran cruisers often return to the ICW year after year just to be part of the pure fun and friendship that accompanies those who transit this route.

Anchorages and Docking    Budget-minded cruisers can find safe, interesting and free anchorages the entire length of the ICW. Lots of cruisers have traveled the ICW for years and never paid a single cent in dockage fees. But saving money isn't the only reason to anchor out. The anchorages along the ICW vary greatly from one area to the next. One night you may find yourself in a beautiful remote spot being entertained for hours by an alligator stalking a shore bird for his supper. The next night you'll enjoy the twinkling light of a quaint waterfront town while live music drifts lazily across the waters from a local watering hole. Then, sometimes you're forced to anchor in less desirable spots where you're surrounded by brightly lit condominiums and the drone of heavy traffic from a nearby road. The shallower your draft, the more options you will have - Makai needs 5 1/2'.  More than once we have arrived at an anchorage recommended by a guidebook or friends only to find it crowded with boats. Then when we check the chart, we find that there is a perfectly suitable place just around the corner, but because it's not listed in the guidebook, it's totally empty. We've never been unable to find a spot with room to anchor for the night on the ICW.  There are many cruisers along the way who prefer to tie up each night, and some who just like to treat themselves every once in awhile. For these folks there are a large number of marinas along the entire route. Transient dockage fees down the ICW range from as low as $1.00 per foot per night to several dollars down in the Miami area.

Bridges and Locks    An important part transiting the ICW involves the passing under or through many bridges. Both fixed and opening bridges need to be approached with certain knowledge and  respect. The fixed high-rise bridges on the Waterway are designed to provide a free vertical clearance of 65 feet. The actual bridge clearance however can differ from its design and from what's shown on your chart. Tides, wind, and even rainfall can all affect the actual clearance of a fixed bridge. It's common to see bridge clearance gauges that indicate less than the intended 65 feet. Boats with tall masts need to approach high-rise bridges carefully and proceed underneath only after confirming that the rig will fit.  The opening of bridges on the ICW are as varied as the route itself. You'll encounter swing bridges, bascule bridges, and lift bridges. Some of the bridges, like the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, FL, are literal works of art. Others are just boring steel structures performing a function without any reward or beauty.  Many bridges open "On Demand", or "On Request" as bridge tenders prefer to say, but quite a few have restricted opening schedules. In metropolitan areas, high-traffic bridges often have restricted openings, or stay closed for several hours to accommodate morning and afternoon rush hour traffic. Other bridges along the route may open only on the hour and half-hour, every 20 minutes, or sometimes every 15 minutes.  Knowing the name and opening schedule of an upcoming bridge is extremely important for your trip to run smoothly. As bridge names are not always posted on bridges, nor are they always found on your chart, make sure the guidebook you have includes information about all opening bridges.  I keep a handy waterproof sheet with us in the cockpit that lists the names and opening schedules of all ICW bridges by mile marker.The VHF frequency to use for requesting a bridge opening is either Channel 13 or 9 depending upon the state. Most bridge tenders prefer that you request your opening when you are within a quarter mile of the bridge.  State highway departments like to build shorter rather than longer bridges whenever possible to save money. As a result, bridges are often positioned at the narrowest point for a given body of water. The positioning of these bridges sometimes results in exciting times for us boaters, as these areas of constricted water can carry swift currents and sometimes strong and gusty winds. These combinations require a diligent hand on the wheel when approaching both fixed and opening bridges. A dangerous situation can quickly unfold approaching a bridge in a narrow cut with a following current. With this in mind, it's important to closely note other boat traffic in and around a bridge, and closely monitor your radio as you approach. You may need to yield to another boat that needs room or find that you need additional pace yourself to safely maneuver within the channel.  There are very few locks on the ICW. If you take the main (eastern) route south, there is a single lock at Great Bridge, VA which is easily entered and only takes a few minutes of lock time before it's done. If you choose the route through the Dismal Swamp, there is a lock at each end of the canal. All of these locks are simple and straightforward with no swirling or rushing waters to worry about. And these locks can be a great place to chat a little face to face with other boats heading the same way.  And as an alternative to the ICW, you can always jump out and go off shore!

Boat Wash

Too bad we were on the wrong side --- could of got a free boat wash from the passing Navy ship! 

Deltaville Boat Yard - Norfolk - Hospital Point

After receiving our transmission fluid dipstick, at a cost of $110 - the transmission fluid was also changed.  We did notice a small oil leak around the valve cover and Deltaville Boat Yard tightened the bolts then Makai went out on a mini-sea trail.  She checked out with an A plus!  Not!  The oil leak is still with us and  the mechanic told us to just tighten the bolts if it is still leaking.  He also stated that it will fix itself after it gets "seated".  That is not the case as we were told and now we have to find another mechanic to correct this.  I think the valve cover was tightened so much as it is now warped.  Deltaville Boat Yard is off my list for sure.  Some things there seem inexpensive but after you get the bill you are in shock for a day or so.  Everything is additional. You are even charged for their rag use.  Need to use the bathoom?  That is an additional $10.00.  An initial estimate of about $800.00 ended up to be almost $1,600.00  The weather is co-operating, so we loosened the lines from Deltaville Marina and are now currently at anchor at Hospital Point, which is actually in Portsmouth, VA - right across from Norfolk.  The anchorage is nice here - right next to Tidewater Marina. Norfolk is amazing with its array of military vessel - aircraft carriers armed with fighter jets and Apache helicopters, destroyers, battleships, and huge cranes lifting and moving things for the ships.e.There is always some type of traffic going on in the water - whether it be Navy ships being shuffled around by barges, water taxies running back and forth from Portsmouth to Norfolk, Carnival cruise ships coming in or just cruisers heading north and south.  We only plan on staying here for a night or two - one of our favorite places to eat is in Portsmouth, called Roger Brown's Sport Bar, which has the best marinated flank steak ever!  Norfolk also has a really nice indoor shopping mall and a great little grocery store, called "The Market at Harbor Heights."  We will stock up on some meats here, as they have an old time "butcher" who cuts what you want.  Hospital Point marks the end of the Cheseapeake Bay portion of the trip and now actually becomes the beginning of the Inter-coastal Waterway, which starts at mile marker zero (0).  We go to Key Biscayne, FL before crossing over to the Bahamas, which is mile marker 1096.