Norfolk, VA to Great Bridge, VA SM 12

The night before, after they docked Oasis at her destination in Portsmouth, the captain and brother were confine in the boat all night due to bad weather. So this morning they started the day by cleaning the boat in and out and do groceries for the next few days.While they walked to the grocery store, they did a bit of sight seeing along the way.

Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth.
A beautiful sunny day.

Pumpkins on the marina's dock.

A swimming pool at the marina, the first time the captain sees this.

Statue of a soldier, on the way to town.

Historic house.

Halloween decorations.

This is the Elk Lodge.

There's a Halloween decoration in the top window of the lodge.

As you can refer to the pictures above, this dwelling is still standing.

Nice window detail at a church.

Window in the same church.

Raymond with groceries in the wheel barrel.















The captain and his brother left Norfolk at 13:00 and stop at statute mile 12, just south of the Great Bridge at 15:30. Easterly winds at 15 knots, Oasis motored all the way under sunny skies and a mere 25  degree C.
Known as the Virginia Cut, the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) follows the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal for 50 miles from Norfolk to Currituck Sounds and Coinjock, NC. It is really two canals.The first one (8.5 miles long) connecting Elizabeth River to North Landing River in Virginia is 30 miles apart from the second one (5.5 miles long) connecting the Currituk Sound to the North River in North Carolina. This project was completed in 1859 and the canal has a depth of 12 feet. In the first 12 miles of the ICW, Oasis had to go through eight bridges and one lock before she docked at a transient slip at the Atlantic Yacht Basin for the night.

After leaving Portsmouth, we came across several bridges. Here we see two bascule bridges opened. Oasis had enough time to go through the first one but the bridge attendant had to wait for Oasis to go through before closing the second one.

After going under the High Rise Bridge, the captain had to decide if he was going through the Great Dismal Swamp (another route and body of water you see ahead) or the Virginia cut. He decided on the later route.

We see the High Rise Bridge from Oasis's stern.

Great Bridge Lock looking south.

Great Bridge Lock coming from the north.

Great Bridge Lock going south. Oasis is heading this way.

Great Bridge Bascule Bridge, just after going through the locks.

Atlantic Yacht Basin  about half a mile pass the locks. This is inside of the marine facility. Very calm waters.

Here at this marine facility,they have 200 slips/moorings.

A view from the Great Bascule Bridge. We see Oasis on the canal side in a transient slip of the Atlantic Yacht Basin.