Cape Charles – MV Simple Life

It felt wonderful waking up after a good five hours or so of sleep. The sun was peaking above the horizon and I realize that my life while underway is a cycle of sunrises and sunsets. It’s enjoyable to contemplate the start of each day.

Warmer as You Go

It’s almost 9AM now and as I cruise south down the Atlantic, I’m happy that my nights & days are getting warmer.

Back home in Foxboro the temp hit 70 but the nights are colder due to not being on the water

Flat Ocean is a Happy Ocean

My anchorage was flat water but even now out in the unprotected Atlantic I find it almost as flat.

Italian Yachts

I’m not the only one out here enjoying the flat sea. This sexy Azimut passed me like I was standing still.

Flat like a Bedsheet

As I cruise the sea gets ridiculously flat. I stop to make a video of just how calm it is.

The Atlantic coast of Virginia is looking the pool water

Fisherman’s Island

I’m now rounding Fisherman’s Island on the southern tip of Cape Charles. I glance up at my iPad to see my expected ETA is slipping. I’m fighting the tide which is exiting Chesapeake Channel.

I care about my ETA because I’d like to get on anchor before it’s dark.

I realize that in order to make last light I need to shorten my route or speed up. I decide to “cut the corner” a bit. Cutting the corner can get you in trouble with running aground if you are not careful as depths around inlets are often different than your charts. I cut the corner with a close eye on the trending depths displayed on my instruments.

Careful rounding too close to Fisherman’s Island. It’s low tide and there is a 3.9′ sounding

As I’m rounding the corner, Flipper & friends pay me a visit.

I no sooner round the corner and I’m passing under The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It is a four-lane 20-mile-long vehicular toll crossing that provides direct access from Southeastern Virginia to the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware plus the Maryland and Virginia Eastern Shore).

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

Passing under the bridges you realize how much work went into their construction.

Concrete Ships Anchorage

The sun has set but my cutting the corner has resulting in Simple Life’s arrival at the Concrete Ships Anchorage before dark. I snap a few pictures of the ships before I lose last light.

As I cruise past, a USCG patrol boat is moving slowly alongside the concrete ships and shining their spotlight into the openings of the ships. I think to myself … “Are people living inside the ships?” Why else would they be so interested in looking inside?

Anchored Fast

I quickly chose a good anchor spot by studying the depths and drop anchor.

There is no wind at all so I backdown at a full 830 RPMs to set the anchor.

Cummins SmartCraft Display shows me my RPM Digitally

A check of my GPS SOG (Speed Over Ground) shows the anchor is not budging.

I snap a quick photo of the sunset over the concrete ships and settle in for the night.

W04L005 67NM route looked something like this…

It was enjoyable to set the hook after a 33 hour run outside. Our night’s stay on anchor flanked by the ghost ships was beautiful.

Saying Goodbye to the Concrete Ghost Ships

Now we were crossing the lower portion of the Chesapeake Bay and taking the stern of crossing cargo ships.

Turning to starboard to take the stern of a cargo ship near Thimble Shoal

Today’s route through Norfolk looked roughly like this.

Shortly after getting underway we enjoyed one of my breakfast favorites, “Bacon Hash & Eggs”.

Soon we were passing all the warships docked at Norfolk Naval Base.

After you pass the Navy base you come to the Portsmouth ship yard where you’ll find lots of large ocean going vessels in port for repairs or to unload their cargo. Tidewater marina is located here and it’s a popular stop for ICW cruisers.

A bit further south and we were at the official start of the ICW or mile marker 0.

We rounded a bend in the Elizabeth River and found that the Norfolk Southern Rail Road Bridge was currently in the down position. This meant doing circles while we waited and watched two separate trains go past. One train was leaving with what looked like a full load of coal. The other train appeared empty and inbound.

Once the Norfolk Southern RR Bridge opened, it was time to slip beneath it

When we arrived at Top Rack Marina in Chesapeake, VA, we took on 292 gallons of diesel. We had last filled the diesel tanks in Warwick, RI. While we could have saved fuel by pulling back the throttles a bit, we have been making good time ever since we departed Warwick, RI. Warmer weather is in front of us.

Then we moved over from the diesel fill slip to our assigned slip for the night.

With provisions running a bit low, I used my Instacart app to buy groceries for the next week or so of our journey. Instacart grocery delivery is great and our shopper delivered our groceries right to our boat.

We struggled to find all the room in the refrigerator for the large order we placed.

Luckily I have a dometic AC/DC fridge/freezer combo that allows either of the two sides of the chest be either fridge or freezer. We quickly emptied everything from the freezer into a single side and raised the temp from 2 degrees F to 34 degrees F and moved whatever would not fit in the fridge in the newly created second refrigerator.

Raised Temp from 2 -> 34 Degrees on Left Side

Tied to the slip with all our provisions put away, it was time for a great meal at the Amber Lantern Restaurant.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s leg to the Great Dismal Swamp!

Tag: Cape Charles

Concrete Ships Float?