Exploring the East River and More

The Elizabeth River in Norfolk was bustling with activity.  Navy ships being overhauled everywhere, tugs running up and down the river and of course the Paddle Wheel ferry coming in and out every 40 minutes taking people to and from Norfolk.  Olde Portsmouth itself was a bit of a disappointment.  I had expected a bunch of artsy little shops near the water, but it was only restaurants and a few antique shops.  Probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the store fronts were empty and for sale.  Oh, what waste Wal Mart has wrought!

Norfolk was a lot more upscale with a Riverfront complex, that was again pretty empty, but museums, battleships to tour and a big mall right in the heart of downtown.  We spent about 4 hours there total.  We had lunch with my niece Shannon and her daughter Lyla, they are living in Suffolk which is 30 minutes from Portsmouth.  They came back to the boat and Lyla was good as gold, a future sailor for sure.

We left Portsmouth for Yorktown on Wednesday.  We got there around 3 and had enough time to take the air conditioned trolley to the air conditioned Waterman Museum.  It is really hot here.  I am talking high 90's.  We have been very uncomfortable.  We left Yorktown after deciding we weren't that interested in the Revolutionary War Museum and headed for Mobjack Bay.  

We had heard about Mobjack from Sandra & Bob whom we had met in Marathon.  It is their home port so we decided to stop in and see them and explore the area.  Mobjack Bay is between the York and Piankatank Rivers and it has four small rivers off of it.  The Severn, Ware, North and East.  The Severn, where they are, was very rural and we didn't stay to explore and went to the East on their recommendation.  We are currently anchored in the East river and yesterday dinghied the west shore up all the little creeks.  It is very picturesque and lots to see. We'll do the other shore this morning before it gets too hot an then move to the North River which is supposed to have lots of lovely old Tidewater VA homes.  

We have been suffering at night without air, the back stateroom is like an oven so last night I slept up in the V-berth under the hatch and Gary finally had to give up the comfy bed and sleep on the futon.  Our big air conditioner hasn't been working but this morning he got her going, for how long we don't know.  We just need it in the evening to cool things down so we can sleep.  

Well its off in the dink now, they're forecasting thunder storms later and we want to explore some more.

Lyla and Shannon

This was taken on Chesapeake Bay entrance to the
York River.  We have had very calm seas.

Waterman's Museum.....Yorktown, Va.

The shop at the Waterman's Museum...their were two volunteers and
they are teaching 'at risk' and mentally challenged teens boatbuilding.

Harvesting Oysters on the bay.

We learned at the Museum that this boat is called a Deadrise
A typical watermans boat on the bay.  This one was crabbing.

The Osprey have mated and are all sitting on their nests.

The dead end of one of the little creeks on the East River

The old East River Boat Shop....building or repair we don't know.

One of the few boathouses we have seen

This is a net fishing boat the big reel pulls in the nets.  Boy
did it smell fishy by that thing!!