Norfolk to Solomons
On October 26, 2023, Ann and I left our dock in Annapolis with our new boat Empty Nest to escape the cold Winter. We stayed 3.5 months in Key West, visited the Bahamas, Dry Tortugas, and many towns along the East Coast. Now, 2,500 nautical miles and 6 months later, we will return to our dock tomorrow. Our first year as snowbirds is almost over, and we already cannot wait for the next one.
Last night the weather was damp with sporadic rain in Norfolk. I found an indoor pickleball facility at Old Dominion University. Since we were not familiar with the area, Ann and I arrived early by Uber to a 3 hour open play session, and the location did not disappoint. In fact, I'd rate the competition as 3.8 to 4.5 level players. Ann and I lost as many games as we won, perhaps even more, which is ideal. Playing better players is the most fun. It was a blast, and the players were super friendly. I think it's the best pickleball we had on the entire trip, not counting our visits home to Annapolis.
Leaving the dock this morning was intense. Winds were at least 20 knots with gusts, and since we pulled out at 7:30 a.m., there was nobody to help us with the lines. This marina is better suited to smaller boats, and I had to squeeze out with some careful turns. Empty Nest has great thrusters and handles really well in tight spaces, and we got off without a hitch. As we pulled out of our marina, we went alongside a large Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Further North in the channel, we came upon an aircraft carrier. They don't like it when you get too close to them, and we got yelled at by one of their escort police boats.
The area was busy with all kinds of military vessels, and you must maintain a 1,500 foot distance from them at all times. With the number of boats out there and their location, I don't think the people who made these rules knew geometry because it was not always possible to be that far from all the military boats while staying in deep enough water.
As we left Norfolk, we found ourselves in four foot seas coming from our port side stern. It was slightly uncomfortable, but not too crazy. After a few hours, the waves settled down. We had some light rain off and on, which was fine except that my center windshield wiper still does not work.
As we approached Solomons, we passed some pretty lighthouses.
Rain can be unsettling on the water, but it does have one very nice side effect!
After we dropped our anchor, we were treated to a gorgeous sky.
The sun rays peaking through the clouds were surreal.
As I type this, it is pitch black out, as we are anchored away from all civilization. The wind and current are strong, and our boat is swinging. We have reassurance from our anchor alarm app, which shows very good holding. We're in 27 feet of water, so I let out 150 feet of chain. With our 110 lb. anchor and so much heavy chain, I'm not worried at all. How will I sleep? That's another story. Sleeping well at anchor is not something I've figured out yet.
The 187 feet listed in the app includes the 150 feet of chain and another 37 feet which is my (my phone's actually) distance from the bow inside the boat. At 7 pm, we were swinging, but the boat stayed in a very narrow area, which is a very good sign.
To our Maryland friends and family, we cannot wait to see you again! And to our Florida friends who are following this blog, thanks for tuning in, and we hope to see you again next Winter. Be sure to let us know if you are ever in Annapolis.
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