Sailing to Freemason Harbour Norfolk VA USA

Passing North End Point on our way out of Back River

We left Back River at 0800hrs for the 23mile passage to Freemason Harbour in Norfolk.  It took a little time to get out of the river and its approaches but as soon as we turned south we were able to sail which made a nice change from the previous day of solid motoring.

Thimble Shoal Light

We passed the entrance to the York River and sailed on south towards Thimble Shoal Light, a rather scruffy looking lighthouse marking the entrance to the Elizabeth River.

The whole area was busy with military activity.  The skies buzzed with jets in and out of Langley AFB behind us whilst, ahead of us, the main channel into the Elizabeth River was somewhat hogged by a huge aircraft carrier returning to the US Navy docks in Norfolk.

Just after we dropped our sails and turned into the Elizabeth River we got another low flypast from a USMC CH53 which was a fun bonus.

The carriers dock

Once past historic Fort Monroe, close to Hampton on the north coast, and Sewells Point to the south, we turned left to follow Elizabeth River southwards past the US Navy Dockyard.

There was no shortage of naval hardware.  We counted 3 carriers and then sailed past a host of destroyers, frigates, patrol vessels and Landing Platform Docks in their areas of the yard.  Lastly, there was huge array of logistics support vessels.

All the while the flypasts continued to add a fun element to the passage.

Top: Looking back at the US Navy Yard.  Below: Looking ahead towards the Norfolk container port

With the Navy dockyard behind us we still had a couple of miles to go to get to the centre of Norfolk and Freemason Harbour outside Greta and Gary’s apartment.

Blue Velvet moored next to Ruby Tuesday in Freemason Harbour

Greta and Gary are the OCC Port Officers for Norfolk and love to meet passing members.  Better still, they love to fill the dock area outside their apartment with OCC yachts and help them to enjoy their visit to the area.  When we arrived at 1230 they met us on the dock, allocating us a mooring right next to Lionel and Elsie on Ruby Tuesday, and told us about a drinks and pizza party that they had organised that evening for visiting OCC yachts in the area.  What a fabulous welcome!

Freemason Harbour, Norfolk, Virginia, USA