www.GriffinUpdates.com

We Make it to Mile 0 on the ICW!
Sunday, March 29, 7:08pm, Inport, Salt Ponds Marina, Hampton, Virginia, Onboard Griffin.

We got up at 5:00am and took quick showers while the quartz heaters defogged the windows in the pilothouse. Tom grabbed breakfast-to-go for us from the Diner and we got underway an hour before sunrise. We headed north at 8.6 knots.

We had to wait for 45 minutes South of the Great Bridge Lock for a bridge opening. We used the time to refuel and wander the boat yard. We went into massive Prop Envy when we found these 5 bladed monsters on a huge Sport Fisherman.

Our goal was to arrive in Hampton, Virginia, 100 miles north, at a reasonable hour. We weren't sure what we were going to do when we got there, but we had several possibilities. A one-way car rental to Baltimore was looking like our best bet. We started doing the time and distance calculations. Arrival in Hampton looked like about 5:00pm. Rent a car and we could be home by 9:30pm in Annapolis.

We cruised north. After 3 1/2 hours and 30 miles, I looked at the Waterway Guide to see what bridges we had in front of us. Yikes! We had three bridges and a lock, all with restricted hours. We had to lock through the first bridge on the hour, and then go like hell for 30 minutes to arrive at the next bridge 5 miles distant. Once through that bridge, we had a short 3 mile run to the third bridge that only opened on the hour. Through that and into the lock. This was going to take some time!

We backed up the time-line and decided as long as we were through the first bridge by 2:00, and presuming we could coax 10 mph for 30 minutes out of the port engine without abusing her, we could catch the 2:30 opening. That would get us to Great Bridge for the 3:00 opening. If we could hit the 3:00pm lock opening, we would probably make it the 27 miles to Hampton before dark and get home to Annapolis before Midnight.

The Great Bridge Lock separates two tidal areas. We locked in from the virtually non-tidal side, and dropped 2 1/2 feet into the tidal tributaries leading up to Norfolk 12 miles away.

It was 10:00am. We started our mad dash for the first bridge, if you can call 8.6 mph a mad dash. It looked like we would make it. A breeze from astern came up. We picked up 1/2 a knot. We slowly gained on our time-line. The 1:30 opening was in reach. It wouldn't really gain us much as we would still have to wait at Great Bridge, but what that would do is give us leeway to take an hour to go the 5 miles from the first bridge to the middle bridge if 5 miles in 30 minutes became too much of a push.

We hit the first bridge just as the bridge tender was ready for the 1:30 opening. He opened two minutes late. We made it through the opening and kicked her up to 2,500 rpm. While our normal two-engine cruise is 3,000 rpm, that produces a lighter load on the engine as the other diesel is sharing the burden. 2,500 rpm on one engine was pushing it, but not wide open throttle. We accelerated to 9.4 mph. Not enough.

I really wanted to make it through that opening. On the far side of the middle bridge, and just south of the third bridge were some piers we could tie off to and wait for the lock opening. With only one engine, I really didn't feel comfortable drifting around for 25 minutes south of the middle bridge waiting for an opening. On this side of the middle bridge there was nothing to tie off to. We considered anchoring. That's what we decided to do if we didn't make the opening.

The last of the low bridges. We took down everything so we wouldn't lose a precious second waiting for bridge openings. We were cutting it very tight on time and were ready to get home.

I got on the radio and talked nicely to the bridge operator. No guarantees, but "Bring her on up, Cap'n. I'll get you through."

The GPS was set with a waypoint on the bridge. We watched the Estimated Time of Arrival display. 2:04pm. 2:03pm. 2:04pm. We knew it would be tight.

The operator held the bridge opening for a minute and we scooted through as the last boat before the bridge slammed shut. I don't know about Tom, but I was relieved. The problems of trying to anchor in a deep but narrow channel, and then yank the hook up and get underway in time for the next opening was not an evolution I felt in need of experiencing this late in the game.

