Great Loop Statistics to date:
Statute Miles: 1323.7
Average Miles/Day: 52.9
Total Hours Underway: 185.5
Average speed (mph): 7.5
States Transited: 5
Total Days: 61
Travel Days: 25
Locks: 7
Fuel Purchased: 241.4
Miles / Gallon: 3.2
Nights at Extra Days
Marinas: 11 34
Anchor: 11 2
City dock: 2 0
Free Wall: 1 0
Mooring: 0 0
We left the busy Norfolk/Portsmouth area to arrive in Yorktown near slack current – we had read several entries on-line that indicated the current ran fast at the marina right near the bridge. There was lots of traffic on the way north from the port and we were glad to have the AIS showing other ships, their speed and direction.
The river was in an ebb tide with an onshore wind of 10 knots, so the mouth as it exited into the bay was a “washing machine” -- with short choppy waves coming from all directions. This lasted about 45 minutes until we got around the bar.
Once on the bay there was 1-2ft chop on the beam, so it was moderately uncomfortable. We experimented a bit with “tacking” to take the chop on different parts of the boat, but it was not worth the effort or what would be a longer route.
Yorktown has a great town dock -- very large, heavy, concrete decks with lots of room for large boats. The placement of power pedestals relative to dock space had me scratching my head, but we made it work. For all but the last day, the docks were very calm. On the final day, with a S or SE wind, the river picked up and the docks were a bit bouncy. The town was very accessible and had lots of things to do and see.
We planned on anchoring just south of the Potomac River on the bay in order to time the crossing of the mouth in case the weather picked up. The Potomac funnels a lot of water into the bay and, with a contrary wind, can be quite rough.
We anchored in Mill Creek and it worked out well. There were a lot of crab pots in the easterly couple of anchor spots, but going further in we found a great quiet cove to drop the hook. The holding was good, and we had low winds to contend with. We waited a day until the winds came around to the west and slowed a bit. There was to be a short lull in the winds predicted the next morning, so we took advantage of it and got out at first light.
We crossed through a shoal cut at New Point Comfort and had no issues with the channel or the marks. This saved us about 30-45 minutes of travel out and around the point. It’s nice to have a boat with 3ft draft to take advantage of these “shortcuts”!
We had winds and moderate chop early, which made it a bit rolly, but then things flattened out on the bay nicely. The arrival in Solomons was uneventful as the harbor is very protecte,d and the marina we chose was quite far up Back Creek there.
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Great Loop Travel Days (GLTD):
023: Yorktown VA from Portsmouth VA
024: Wicomico Church VA From Yorktown VA
025: Solomons MD From Wicomico Church VA
Map of our Overall Great Loop travel:
GLTD023 Yorktown VA (from Portsmouth VA): We did not set our alarms for departure from Portsmouth VA, but we were both ready to leave by 7:30 AM for a short ride to Yorktown VA. Ray had reviewed weather forecasts and tide times to determine it would be best to get there around mid-afternoon.
There were countless military ships. These 2 military container ships are MV Cape Ray and MV Cape Rise. (You can see the vessel names if you zoom in on their starboard bow. Starboard is the right side of the vessel when facing forward from the inside.)
The Naval Hospital Ship Comfort is currently docked in Norfolk VA. The Comfort was “deployed March 28, 2020, in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts in New York City.”
This site has some great photos of Comfort in and around New York:
🔷 Boater Tip: Norfolk VA is a busy port. The chart below shows SCOUT amid a large number of AIS signals (brown circles and triangles) from other boats and ships.
Here is a small sampling of the VHF radio traffic as we approached the Norfolk International Terminal (NIT) ports.
- Maersk (cargo ship) issued a Securite advisingthat they were “dropping lines from NIT South” and would be heading outbound (through the inlet to the ocean).
- Warship 6 issued a Securite advising they were engaged in military operations and announced intentions to return to Pier 5.
- Evergreen State called sv Wanderer on Channel 13 (ship-to-ship channel) -- from 2 miles away – to advise intentions to ensure safe passage.
