Yesterday was a day of diddling around in the anchorage and doing not very much. We kind of needed time to decompress having finally reached the Chesapeake, which has been our destination for a while. Not that the trip is over, but it felt like a good moment to stop and draw our breath. There was a big music festival with some great bands playing on the shore just opposite where we were parked, so we had some entertainment whilst we were there. It rained big time last night so that saves cleaning the boat.

We left early this morning, in fairly dreich, grey, windless weather, and motored past more grey navy war ships than we have ever seen; Norfolk is a massive naval base. On the way up the ICW we were constantly overflown by warplanes practicing. Big military presence in these parts. Nuff said….

Once out of the Norfolk channel, the trip into the Chesapeake was marked by a massive fog bank - the first one we’ve been in since the Spanish Rias. Radar on, nav lights, etc… It felt strangely good, though, to have cool damp air on our skin again. Then came the poorly marked crab pots – a speciality in these parts. (see photo)

We have made a plan to work our way round to Deltaville (our final destination) in a series of small day sails, and to slowly enjoy our last few miles. Our first stop was a creek off the Poquoson River where we tried a few spots to anchor, but no matter what we did the anchor kept sliding around in the loose (and yet strangely thick and black) slime, so in the end we came up into the tiny haven that is Dare Marine to tie up; quiet, friendly, very helpful. We are getting better at parking in these US slips (a wooden post at each corner, fenders optional). There is nothing round here but rather lovely houses on the opposite shore, calling birds and plenty of the US cousins of our Scottish midges. Could put down roots here if we are not careful.