We tied up to a refueling pier. We have been sucking fuel out of the port tank for the last 115 miles and we were starting to list to starboard. I can realign the fuel system to have the port engine draw from the starboard tank, but it's not like just throwing a switch. I would do it, if we were low on fuel, but at these low speeds we were just sipping the fuel and had plenty left.

We got underway and maneuvered to the far side of the channel. A huge tug and two barges were coming out first and we needed to get to the far side of the channel. It was a little nerve-wracking trying to stay in the right spot with one engine but we made it with some aggressive blasts ahead and astern on the throttle. The barge went past and we eased through the bridge and into the lock.

Success! Well, sort of. We passed Mile 0 on the ICW at Buoy 36 in Norfolk Harbor, thus completing a 1,077 mile run up the Waterway from Miami to Norfolk.

The Great Bridge Lock is the only lock on the ICW if you go through the Albermarle & Chesapeake Canal route. It separates the tidal tributaries of Norfolk from the non-tidal Albermarle Sound. The drop was only about 2 1/2 feet when we went through.

We motored north. What were we going to do in Hampton? We called Wendy on the cell phone. Help! Wendy quickly sorted out our options. I could drop Tom at Waterside in Norfolk and he could catch a cab to the airport and rent a car. One way car rentals from Norfolk to Annapolis are scarce and expensive. Without Tom, I would be mooring on one engine, with no linehandlers. That could get exciting!

Wendy explored train options. None tonight. Airlines. There was a 7:30 flight. Too early. There was a Corporate Express commuter flight at 8:30. We'll take it.

Wendy also arranged an airport shuttle car to be waiting pierside for us. The timing was going to be tight. The shuttle car wanted to get us at 6:30 to have enough driving time to make the airport in time. We were looking more like a 7:00pm arrival at the pier.

The sun set. We proceeded north to the entrance to Salt Ponds. If you read the updates from our southbound trip, you will know that I know my way into the channel there at night. In fact, I have only ever entered Salt Ponds at night. We ghosted up the channel, looking for our assigned pier. We knew we could have our choice of any slips on J, K, or L dock.

K Dock looked the most deserted. I was going to have to turn to the right to enter the slip. Remember, with just the port diesel, she wouldn't turn to the right. I wanted to carry enough momentum that the rudders would bring her around and into her slip. I picked my slip. Engine in neutral. Right Full Rudder. Her head started to turn. We were going to make it. Oh, No! Too much speed! Not enough turn rate! I kicked the port diesel in reverse to kill the speed. We slowed, but the backing engine pulled her bow to the left, away from our slip.

We pulled into Salt Ponds Marina at 7:02pm. Jennifer was waiting with her airport shuttle car to whisk us to Norfolk International Airport to catch an 8:30 flight. Jennifer is not a big believer in the internet, we discovered on the way to the airport, but her mother is. We took this digital camera shot and promised to have her up on the internet within 12 hours, so her Mom could see she is doing fine in Norfolk. So, Jennifer's Mom, here she is!

Thankfully the next slip down was also empty. I nudged her ahead and Tom leapt for the finger dock with a line. We could see headlights up by the Marina Office. We didn't want our Airport Shuttle to leave us, so Tom took a quick turn around a cleat and sprinted up the pier.

I jumped down from the fly bridge. 7:08pm. Yikes.

I threw on the docklines like a one man, NASCAR pit crew. Tom came running back with a wheeled cart. I shut down the boats systems while he grabbed our luggage and started running back up the pier.

We hit the car and started for the airport. The driver, Jennifer, assured us we had plenty of time, so we sat back and relaxed for the first time in hours. Jennifer isn't big on computers or the internet but her mother is. You can see a picture of Jennifer and her airport shuttle on the photo page at www.GriffinUpdates.com.

The commuter flight was uneventful, landing us back in Baltimore at 9:30pm. The end of an adventure that we will remember for a lifetime.

We would like to thank everybody who helped make this journey possible, but especially Andrew, who kept our website humming while we cruised the waterway. Thanks for sharing in our experience by following our progress.

Warm Regards,

The Griffin Crew, Jon & Tom

Next >>