The Maersk Container Ship, assisted in the tight turns out of port by the tow (tug).
Warship 6 heading into port, after crossing in front of Maersk Container Ship.
Evergreen State as it passed SCOUT.
sv Fleetwing, “Bob423” (of ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423 fame) followed us most of the way out the Elizabeth River past Norfolk VA.
He finally overtook us somewhere around Fort Monroe VA. One of our trawler friends (if you can call him that 😉) – mv Seven Tenths – said we should be ashamed, letting a motoring sailboat pass us like that. 🙄
Fort Monroe is the largest stone fort ever built in the United States and the only moat-encircled fort remaining in active duty.
To the right (in the photo above), is Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, “thought to be active as early as 1775. Upon the formation of the United States government, lighthouses were identified as critical to the economy. ”
We arrived in Yorktown early afternoon and docked at Riverwalk Landing Piers. It seemed strange how close we were to the beaches, scattered with families on that Friday.
The sailboat across from us, sv Commander Moon, was from little Washington (NC), one of our favorite cruising destinations -- and the home port of our boat.
The George P. Coleman Bridge in this photo was completed in 1952, then widened and reconstructed in just ten days in 1995, using prefabricated sections. The Coleman Bridge is one of only 2 double-swing-span bridges in the world, and the only one in the US.
We had a late lunch at Yorktown Pub, a short walk from the marina. I loved that they were playing country music and had sweet tea. The painting is of Yorktown Pub. The fish art on the wall has scales made from flattened bottlecaps. Cute!
After lunch we went for a long walk. We loved walking in this quiet town, and we had at least 3 days to cover as much ground as possible.
We ended our walk with a happy half-hour at Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters and Petite Café, housed in a 1730 home, on the historic Main Street, which is blocked off for pedestrian-only traffic.
The outdoor picnic tables of the cafe are adjacent to the Grace Church cemetery. Grace Church was built around 1697 and has withstood 2 wars and a fire. The crumbling stone walls were used to support the “rebuild” in 1848. The congregation is still active today, after 300 years. Notice the tree rooted around the brick fence.
History: The Battle of Yorktown, Sep 29 - Oct 19, 1781, “proved to be the decisive engagement of the American Revolution.”
“Outnumbered and outfought during a three-week siege in which they sustained great losses, British troops surrendered to the Continental Army and their French allies. This last major land battle of the American Revolution led to negotiations for peace with the British and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.”
This impressive Yorktown Victory Monument stands high on the hill overlooking York River.
According to the park sign, “The monument was authorized by Congress October 29, 1781, just after the news of the surrender reached Philadelphia. Construction began 100 years later and was completed in 1884.”
The figure of Liberty is a 1956 replacement after the original was damaged by lightning. The monument is almost 100 feet tall.
As impressive as the monument is, walking just some of the Yorktown Battlefield made a big impression on us.
Later, we walked almost a mile to get to the National Park. There are 2 tour routes there that are best by car (or bicycle) – the Battlefield Tour is 7 miles long and the Allied Encampment Tour is 9 miles.
The ranger on duty that day suggested the best sites for us to walk to before it got really hot that afternoon, and she generously allowed us in as her “guests” for the day. (I think she felt sorry for us being on foot.)
Although we could have ridden scooters for the tour, we had decided to combine exploring with exercise. We ended up walking over 4 miles in 90 minutes, including many stops along the battlefield.
Our first impression was the “amber waves of grain” – and the expanse of the hilly land where battles took place. In the background, you can see some of the cannon embrasures of one of the Redoubts.
British General Lord Cornwallis’ men had constructed “a main line of defense around Yorktown that consisted of ten small enclosed forts (called redoubts), batteries with artillery and connecting trenches.”
The forts were protected by earth work and sharpened timbers (or stone).
On Saturday, Yorktown has a great Farmer’s Market. After walking to Mobjack Coffee Roasters for morning coffee, we strolled through the market and purchased some gluten-free soups and seafood dip. Apparently, this long walk from the market – at the water’s edge -- wore us out. We had to relax in the cockpit.
