Century Club: George Hernandez

With my marina neighbor and sailing student Eris we motored down and back to see the tall ships. The west wind was on our nose leaving Willoughby Bay and then died off once on the Elizabeth River so we continued motoring. By the time we were headed back the wind had swung around to the north. Good workout for the Westerbeke...

Arriving at the marina late morning I was a little dissapointed with less than 3 knots a the Willoughby Degaussing Station and almost glass like water in the bay. Motoring out with the sail still covered I planned on doing a little fishing and relaxing. Within 5 minutes Windy's forecast of decreasing wind speed into the afternoon proved wrong as a nice NE breeze arrived.

I sailed out to the main channel then around Willoughby Bay when I realized the sails were up on the Gorch Fock at the Naval Station. Making good speed to Swells Point hoping to get a better angle for pictures from the Elizabeth River, that was stopped by the departure of the Eisenhower. I turned back around and called it a day.

On my Aqua Map Sail 250 it appeared the Gorch Fock was anchored to the west of the channel on the Elizabeth River. I had hoped to sail aound it taking pictures. It was docked at the Norfolk naval station. Still very exciting to see this beautiful ship!

A few favorable weather days so I decided to head north. Depending on my progress, either the Goodwin Islands or Mobjack Bay.

Well Mother Nature helped make the decision for me. First, a light flood tide passing Fort Monroe slowed my progress onto the bay. Then very light winds into early afternoon. After about 3 hours I still hadn't passed Salt Ponds.

I'm fine floating around at 1.5 knots on a very light wind day when not going anywhere. Very relaxing since being on the water was the destination. When I do have a destination there is a minumum speed. Below that I start feeling a little stressed. The forecast was calling for increasing winds by mid-afternoon but had hoped to be a little further along by the time they arrived.

With the autohelm on, I was able to sit up front in the shade of the sail and read. Before long a nice breeze arrived and the boat accelerated. Still another 12 miles to go but now I was moving along nicely.

Excellent anchorage just inside of Green Point. Room for one or two boats. Quiet and just a short few hundred foot paddle to the beach.

In the morning a west breeze carried me out the zig zag channel onto the bay. Once again light winds into mid afternoon before a good SE wind picked up