Week 29: Full Circle to Close a Cruising Chapter

When we left Herrington Harbour North last November we thought we were doing so for the last time. Today we returned with 3,664 nautical miles under Vinyasa’s keel and closed a cruising chapter.

Map showing Vinyasa’s track
The red dot shows our departure and arrival point in the Chesapeake Bay, and the white lines mark the tracks we made with Vinyasa between November 9, 2019 and May 29, 2020.

We love this marina and we’ll be staying here until the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.

This last week had the usual mix of highs and lows that make cruising so special.

We enjoyed beautiful sunsets, had an easy transit through the Great Lock, admired a colorful sailboat and an impressive hovercraft, enjoyed frolicking dolphins, and ate ever so well.

Colorful sails on the Prinses Mia
The colorful sails on the Princes Mia caught our eye as we sailed in opposite directions near Oriental, NC.
Two boats at sunset
Sunset at the Great Bridge north-side free dock.
Geese looking for a handout
This family seemed to expect a handout…it was hard to resist, but we did.
The Great Bridge in fading light
The Great Bridge was beautiful in the fading light, and we were so grateful to have found a spot to rest before night fell.
Handling the bow line in the lock
Vinyasa was the only vessel in the lock during our transit north.
Navy hovercraft
A U.S. Navy hovercraft zipped past Vinyasa as we left Norfolk.

We also struggled to find a suitable anchorage making for one very long and stressful day, experienced lengthy bridge delays, navigated through heavy fog and a thunderstorm, and killed countless biting flies.

Late afternoon reflections on the ICW
Late afternoon reflections on the ICW as we neared the Great Bridge. So scenic, but nowhere to drop our anchor.
A lift bridge
After a 30 minute wait, this lift bridge finally rose to let Vinyasa pass. We had to wait another 30 minutes at a nearby railroad bridge in Norfolk.
Fog over the bay
We had a foggy departure from Deltaville, despite a forecast that predicted it would dissipate by 10 a.m.

Over the past six months we sailed to The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cuba, and met delightful people in each locale. We anchored out 80 nights, moored on 64, and docked on 45.

Man at the helm
Allan at the helm as we left Solomons Island for Herrington Harbour North, the final leg of this cruising chapter.

We look forward to doing it all again, taking an even slower approach next time.

2 thoughts on “Week 29: Full Circle to Close a Cruising Chapter”

  1. So happy for you that you had such an awesome experience! Loved following you! Be safe, be happy! 👍🏻🙏

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