Reedville to Norfolk in one day or where to anchor between?

[RichMason]

The date has finally been set for our southern migration. Su Lan will be bidding her lovely Chesapeake farewell on October 5th as we move her to Little Washington, NC, which is several hours closer to our home. Our trip begins in Reedville, picking up the ICW in Norfolk and transiting through the Dismal Swamp Canal. My wife and I will be travelling with our 5 year old son so safe anchorages are a must. We would prefer to work harder in the first few days so we can enjoy a few days on the Pamlico sound. Is Norfolk a reasonable goal for day one, assuming an early start and fair winds or should I aim for somthing less ambitious? I have no desire to transit Norfolk in the dark so daylight is essential. If not Norfolk, where would one recommend for the first night in between?

[Andy Denmark]

Rich,

This is an easy one-day run. Be sure to time you arrival in Norfolk for daylight hours, though. If you've never come into Norfolk area after dark it can be quite intimidating as the shore lights (and there are thousands) completely obscure the nav markers unless you know exactly what to look for and where. Hospital Point at ICW M/M #0 is a great anchorage despite what the guides say about wakes. It has good holding and is l protected.

Deltaville or Gwynn Island are the only realistically good stops on this route. There are others but they are so far off the rhumb line that you will spend hours getting to and from to anchor. A stop at either of these minimizes this "going sideways" time that Rappahannock or York River stops entail.

HospitalPint to Elizabeth City is a good day but be sure to catch the Dismal Swamp locks during their working hours. That failing, the Dismal Swamp visitors center on the NC/VA line is a good stop but no showers.

Elizabeth City to Tuckahoe Point is another day and Pamlico river is an easy run from there. Watch out for the crab pots on the Albemarle Sound and Alligator River as they are everywhere.

The only really tricky places are just before Coinjock at M/M 40-45 where the shoals are bad, and at the entrance to the Alligator River from Albemarle as the mark locations fool a lot of people. High PAF here pays off.

I make this run a lot and other than what I mentioned here it's pretty straightforward.

Hope this helps,

This posting from sunny Seattle where it's tough watching Ophelia from this distance. I'll be home Friday if the airport is still open. Long time away!
________
Klx650C

[RichMason]

Thanks so much for the excellent advice. It looks so easy on paper!

[Bob Grabham]

If the "one day run" spoken of in earlier post becomes too lengthy, consider stopping at the Salt Ponds Marina. It's no more than a mile or two off of the rhumb line and a safe and secure "resort type" marina. The entrance is a bit tricky and the channel rather narrow but the facilities are first rate. It would allow you to get an early start on your second day and make getting through the busiest harbor on the East Coast a bit easier. Good luck on your trip south.

Bob Grabham
S/V Hunky Dory, CD36
Topping, Virginia

[Michael Abramson]

The Salt Ponds inlet channel is very restricted now, due to sand fill that the city of Hampton deposited on the beach having washed into the channel. If you are still planning on this as a possible stop, I suggest you phone the harbormaster first. The channel is due to be dredged soon, but don't know if that will happen by the time you are moving your boat.

[Steve D]

The entrance to salt ponds is completely shoaled in. Dinks can not transit the opening at low tide. Dredging is supposed to start on the 19, but would not count on it being available. Hampton Creek is another excellent anchorage. Maybe 45 min further south, just byond the hampton roads bridge tunnel. Pleanty of water even at low tide.

[RichMason]

Thanks for all of the excellent local knowledge.