2026 October: VA into NC

 

Sunrise in Virginia

8 October 2026
Depart: Chincoteague, VA town dock 7:35 a.m.
Arrive: Hampton, VA, Mill Creek anchorage Old Point Comfort 6:20 p.m.
Distance: ~ 75 nm
Conditions: 60 degrees out; Sunny, SSW Wind ~ 11 knots 
3 to 4' seas to start flattening out throughout the day 

Our travels today would be the final stretch of our Atlantic Ocean drive down the coast from New Jersey to Norfolk, Virginia area and the start of the ICW. We wanted to get out of Chincoteague as early as possible, so we went out before going to bed last night and brought in the power cord. It had done its job and allowed us to use lights and television with no concerns about amp hours used!

Windshield wipers on boats get a lot of abuse from salt water spray and blistering sun. They dry out quickly. We used to cover ours in pool noodles until we saw a boat with canvas wiper covers. "I can make them!" I decided. We removed our recently when anticipating rain. Today before we left the anchorage I reminded Clark that they should be put back on. Unfortunately, we were already underway. Twice I considered going out myself to put the covers on the wipers, and twice I chickened out. Clark did it. 

Wiper covers

Once we got in the ocean away from the protection we felt inland departing Chincoteague, we encountered 3-to-4' seas. After the < 1 foot of the day before it felt rough. I mentioned to Clark that the boat came alive with interesting sounds and started "talking" to us as a result of the waves. The plastic tab at the end of the pull cord for the shades started tap-tap-tapping on the wall. The door under the kitchen cabinet opened itself as the ship movement caused a flexing action. The handle on the ice chest occasionally lifted up and slammed back down with a bang that took a while to identify. 

Traveling, as we were, offshore for the entire day, scenery was repetitive / non-existent, i.e. just wave after wave. At noon, we still had wave action, but we noticed some lessening in the wave heights. At 3:00 p.m. the ocean was as smooth as glass like yesterday. Clark mentioned that he had talked to the captain on S/V Pacifica who said he planned to stay in Chincoteague to let the oceans calm down. Clark mentioned that the forecast had have waves subsiding mid day and we were going. Apparently, he decided to go for it. We passed him on the ocean as he left at 7:00 this morning and travels slower than we do.

Over the radio, we heard the US Coast Guard issuing a travel advisory for boaters. Six parachutes were lost into the ocean on a training exercise presenting a possible hazard. Fortunately, for us, they were lost further offshore than where we traveled. The six crewmen were recovered.

Finally, about 4:30 we were exiting the ocean and entering the southern most section of the Chesapeake Bay. Finally, something to look at besides water! Our first excitement of the day came as we "danced" with a tug / tow. Clark called him on the radio to see if he had a problem with us passing in front of him to enter the channel to Hampton. He basically said, "Go for it, but if it doesn't look good, go behind the barge."

Tow vessel Timothy M

We successfully passed in front of him and traveled over the tunnel portion of the Chesapeake Bay bridge to enter the Chesapeake. 

Timothy M entering Chesapeake Bay

After our fun encounter with Timothy M, we heard a very large engine noise and could see some unusual vessel crossing the bay behind us. Clark pointed out that it had two large fans on the stern making it behave as an air boat. It moved quickly across the bay.

Air boat racing across the bay

As noted in prior blog updates, I enjoy looking at clouds. I decided to take a picture of the sky ahead of us. It happened to have the Thimble Shoal Lighthouse in the picture. 

Clark told me I should wait to take a picture of the lighthouse until it had the light shining on it. Little did he know that was not the subject of my picture! I did take the picture he suggested once we got where the sun shined on the lighthouse.

Thimble Shoal Lighthouse

Once we approached the anchorage area at Mill Creek in Hampton, Virginia, I took more sky pictures. The rays shining through the clouds caught my interest.

We saw something floating by in the water. Upon inspection, it turned out to be the top of a plastic piling from a dock. 

Top of a piling (3' to 4' long) floating by

I took more night sky pictures as we came into anchor. 

Approaching Mill Creek Anchorage

View from the anchorage

Last view of the sun as it disappeared
behind the highway

9 October 2026

Depart: Hampton, VA Mill Creek anchorage 8:00

Arrive: West Buck Island anchorage VA 6:10

Distance: ~ 60 nm

The skies were overcast today. It made for a great sunrise picture. 

Looks like a feather in the air

We made the slow slog through Norfolk, Virginia with miles upon miles of slow speed / no wake past all the naval vessels.

Naval vessel silhouettes

I took numerous pictures as we had lots to look at. Many elaborate docks can be seen through here.

Large vessel at a busy-looking dock

Same vessel; different view

Naval and non-naval vessels pass through here in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Even a helicopter passed overhead.

Looking ahead of us, Clark counted no less than 11 cranes decorating the landscape.

A tow came up behind us, but he was headed to a dock, so we did not need to worry about how we passed each other. Clark asked him if he knew how far we had to go to get out of the slow speed zone. He said,"To the Highrise". I thought he meant an apartment building, but Clark said he was referring to the highway bridge.

We were lucky today. As we approached the Southern Number 7 Railroad bridge, no trains were transiting the area.  We passed under the Glimerton and the RR bridge with no delay! Yay!

