Down the Chesapeake

We retraced out path to the Rhode River and to Solomons. Then we began the part of the journey through areas we have never seen before.
The weather was changing and we were concerned about getting south before the winter patterns set in. We made Deltaville, a pretty little town with a protected anchorage. Next was Norfolk. We were not prepared for the size or complexity of Norfolk. I was told it is the second busiest port in the world after Singapore. First comes the naval base. Huge ships of all classes line the Elizabeth River, cruisers, aircraft carriers, troop ships, cargo ships, and on and on. Then comes the commercial docks. Mile after mile dedicated to the transfer of all kinds of goods. Ships coming and going; tugs and barges looking for clearance, patrol boats, fishing boats. Norfolk has it all. We stayed at the Portsmouth Yacht Basin, immediately next to the dock used by Wal-Mart for major imports. All night vessels were unloaded and the warehouse area continued to process trucks. What an operation.