26 || Not Normal

Monday 1st to Wednesday 10th June

This Norfolk is a wonderful place also. Full of Naval history, most of which was unavailable at this time, including meeting our friends Paul and Elizabeth Kennis who we haven't seen in over 15 years. Paul was working in Norfolk when we were introduced and we always promised to sail here to meet him. Perhaps on our way back down to the Caribbean at the end of the year.

We consoled ourselves with looking in from the outside of most sights and walking. Iain found what was described as a riverside trail along the front from the university to Lockhaven.

It started out full of promise. We walked through the waterside memorial park which is also the home of The Battleship Wisconsin, BB-64, which took part in World War II, The Korean War and Operation Dessert Storm before being stricken from the Naval Register in 2006. She is now a permanent museum ship. As we could not take the official tour of the ship, we had our first American hamburger on a park bench in front of this magnificent piece of engineering.

We continued for some time following the directions for the riverside walk, but it progressed onto a very large motorway and then a derelict industrial area, so we turned back.

The next few days were taken up by our usual routine of paperwork, maintenance and observing the locals.

It would be easy to form a stereotype having experienced the President's followers on our journey from Florida to Norfolk, however, we remain open minded and see no reason why a mounted large caliber automatic gun is not normal for a day out on the water.

On Saturday, after a Skype call with Dugald to help celebrate his birthday, we made another journey to the supermarket.

It was an exciting day as we were expecting our friends from Idefix, a 45 ft Lagoon, to join us in the anchorage. Catherine and Cyrille Rio, crossed the Atlantic with us. We had many a happy time with Catherine and Cyrille before and after the crossing but have not seen them for six months. It was agreed I would cook supper on our boat. The shopping trip was successful.

Everything needed for a celebratory meal was available and I’m pleased to say the evening was a lot of fun. We drank many rum punches and bottles of delicious wine. We talked and watched the sun disappear while the most spectacular thunderstorms were forming inland. The lightening displays were exhilarating, but we never gave them a second thought. At midnight, still with much to discuss, we decided to call it a night but continue our discussions on Idefix the following evening.

Just as Catherine and Cyrille reached their boat, the wind increased dramatically and Iain noticed we had dragged significantly putting us frighteningly close to the motor yacht anchored behind us. I didn’t think it was possible to sober up quite as quickly as he did. The boat was being tossed from side to side and the incredibly strong winds were swinging the whole anchorage in every direction. It was very dramatic but thankfully no damage occurred to any of the boats.

The following day was very calm and warm which made for a perfect evening on Idefix. Catherine cooked a delicious meal of Salmon and again we talked for hours.

It was a busy week in our families. After Dugald’s birthday, we celebrated Katherine’s James Jr, Joe and Lisas’s all in succession.

It was time to move on again. We filled with fuel and water in preparation to motor down the river to Hampton, closer to the mouth of the river for the night.