May 15-20, 2009 The Hampton Public Piers were our home for 5 days. We needed to rest, do laundry and clean, finish some maintenance, and wait out some nasty weather. There were plenty of places to go that were within walking distance. Larry and Margie visited the Virginia Air and Space Museum and the carousel museum. The four of us went to the farmer’s market Saturday morning and a street fair in the evening. On Monday we rented a car to facilitate errands and also drove to Newport News to visit the Mariners’ Museum, recommended by several people. It’s a wonderful place with several permanent exhibits that are fascinating: a collection of miniature ships, a Chesapeake Bay gallery, New World explorers gallery and others. The most interesting was the USS Monitor Center. The Civil War iron-clad ship was finally located about 10 years ago and recovery is ongoing, with many of the artifacts coming to this museum. The famous revolving gun turret is here being conserved in an enormous vat of a liquid solution to get all of the salt out of the metal; the process will take about 25 years. There are several other, smaller vats for smaller pieces.
May 20, 2009 With an early start and very calm Chesapeake Bay waters, we were able to go almost 100 miles in 12 ½ hours. Wanderin’ L & M traveled with us. About midday we encountered a fleet of boats catching menhaden, small fish used for bait, fish oil (omega 3), fertilizer, and many other things. Above the boats were two small planes flying around, which we thought were locating schools of menhaden for the boats. At Solomons,MD, on the Patuxent River, we found a nice anchorage for the night, although there was some noise from water skiers at first and later, from planes out of the naval air station nearby.
May 21, 2009 Again, the Chesapeake Bay was fairly smooth. We reached Annapolis, MD, in the early afternoon and motored past the Naval Academy on the Severn River to Weems Creek, where we anchored. That’s a popular spot and we had plenty of company. Larry got the dinghy down in the water and the four of us buzzed around in that and explored, although we had to abandon an attempt to go back past the Academy and into downtown Annapolis. Too rough, too much water splashing in.
May 22, 2009 We felt we didn’t need to leave until 8 AM, since the home marina for Going There was only about ½ a day’s travel away. However, as we approached the Naval Academy, we started to see armed patrol boats, both Navy and Coast Guard. What was going on? Soon we heard the Coast Guard on the VHF radio, broadcasting the navigation changes for the day: "The Severn River will be closed from 0900 hours to 1300 hours." What? We finally figured it out-graduation! Dignitaries-maybe the president! In any case, we were permitted to pass the patrol boats, run into Spa Creek for a quick look at downtown Annapolis, and be on our way.
Arriving back at Porter’s Seneca Marina, our Loop trip was completed. Raymond Porter helped us tie up in our slip and welcomed us back. Larry and Margie anchored in Seneca Creek to stay for the night. Our car was waiting for us in the parking lot, courtesy of Barb, Bruce, and Katie, who delivered it last week. We knew, due to a phone call today from Becky, that our house was aired out, and the majority of weeds in the flower beds were gone. Thanks, y’all, we appreciate everything you did! Check back in a few days for some more pictures.
Here are some stats:
Vessel: "GOING THERE"
1980 34 ft. Mainship I w/165 hp. Perkins turbo
Left Porters Seneca Marina in Baltimore on 05/20/2008 at 0745 hrs.
Returned 05/22/2009 at 1300 hrs.
Travel days 129
Traveled 5970 statute miles
Engine hours 809.9
Fuel used 1504.75
Average MPG 3.97
Average gals per hour 1.86
Average price per gal. $4.49
Highest price paid $5.95
Lowest price paid $1.74
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