Portsmouth to Back River Anchorage

 The winds were gusty but it was supposed to calm down enough by noon to make me comfortable to move on.  I revisited Portsmouth and there was a sidewalk farmers market and old car show in town.

I was hesitant and eventually departed at 1PM, departing single handed (again) letting the winds blow me off the dock …. Like a PRO.

The winds were from the south and the channel was wide and deep.  I hugged the green side to let a container ship pass me.  Then I decided to pull out the sail and reached 7 knots, letting me turn off the engine.

I studied the charts and decided I could get to Back River anchorage by 5 ish, with plenty of daylight.  The alternative was to go to Hampton which did not give me great protection from south or west.  Back River also moved me more forward towards Annapolis.  

Before turning into the Back River inlet I sailed behind a Catamaran Serindipity.  The winds picked up and the channel turned towards the wind and I furled the sail and motored for another 45 minutes to anchor in a shallow area which happened to be on the departure runways of Langley Air Force base.

Winds were supposed calm tonight / tomorrow,

I decided to do an oil change.

Portsmouth

 I departed the free dock at Chasepeake at 10:40, after deciciding not to visit the Battle Bridge museum which opened a 10.

The weather was supposed to be gusty Saturday and I figured I could anchor at Hospital Point which seem protected from the South West.

An uneventful passage at the Great Bridge and the Great Bridge lock.  

The were many bridges and the RR bridge 7 MM5.8 was under construction and had limited scheduled opening,

I was early for the bridge and decided to gas up at Top Rack which happened to have the cheapest diesel that I have seen on this trip. $3.10 per gallon.

I got to the RR bridge 7 and waited about 15 minutes before passing.  The next bridge Gimertonwas a lift bridge that was 89 feet but I was not certain of it.  The radio operator said something .9 feet.  A tug boat was impatient and cut through from the north side while I was slowly approaching the bridge.  I sailboat with a 64 foot mast told me it was 89 feet and I followed her.

As I approached Hospital Point, I noticed a free dock at High Street Landing on the chart, one mile before Hospital Point.  I took the dock and visited the Portsmouth Navel Shipyard museum and Light Ship Portsmouth.  

After waslking through town I return to Bellum.  I was not hungry so I skipped supper but seem to have drunk a bit much as the next morning had a hangover!

Chesapeake

I weighed anchor at 8:30’wanting to get a free dock at Great Bridge. It was only 15 miles but there were three bridges that I had to wait for.  I got a dock and docked BELLUM at 12:15. 

Went to explore Norfolk, very much a Navy town.  I hopped on a city bus for $2.25 for a daily pass (senior rate) an toured around.  Unfortunately my phone battery was low and the backup battery I brought along was dead.  Eventually I got back to the boat and did some shopping for nes USB cables, bought more Ramen, and some brandy and vermouth.

I decided to stay an extra day to visit the USS Wisconsin at the Nauticus center. It was quite interesting. 

  

Towards Chasapeake

 I stared sailing up from Coinjoint  bay to North Landing.  Plenty of sailing at 6 to 8 knots, mind you the speed transducer seems uncalibrated. 

About 2pm, wind gusts were hitting 30, the sail was furled as we were facing the winds.  The river was going to be curving a lot for 15 nm to Chasapeake free dock.  With an abundance of caution I decided to anchor at Blackwater 2.  

Took a nap and then I decided to try to fix the leaky water pump.  I discovered the water pump drive belt had a scar so I changed that too.  

The shaft packing seemed to behaving well.  There was a fair bit of oil under the engine sump.  

Albemarle Sound to North River

 Got up and it was cold and rocky. The night was calm.  

I hesitated departure until noon, when I carefully weighed anchor as Bellum was a bucking horse.  

I reported the hazards to the float plan and the departure went well.  It was a south wind as expected.  In fact I had slowed my approach to the Albemarle Sound to avoid the north winds. 

I approched the Albemarle Sound and it was rocky.  A sailboat passed me on her Genoa and I was tempted to put mine on but it was too rolly and there were crab pods to avoid. I was chicken!  A little more than half way, the winds lowered to 10 knots and I pulled the genoa, but it was too rocky.  

As I approched the other side, I made a turn to port and the water were calm and I was able to sail for a couple hours in a beam reach / close haul and sailed up until the North River became curvy.  A sailboat motor sailing did pass me.

I sailed up the North River towars Coinjoint and went to Green Island creek to anchor but it was way too shallow and I backed up to Cow Creek about one mile.

I considered staying at Coinjoint Marina for their famous Prime Rib, but at 2.90 per foot, never mind.

Dowry Creek up the Alligator canal and river

 I tightened the shaft packing again.

I weighed anchor at 8 and motored to Dowry Creek Marina to get propane refill and replenish gas and diesel. The outboard was a little low and I added .6 gallon and  gallons of diesel.  

The propane was not available.  The person certified to refill tanks was away … at least for 3-4 hours and there was question if the their system was serviceable since they were saying the tank was too close to the electrical panel… whatever.

I started heading towards the Alligator Canal which was less than an hour away.  I sailed to the canal.  It seems the UV cover and leech lines on the genoa were well worked.  But still serviceable.

The canal is about 23 miles and there was a nice open anchorage after the canal.  I got through the canal at 14:45 and decided to continue on the Alligator river as there were many nice anchorage on the Alligator River. I eventually made it pass the Alligator bridge and anchored at MM 83 at the north end of the Alligator River just before the Albemarle Sound at 18:20.

Tomorrow should be an easy crossing of the Sound as the winds are supposed to be light and from the South.