Our remaining miles on the Dismal Swamp were slow and relaxing.
The 7 boats departed one after the other. No order was required since the entire swamp is a “no wake” zone and all off us would lock-out at the same time. That said, the boat directly in front of us was serious as a heart attack about minimal wake! We had to operate at idle speed on one engine or we’d catch him.
We saw lots of turtles, a couple dear, and a sign welcoming us to yet another state!
The contrast of the swamp, which felt prehistoric, to Norfolk with its industrial and military infrastructure was abrupt and stark!
Teri got us a slip at the Tidewater Marina for the duration of the AGLCA Rendezvous event. Getting to our slip was a little complicated. The slip itself was maybe 17 feet wide….our boat is 16′ 10″…. I was backing in and became a tiny bit worried when the dock hand called out….”Um…how wide is your boat?”…exactly NOT the time to ask that question!
After successfully wiggling into our slip and securing the lines, we noticed the boat beside us was also a Gulf Breeze boat!! What are the chances! James and Jennifer Waters. We enjoyed getting to know them and look forward to meeting them again as we move along the loop.
So, this marks the end of our quest to make the AGLCA event on time! It was a struggle and required a significant helping of good karma, but we made it. We’re looking forward to meeting a bunch of Loopers, getting some routing information for the travels still ahead of us, and slowing down as we explore the Chesapeake Bay area.