As we were relaxing, The Fifes and Drums of York Town marched along the waterfront. Very cool!
On the walk to get coffee, we spotted a groundhog, but he scurried away before I got a photo. Ray did get some good close-ups of this heron on our dock.
Later in the evening, Ray also got a great photo of the tour boat sv Alliance at sunset.
On Sunday, we walked 3/4 mile to the Museum of the American Revolution. The highlight of this visit was the immersive “Siege of Yorktown” theater with “a 180-degree surround screen and dramatic special effects.”
In the afternoon, we took an Uber to walk around Colonial Williamsburg, about 10 miles away.
But first, a quick stop at the brewery in Williamsburg, Precarious Beer Project, where there was great acoustic guitarist and singer for the Sunday afternoon crowd.
Many of the inside tours at Colonial Williamsburg appeared to be closed in the historic areas. We’re not sure if it was because it was Sunday, or because of COVID. The carriage tours were running, but we chose to walk – again. 😊
Even just walking the main road, Duke Of Gloucester Street, we got a sense of what it must have been like in colonial times. I had planned for a hot afternoon “tour”, hoping it wouldn’t be crowded. A successful plan! 😊
The Williamsburg Governor’s Palace is impressive.
Completed in 1722, it was home to seven royal governors and the first two elected governors in Virginia.
The capital of the Virginia Colony was relocated from Jamestown in 1699 -- when the new capital city was renamed Williamsburg in honor of England's reigning monarch, King William III. Virginia’s capital was moved again, in 1780, to its current location, Richmond.
“Thomas Jefferson was the last governor to live in the Governor’s Palace. In 1780, the government moved to Richmond and the following year, the Palace was made into a hospital for American soldiers wounded in the Battle of Yorktown.”
“The Restoration of Williamsburg began in 1926, after the Rector of Bruton Parish Church, the Reverend Doctor W A. R. Goodwin, brought the city's importance to the attention of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who then funded and led the massive reconstruction of the 18th-century city we see today.”
Bruton Parish Church was built in 1715 for a congregation established in 1674, and it is still an active Episcopal parish church today.
The Palace Green, flanked by large flowering Catalpa trees, was also grand.
Colonial Williamsburg planted the current Catalpas in 1934 for the opening of the reconstructed Governor's Palace, as they were originally planted in 1734. It is unclear what happened to the original trees, but they were no longer in photographs by the 1930’s.
We had hoped to go inside some of the historic taverns, but some were temporarily closed, and one offered only an outdoor snack bar. The one tavern that was still open for business, King’s Arms Tavern, was open only for dinner and required reservations.
We opted to eat at DoG Street Pub (not a typo) -- a “modern” establishment at the edge of Colonial Williamsburg. We shared an awesome lamb burger (without bread for me).
We stayed in Yorktown 1 day longer than planned, waiting out some strong winds on the Chesapeake. We topped off our water tanks and emptied our holding tank.
I’m sorry I can’t remember who posted this boater's list (or where I saw it):
If it’s full, empty it.
If it’s empty, fill it.
If it itches, scratch it.
🔷 Boater Tip: Waste Holding Tank (sometimes referred to as “black tank” – especially in the RV world).
Pump-out is a necessary evil when living – or just cruising – on a boat. Before setting out on the loop, it is wise to know your holding tank capacity, have an accurate gauge for your holding tank, and have a good idea of your particular holding tank “range” – number of days/weeks you can go before emptying.
Availability: Pump-out is not available at all marinas. Alternatively, overboard discharge of waste is usually allowed, but only if more than 3 miles offshore. (A few exceptions may exist to protect natural areas such as coral reefs.)
Cost: Some marinas offer free pump-out with a stay; others charge a little or a lot, whether you stay or not. Even if the pump-out is free, tips are usually greatly appreciated by the dock hand, and depending on how inconvenient the operation is, larger tips may be appropriate.
Convenience: There may be a single pump-out location -- usually near the fuel dock, so boats taking on fuel can also pump-out waste. (If it’s empty… If it’s full…😊) Some marinas have “slip-side” pump-outs or rolling carts at each dock. Alternatively, a pump-out can be mobile, using a pump-out boat (small skiff with a pump and large tank aboard).
