On Saturday, April 30th, we arrived at the Waterside Marina in Norfolk, where we would spend the next week with more than 250 past, present & future fellow Loopers participating in the AGLCA Spring Rendezvous. The Rendezvous was basically a conference where we learned every thing we needed to know about the Loop route from the Chesapeake Bay, through the Hudson River, Erie & Oswego Canals, Canada, Lake Michigan, Chicago & finally the five rivers that will bring us back to the Gulf of Mexico at the Mobile Bay. Upon our arrival, the party began when we were quickly greeted by our buddy boaters on Morningstar & Lone Star.
We were docked with about 50 boats currently doing The Loop.
By the second night most of the boats had arrived & "docktails" (ie. cocktails on the docks) became a huge event. It was fun meeting so many new people, hearing so many great stories of others' experiences on the water.
Getting to the Rendezvous a few days early gave us the opportunity to explore Norfolk. We toured the Battleship Wisconsin, starting in front of a replica of its anchor.
The battleship is 887' long & 108' wide.
Each of the anchor chain links weighs 120 pounds.
The ship had three turrets with nine guns. It was an amazing sight.
The inside of the ship was just as amazing! Dave especially loved the galley & the giant pots & utensils.
After a great week with 250 of our newest boating friends (we're about 4 rows from the front in the center),
... we headed into the Chesapeake Bay.
Our first stop in the Bay was Wormley Creek Marina in Yorktown, VA, where we planned to join Susan & Mark from Cutty's Ark. Mark & Susan were the first Loopers we met on day three of our journey in Charlotte Harbor. Together we attended the Blues, Beer & BBQ festival on the waterfront.
From downtown we walked to the Yorktown Victory Center, which included a museum that chronicles the American Revolution, a re-created Continental Army encampment & 1780's farm. It was great fun & we learned so much history.
That night we enjoyed a beautiful sunset back at the marina.
The next day it was off to Jamestown Settlement, where we learned even more interesting history about America's first permanent English colony & War. There we boarded re-creations of the three ships that sailed to Virginia in 1607 to establish the colony.
Dave & Mark got so excited when they stumbled upon what appeared to be the fort's wine cellar, only to find the barrels were for gun powder (just wishful thinking, of course!)
The next day it was back into the Bay, past one of the many lighthouses & on to Deltaville, VA.
And in Deltaville, again we found fellow Loopers & docktails . . .
.... and a beautiful sunset!
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