Our route today took us on a journey from back in time countryside to major industrial city, from “where in the hell is Coinjock, NC” to “where in the hell should I turn to avoid that freighter/tug/warship/ferry?” We went from no cell towers and no signals on our phone (really!) to every conceivable 21st century invention. We passed by seagrass waving in the breeze on a meandering river and then by traffic and noise and cargo shipping companies on a manic channel. We lounged our way to our first drawbridge 30 miles from Coinjock only to find we had to race with the throttle at top speed (10 mph) to make the next drawbridge or sit in current circling for 29 minutes waiting for the next opening. We did it! That led to the next drawbridge linked to a lock, both of which opened on the hour. We were through both of those easily and just in time to wait 29 minutes for the next drawbridge, while all around us cranes loaded, barges moved, pleasure boats zipped in and out, the VHF radio blared, and more boats piled up. The final drawbridge of the day, Gilmerton, was about to open on schedule, every hour on the half hour, when a funeral procession started over it. She held for the funeral and then the railroad bridge next to it announced it would close for a train to go by. She hurried us on through before that happened and we entered the full fledged shipping and naval port of Norfolk. Now talk about busy! Naval patrol boats guarded their entrances while ferries and freighters proceeded down the channel and tugs waited to guide their warships in. Add crab pots floating in the channel, and to me it was a frantic mix. The Captain loved it all. We are now docked at the Downtown Hampton Public Piers where we took a stroll through the historic section and arranged to rent a car tomorrow to see Virginia Beach, where I went to high school for a couple of years many, many moons ago. What a day on the water! The Admiral