I decided to try for the "down the tracks" photo. I think I hit it pretty well dead on!

Further along, we passed an obstacle floating in the water and wondered what it might be. 

By the bridge, I spotted an object that looked like the obstruction. 

Power Lines Warning by the bridge

Perhaps the Nor'Easter recently misplaced the first one.

We put a minimal amount of fuel in the boat in New Jersey due to the price of diesel. Clark had his sights set on Top Rack to fill up the tank. We pulled in there today with each tank showing around 25% full. Top Rack is offering diesel fuel at $5.99 per gallon. This is the lowest we have seen this trip. The highest offered was $6.90 a gallon. 

Top Rack @ $5.99 / gallon diesel

The attendant at the dock recognized us as returning customers. We filled the fuel tank and emptied the holding tank. When we left, he said, "I'll see you in six months!"

A few days back when we did trip planning, Clark planned stopping at Great Bridge overnight in the schedule. I told him I was looking forward to walking into town to grab ice cream. Well, Clark revised the travel plan because of Hurricane Isaias, so no ice cream for me. Boo hoo! Granted, stopping at Great Bridge would have meant a very short travel day instead of what ended up as a very long one.

After fueling, Clark was worried about getting to the Great Bridge Lock in time for their next opening. However, he had remembered having to arrive before 20 of the hour because the Great Bridge lock is timed to release the boats just in time for the hourly opening of the Great Bridge bridge. We wanted to make the lock, but they were already closed at 30 of the hour. We had way more than enough time before the next opening. In fact, we had so much extra time to wait that Clark decided we should tie up to a dolphin at the entrance to the lock to wait for our turn to enter. 

I grabbed a fender and a heavy line and tied us to the dolphin at midships. Clark kept the boat running and used the controls to hold the boat heading towards the lock. This turned out to be a good idea when we learned that we would be there for 40 minutes waiting for an opening.

I was glad that Clark did not pick the dolphin with the tree starting to grow out of it!

The lock opened at 12:20 for boats to enter; however, we were told we would have to wait until the barge coming down the river was in the lock and secured. 

Clark checked on AIS, the barge was a long way away and traveling at a whopping great 2 knots! It looked like the barge was not even moving! Eventually, Clark saw he had sped up to 3 knots! Yeehaw!

Tow River Explorer slowly approaching the lock

We checked out the contents of the barge as the tow finally passed by us at the dolphin. It looked like a very heavy load of scrap metal. 

River Explorer

It took the barge so long to enter the lock and get tied up that I wondered if we would make the lock / bridge or if we would need to wait. Another tow was coming down the river behind River Explorer, and I wondered if we would have to get in line behind that boat too.

The lockmaster told us to come in after River Explorer; he told the other tow that he would not make the 1:00 bridge opening and would have to wait for the next lock through. Bad for him; good for us! The lock gate didn't close until 15 minutes before the hour. It seems that the lock closed early forcing us to wait.

River Explorer finally entering lock

I watched the wall go by where I thought we would be tying up for my ice cream treat. Oh well!

I grabbed a couple of pictures of the bird statues along the water's edge.

Bird statue near Great Bridge bridge

Looking back at Great Bridge bridge

I checked out the dock on the other side of the bridge. Lots of space would have been available for us if we stopped here.

Since we were passing by, I took note of the fuel prices at Atlantic Yacht Basin. Instead of Top Rack's $5.99, the price here was $6.60 a gallon. 

Fuel prices at AYB

After Great Bridge, we had a few more bridges to get through. Clark was concerned about the timing for the North Landing bridge. Because of how far he wanted to travel today, he desperately wanted to make the 2:00 opening on that bridge. 

Centerville Bridge ...

Reflective scenery between bridges ...

Clark pushed the throttle way up as we had wind and current against us as we worked our way towards the North Landing bridge burning up that fuel we just bought this morning. 

As it turned out, we did not need to rush at all. The road is closed. We found the bridge under construction and in the open position. The bridge tender said, "Come on through, it's already open, just no wake as you pass due to workers on the bridge!"

If nothing else, that bit of speed up cleaned out the turbos and gave us a push towards our anchorage for the night!

I know I am in North Carolina when I see the Coinjock Marina. 

Coinjock Marina ahead

Lots of space

We found the sailboat Pacifica that Clark met in Chincoteague. 

S/V Pacifica

Coinjock Marina

Flags flying at park across from Coinjock

A sailboat near the park caught Clark's eye, or more so, the bow of the sailboat caught his eye.

Who's on the bow?

Happy Halloween!

Clark had several anchorage options after Great Bridge. As he passed each one, he looked at his watch and decided we could go further. We finally arrived at his last possible option just before 6:00 p.m. We finally had the anchor down in North Carolina 10 hours after we pulled up anchor in Virginia.

Knowing it would be diner time when we finally dropped anchor, I disappeared down below around 4:00 to prep dinner. Tonight we had spaghetti and meatballs with spinach as our vegetable. Minutes after we had the boat shutdown, I had dinner on the table! 

Clark is keeping an eye on where we will be and what weather will be hitting us as the remnants of the hurricane makes its way towards us. He is making adjustments to our travel plan based on the updates as we see them.