More young boys with big guns.

Whatever floats your boat! The dry docks that float these ships are enormous.

The city of Norfolk.

Dolphin playing at the bow as we go through Portsmouth.

I don't think they want you close.

This ship looks stealth.

Monsters of the sea.

Finally through Portsmouth and into the Chesapeake to our first at one of our favorite stops, York River Yacht Haven. Tied to the dock in 100 degree heat. 

In this heat, the best thing to do is hit the pool with a cold one.

Nothing like breakfast on the fly bridge while under way on a beautiful day. Life just doesn't get any better than this!

We anchored on  Cockrell Creek, off the Great Wicomico. After we set the anchor, I threw in a couple of lines. After about two hours, I had half a five gallon bucket full of Chesapeake blue crab.

One more for the bucket!

You know you're in the Chesapeake when you start to see waterman boats.

It's not a lighthouse. I guess they just call them a light. They are scattered throughout the Chesapeake. In the old days someone lived here and kept the light lit.

Manteo on Roanoke Island

After four days of cruising and anchoring out in gorgeous weather and beautiful anchorages, we arrived at one of our favorite stops, Manteo, NC on Roanoke Island, home to the Wright Brothers and the first flight, the National Seashore Beaches, (boogie board time) and where we met up with Stephen and Pam on Tides In.  After we arrived, we got together with good friends Dave and Penny whom we cruised with in Florida and had great fun meeting them here in Manteo and Okracoke two years ago. They sold Stormy last year and now are land lubbers, although they do have a home on the water with a small boat to mess around in. Great to see them again. We had fun playing at the beach, taking the girls for swims and ice cream, exploring Manteo, and playing with Stephen, Pam and their two Grandsons at the beach.
Today, we headed out, saying goodbye to Manteo, Tides In, and put the pointy end North. We are docked overnight at Coinjock Marina, Home of the 32 oz. prime rib tonight, and will head to Great Bridge in the morning for another overnight stop with temps in the upper 90's. Thank goodness we have AC. Oh, no power at Great Bridge! Me thinks it will be time to fire-up the Genset. We will be meeting up with Tides In again the first week of August, after September Song is pulled and her bottom is painted, and the four of us will play in the Chesapeake until sometime in September, hopefully meet up with Sea Pearl, put the pointy end South and play and explore our way back to the Keys.

September Song (making our way to the Chesapeake) out
Bob



Roanoke Island, Home of the Wright Brothers first flight, National Seashore, and one of our favorite stops, Manteo.

Up, up, and away!

Great old boat.

Good friends Dave and Penny. It was great to see you guys again. Hopefully we will see you again on our way South.

Streets of Manteo

Boogie board time. Waiting to catch a wave.

Brett catching a wave.

The boogie board guys! The water was only 67 degrees, but we went in anyway.

No boogie boarding Steph and Pam? "Not in 67 degree water!"

Nicholas "boogie-ing"

Three days of beautiful cruising

We have been traveling and anchoring out the last three days with the pointy end North. The weather and the scenery have been great. Temperatures have been in the low 80's during the day with clear skies, and the upper 60's at night with a full moon. We love anchoring out, especially in this kind of weather and in beautiful anchorages. Tomorrow we head to Manteo where Stephen and Pam on Tides In are docked, and while we are there, we will get together with Dave and Penny, whom we haven't seen for two years. If the waves are good, I'll get out the "slick lizard 41 boogie board".

September Song (Manteo, here we come) out
Bob



A house with a face.

Marker 90. Two babies ready to leave the nest.

Mom, serving up a fish for lunch to her three hungry babies. When we come back this fall, the nests will be empty, waiting for the osprey to return to start a new family.

Shrimping must not be good this year, or they can't afford the fuel. We see many of the shrimp boats in port rather than out fishing.

This picture may look like just another scenery picture, but up that creek is where we anchored out in a hurricane hole during Hurricane Hanna in 2008. Don't want to do that again!

Along the shore of the Alligator Pungo Canal. Didn't see any alligators or pungos, but did see alot of other wildlife. You've never seen a pungo? 

Looking out at the twenty plus miles of the Alligator Pungo Canal. Straight the whole way.

Looking back.

As we traveled the Alligator Pungo canal we saw six eagles. It's hard to get a picture of one of these beautiful creatures.

Eagle in flight.

Camper on the water.

In North Carolina, they mark the ICW with mile markers showing how many miles it is to the Northern end of the ICW.