Yorktown, VA

Vector and Blossom at Riverwalk Pier Marina

Our time in Yorktown really flew by. We’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to blog until now, as we’re heading down to Beaufort. So let me back up…

We arrived in Yorktown in the evening after the slack tidal current so we anchored out within sight of the marina.  We were thrilled to be escorted into the anchorage by a pod of dolphins!  A very auspicious greeting J  I tried to get a photo but it didn’t turn out so well, they’re hard to capture at just the right moment.

Dolphin welcoming committee

Tuesday, we waited for slack, entered the marina and sidled up nose to nose with Vector. The current wasn’t bad and we were pleasantly surprised. We had read that the current can really rip through here, especially when there was high wind. We got to experience that a few days later!  Riverwalk Pier is a nice marina right in the heart of Yorktown. It’s walking distance to several restaurants, museums and a historic battlefield.  The docks are also home to two large tall ships that give river tours. They make for a beautiful view from the docks.

Tall ships

Wednesday and Thursday were quiet, as I posted a few days ago, because we lost girl George. We also got to meet and visit with some of Sean’s family who were visiting Colonial Williamsburg. They invited us over for dinner twice and we really enjoyed our time with them!

On Friday, my Mom arrived for the week. We had a great 5 days.  Friday evening there was a band playing and Saturday there was a Wine Festival right at the marina so we attended that.  Virginia wines are a tad sweet for my taste but it was a festive afternoon in the sun.

Saturday evening the wind kicked up and we got to see just how bumpy the marina can get. Waves were braking over the dock and boats were rocking violently against their lines. We were pulling hard on our lines but as Vector and Blossom both weigh over 65 tons, we gently rocked through the evening. I was shocked at how differently our boats reacted compared to all the others in the marina. Size and weight matter on a boat!

Historic Jamestowne

Jamestown Village

Colonial Williamsburg

The following days we visited Yorktown, Jamestown Historical Park, Jamestown Village and Colonial Williamsburg. We had a fantastic tour at the Historic Park by a ranger who was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. It was a highlight of our sightseeing. We’d both like to go back and take the archeological tour the next time we go. Louise’s Mom also came to visit for a few days and we enjoyed meeting her and all had dinner at a nice restaurant at the marina.

We enjoyed free entertainment a couple of mornings as the coast guard was training their newbies at the docks. It was fun to the watch these (very young) people learning how to dock and tie lines.

Coast Guard Training

Then, suddenly, it was Thursday, the week was over, and it was time for Mom to head home.  It was a great visit and we’d all like to return to Yorktown again!

Southbound

On Friday morning we took off for Portsmith and Vector headed out to the Deltaville area. We cruised about 5 hours to Tidewater Marina.  As we entered the marina we saw a large Nordhavn and found that it was Shear Madness. I’ve enjoyed following their blog for quite a while now and was thrilled that we got meet Bradley and Kathy and got a tour of the boat. She’s a beauty!

Shear Madness

Jim flew in Friday evening.  It’s great being reunited and we’re happy to have him aboard for the rest of the trip to Stuart. We’ll spend the next three days going down the inside to Beaufort. There’s a tropical storm out east near Bermuda that is going to kick up the waves early next week so we may stop in Beaufort for a day or two to let things calm down before heading straight to Florida. It’ll all depend on the weather…

Boat Business:

While my Mom and I learned about and experienced American history, Martin was hard at work and got so much done.  His list of accomplishments includes:

• Cleaned tops of gray, black and fresh water tanks
• Reconfigured and installed the old router, ordered a new router, returned the broken one and configured and installed the newest router when it arrived.
• Cleaned the lazarette and all the bilges
• Installed the ultrasonic barnacle preventer system
• Replaced wavenet panel and broken 15amp breaker on the 9K generator
• Caulked VIP hatch and it stuck!  It doesn’t leak any more – we know for sure after a very hard rain last night.
• Raised the one way valves on the anti-siphon loops on the gray and black tank overboard pump lines. We were getting stinky gray smells in the bedroom and found the valves in the clothing cupboard.
• Pulled out and marked the anchor chain. The white 50' paint marks were not 50 feet apart. Now the chain is marked with colored plastic inserts.

Daily Highlight:

Watching a bald eagle swoop into the ICW, grab a fish, land in a tree and eat his afternoon snack :)