Back in the Chesapeake

6/2 - 6/4 - We timed our departure this morning to make it through the Gilmerton Bridge opening at 9:30 a.m. It had an opening at 6:30 a.m. and then not another until 9:30. That was our last bridge of the trip --- yeah! Just as it was closing a sailboat called the bridgetender to ask if they could stay open a few more minutes so he could make it … the answer was no … and the next opening wasn’t until 10:30. I had checked on line that morning and it had given us the early morning restrictions, but said after 9:30 it opened on the hour and half hour. That didn’t appear to be the case. Glad it wasn’t us that missed it by a couple of minutes.

We cruised through Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, amongst all the military boats and freighters, and into the Chesapeake Bay. It was a little windy and the Bay was quite choppy and uncomfortable. We entered Mobjack Bay and eventually ended up at Put-In-Creek for the night. It was a very peaceful anchorage. The next day we went up the Rappahannock and anchored in the small town of Urbanna. The anchorage was very picturesque and, in spite of a fair amount of boat traffic, we were never waked. The town itself was small and quaint and definitely met the adage of “small-town” America. We had drinks (root beer float and chocolate shake) at the drug store soda fountain and very good pizza at Angelo’s Colonial Pizza. We stayed 2 days.

Gilmerton Bridge -- our last bridge!!

Aircraft Carrier

Norfolk waterfront - we stayed here 10 days last year
(family visitors on board) - so didn't stop this time

Army landing craft

We passed the entrance/exit of the Chesapeake Bay
Tunnel and were then "officially" in the Chesapeake Bay

Sights at Put-in-Creek

We passed New Point Comfort Light on our way back into the Bay

Our anchorage at Urbanna



Grounded sailboats



Sun setting over the anchorage

Waterfront at twilight

Monk's Vineyard in the anchorage

Payne's Crabhouse -- run by two sisters -- perhaps this
helps explain the flowers and pink chairs

Downtown Urbanna

Lansdowne House

Old historic courthouse -- now used by the
Middlesex Woman's Club

Gerry patiently waiting for his root beer float at the
drugstore soda fountain
(interesting conversations at this counter)

Are these foam-type and large can-sized curlers still in fashion??

Impressive building on the hill