We're in Norfolk, VA.

We passed under three railroad bridges today. We had to wait for the first one.
 This one and the third were already open.

We made it to Norfolk today - easy/ peasy.  We were just 8 miles away at Top Rack Marina in Chesapeake, so we had a lazy morning.  We filled up our diesel tanks and emptied our waste tank, and we were on the way around 10;30 am.

Motoring through a working harbor is impressive and not for the faint of heart.  Is that barge moving?  Do you see the sailboat under the bridge?  Look at all those cranes! We were lucky that it was a sunny day and our Blue Garmin charts were clear.  We came north on the Elizabeth River and passed lots of interesting sights.

 This ship was being loaded.

There were a few of these older, decommissioned military ships.

We saw at least two of these giant aircraft carriers too.  

George's second construction job after Tech was here in Norfolk.  He scanned the waterway, looking for the bauxite unloading facility he helped construct in 1973.  We married in June and moved here.  He worked in Portsmouth, and we lived near Old Dominion University in a furnished tiny apartment.  I volunteered at Planned Parenthood.  I remember driving through tunnels to get to their downtown office.  

This mermaid sculpture is on the dock at Waterside Marina where we will be all week.

We took a walk around the downtown and noted the many mermaid sculptures.  They are a cheery unifying art. We also looked for a place for dinner with children tonight.  We have guests coming soon:  Barrie and Matt Harper and their two young children.  We'll have happy hour on the boat and then walk to dinner nearby.  Tomorrow we get to see Eva Gill, a friend who lives in Virginia Beach.  She is picking us up in the afternoon and taking us to her house near the beach for supper.  She also suggested I bring our laundry to do at her house.  What a treat!  So we'll have a fun weekend before the Rendezvous begins on Monday.  

We are happy to be here.  It feels like the half-way point in our loop.  We have traveled over 2500 miles on the Great Loop.  We will learn this week about the loop in New Jersey, New York, Canada, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River.  We will also see lots of looper friends.  Their boats surround us here.  We are eager to hear about the future and to celebrate this adventure with like-minded buddies.  

This blog will take a short break while we attend the Rendezvous.  We will be back in action on Friday, May 8, as we enter Chesapeake Bay.