Planning ahead: Before docking in a marina where you want to get a pump-out, call ahead and get all of the necessary information. The location of your pump-out deck fitting may determine whether you enter bow-in or stern-in to the slip (where pump-out is done in-slip). We usually prefer to pump-out on departure rather than arrival to provide maximum range for the next leg of cruising, but that means we have to plan not to be too full on arrival!
🟠 Life Afloat Tip: Seemingly easy chores are not so routine without a car.
With Father’s Day over a month away, I started shopping early from several of our ports. When I realized the Yorktown post office was just a short walk away, I packaged and mailed the gift – to arrive a few weeks early. Better early than late! 😊
For our last dinner in Yorktown, we went to Water Street Grille. I had a delicious Ginger & Black Pepper Crusted Salmon (gluten-free). Ray had the brick oven pizza (of course 😊).
GLTD024 Wicomico Church VA (from Yorktown VA): We set our clocks for 5:00 AM. Ray had reviewed weather and determined there was a small lull in the winds early in the morning.
Ray got this sunrise photo before we dropped lines and departed Yorktown at “O-dark thirty”.
🔷 Boater Tip: Shortcut. On the way back out to the Chesapeake, Ray saved us a little time, by transiting through New Point Comfort Shoal Channel.
On the Navionics screenshot below, you can see the reds & greens flanking the channel.
It was a little rolly on the Chesapeake – likely from the swell that had built up over the last 2 days of wind.
NOTE: The little speck directly in front of the bow in this video is the Wolf Trap Lighthouse – at about 1 mile away.
We saw 2 lighthouses on this trip.
NOTE: Both of these photos are zoomed in quite a bit, as we did not pass close by.
New Point Comfort Lighthouse c.1805 is under repair. At 58 feet tall, it is the tenth oldest lighthouse still standing in the United States.
Wolf Trap Light c.1894 was one of the last manned light stations on the Chesapeake -- not automated until 1971. As of December 2020, it was for sale, listed for $249,000. Ref: www.theoldhouselife.com
Interesting Fact: As difficult as it is to photograph a moving object, it is much more difficult to photograph a stationary object from a moving object. It’s twice as difficult – and a little nauseating -- from a zoom lens. 🙁
We saw our first VA dolphins along the way today, but the ride was too bumpy for me to risk a walk out to the bow for photos. 🙁
⚓Anchored. By 1:00 PM, we had set anchor in Mill Creek, off Ingram Bay, south of Reedville VA. Ray was enamored by the ospreys (the way I’m enamored by dolphins 😊). He got a lot of practice with the “new” camera – Canon SX70.
Current is known to be strong out of the Potomac. And opposing current and wind creates chop that can be uncomfortable.
We stayed in the Mill Creek anchorage for 2 nights, waiting for wind to swing around to the west/northwest – the direction water flows out of the Potomac River into the bay – a better direction for heading north across the mouth of the river,.
This gave us an opportunity to kayak the creek and around the point into Ingram Bay, where we found a little beach…
…that led to an overlook, where we saw SCOUT at anchor.
Project: When we got the kayaks back to the boat, Ray took the opportunity to scrub the hull. Is that a photo smile, or is he actually having fun? 😊
GLTD025 Solomons MD (from Wicomico Church VA): Ray woke early – without an alarm clock – and caught the moon setting.
We had coffee in the anchorage and left around 7:30j -- again, based on Ray’s review of wind predictions.
🔷 Boater Tip: We use a “snubber” with our anchor chain. A snubber has a lot of functions, including taking the shock load of the chain off of the motorized anchor winch.
Photo source: http://www.eoceanic.com
With the reversing current of the river and light wind up in the creek, we had swung around in circles many times over the 2 days we were there. This caused the anchor snubber to wrap around the anchor chain many times. This took a bit of untangling before we could get underway.
On the way out of the anchorage, I photographed a juvenile osprey in the nest, and his parent (mom?).
