October 17, 2025 Goodbye Chesapeake Bay

Friday Oct. 1, 2025   Put-In-Creek/Mobjack Bay to Top Rack Marina  52 miles and 5.5 hours

We've been on the Chesapeake Bay for over two weeks but seems like we haven't done it justice.  Sure, we anchored in a few new and a few old spots, and we revisited some towns we like and even explored the Sassafras River for the first time.  But in between seems like we just did long days covering a lot of water due to the weather.  Today we left Mobjack Bay and made our way to Norfolk.  Officially ending our time on the Bay and the beginnings of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW or ICW depending on your preference).  

Passed the Norfolk Rebel on the way into Norfolk.  Part of a contingent
of old sailing vessels that participated in an overnight race from Baltimore.

Glad we decided to spend the extra day anchored at Put-In-Creek.   Winds were strong all day Thursday. Even in our little cove the boat was swinging around a bit, so it would have been miserable on the bay.  Martha has also been fighting a cold, so nice to just allow her to rest up.  Forecast looked better today so off we went but found conditions not overly redeeming.  Winds still driving down the bay from the north but now with a NW wind creating a secondary swell.  Added to that was a heavy outflow of water from the York River as we crossed it, making an even more confused mix.  It all made for some pretty confused seas and a good bit of wallowing and rolling until we got to the entrance to Norfolk. Always impressive to see the Naval fleet being maintained here.  Ships of every size and type.  

Add the regular commercial ships, barges and tugs and it's a busy place.  And it seems to go on forever.   Got lucky today as all the railroad bridges were in the up position so no waiting needed.  Still, it felt like a longer day than the 5.5 hours we logged. Guess just the rolling around followed by the extra attention needed passing through town creates added fatigue.  

Passing by downtown Norfolk

Unusual for us to get through Norfolk with all the railroad bridges in the up position. 

Stopped at Top Rack Marina and topped off fuel as they have a decent price.  No problems now getting to my cheap diesel location in SC.   Originally, I had hoped to get to Chesapeake City and a free dock after passing the Great Bridge Lock and Bridge but they're doing maintenance on the Great Bridge Bridge (no- that's not a typo) and have it on a limited opening schedule.  Only opens at 6AM, 9AM, 1PM and 7PM.  No way to make the 1PM opening and no way I wanted to wait and do it in the dark.   We're about 20 minutes away and will make the 9 AM opening in the morning.

Journey for Oct. 17, 2025