I should assure our blog followers that we feel very safe here at Ocean Marine Yacht Center in Portsmouth VA. So far any impact of increasing winds has been softened here by other boats and tall buildings. There will be another two days before Hurricane/Storm Sandy passes us by, so we’ll see if that assessment holds up. We don’t anticipate getting the full brunt of the storm here.
What have we done to prepare for the storm? Stripped or tied down canvas, stored any loose items, double tied the anchors and the dinghy, secured 8 lines to the pilings and cleats, checked and adjusted our life vests, prepared a get-a-way bag including important boat papers in case we need to move ourselves to shore. Then to fill up our time, we walk around to see what preparations other boaters are making, walk to the ferry dock to see how high the water is lapping over the landing, review weather report updates, check online to see where other boating friends are and how they are faring. And lastly, attend nightly parties aboard neighboring boats. You’ll know the storm is bad if we have to abandon this tradition!
This hasn’t been a bad place to wait out the storm. There is a weekly farmers market on Saturday mornings and a movie theater and stores within walking distance. All the bells, whistles, and toots from the naval vessels under repair on the opposite side of the Elisabeth River, and the nearby train, keep us entertained and wondering just what is getting done. Lots of tugboats, barges, cruise ships and navel vessels have been moving down the river, all in sight from our boat. The biggest treat was watching the USS Abraham Lincoln #72 aircraft carrier move down the river two nights ago. It was all lit up, with two side bays wide open and about 50 sailors standing at the edge and waving and hollering to the boats in the marina. The large #72 was ablaze with red, white and blue bulbs. At over 1,000 ft, it was an impressive sight going along this narrow river.