While underway, I steamed potatoes and red potatoes (that were about to go bad) in the Instant Pot. I then whipped up a warm buffalo potato salad to have with sandwiches for lunch. Mmm.
The seas flattened out nicely once we passed the Potomac River.
We saw 3 lighthouses on this leg.
We came closest to Smith Point Lighthouse c.1897, unmanned since 1971.
We were a long way from Hooper Island Lighthouse c. 1901 and Point No Point Lighthouse c. 1904.
Hooper Island Lighthouse is one of only eleven in the U.S. that rests atop a caisson foundation sunk using the pneumatic process. In this procedure, a cast-iron cylinder is mounted atop a wooden caisson containing an airtight compartment. After this arrangement has been towed to the construction site, water is pumped out of the chamber. Construction workers then shovel or otherwise remove sand and sludge away from the edges of the caisson, and the heavy concrete and stone inside the cylinder causes the entire structure to sink into the bottom of the bay. Hooper Island Lighthouse was fully automated, and Coast Guard crew was withdrawn from Hooper Island Lighthouse in 1961.
Point No Point Lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation.
Interesting Coincidence: The Hooper Islands were named for Henry Hooper, who owned most of the land on Upper Hooper Island. Well, I think it’s interesting since my maiden name is Hooper and I married a Henry.
We arrived at Spring Cove Marina late afternoon. Our friends on mv Griffin were there to greet us! 😊 (We haven’t seen them since before COVID.) We washed the boat, filled the water tanks, and picked up some mail from the office (that we had pre-arranged)…
…before mv Griffin treated us to happy hour and dinner at one of the many picnic tables by the grill!
The Sugar Cookie Martini was delicious!
We met their friends from mv How Sweet it Is (whom they also met in New Bern, NC). They are also looping for the first time this year.
The next day, Ray and I took a 3.5-mile walk for exercise. Of course, the churches caught my attention.
Projects: After walking, it was time to get to work. Ray rebuilt the generator pump that he had removed and replaced during our last marina stop. This rebuilt pump will become a backup/spare.
I needed a full hair trim – not just bangs. I found Do-it-yourself instructions to cut a basic bob haircut using sectioned pony tails. I got up the nerve to give it a try. Yikes! It is scary to cut hair on the back of your head -- that you can’t see! Ok, I guess that wasn’t too bad. 😕
📞 Future stay marina planning: I reserved a slip for the next stop, St. Michaels.
🟠 Life Afloat Tip: Prescription refills require additional planning while cruising.
I reviewed my prescription quantities and refill dates. I then looked for insurance-approved pharmacies within scooter or, preferably, walking distance from a few marinas along our intended route within the estimated travel timeframe.
That evening, between rain showers, we walked to dinner at The Pier with mv Griffin.
I got Strawberry Smith Island Cake to go. It was awesome!
We all wanted to know how they cut the layers so thin – and so even.
We learned…they don’t!
They actually bake thin layers.
Smith Island Cake is the official Maryland state dessert. Traditionally, the cake consists of eight to ten layers of yellow cake with chocolate frosting between each layer and slathered over the whole. However, many variations have evolved, both in the flavors for frosting and the cake itself.
We had another great meal with mv Griffin at CD Café. Ray and I shared curry scallops –delicious! (Forgot to snap a “foodie” photo.)
During our stay at the marina, we used their courtesy car to make a grocery run, and I was designated driver to Ruddy Duck Brewery.
Solomons had 2 attractions that are highly recommended and I would have liked to see:
Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
Calvert Marine Museum
While the marine museum would have been a bargain at $7, there seem to be other maritime museums all along the Chesapeake. And we plan to go to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels – our next stop.
The weather just did not cooperate with my itinerary for the Memorial Day Weekend. ☹
On the bright side, the main reason we stopped in Solomons was to spend time with mv Griffin, and that was all good! 😊
We wrapped up our visit with mv Griffin with another cookout (after 2 days of cold rainy weather).
What’s next? We plan to cross the bay to the eastern shore to visit St. Michaels and then cross back to the western shore to Annapolis.
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