Portsmouth Virginia Free Dock at Olde Towne

We had some time to spare before lining up for the bridge opening so we went for a hike along a path that we discovered at the Great Bridge free docks. It was still really hot and the biting insects were abundant but it felt wonderful to get some exercise. We returned to Mystic and tried out our first batch of home made Turkish yogurt. It's tangy like yogurt tasted back when I first tried it in the 70's.  It is a bit thin or watery so I made a not to add extra powdered milk in my next batch. Trudi told me I would have to experiment with the recipe to find the best outcome.

We are stalling our departure in order to time our trip to Portsmouth. We'd like to pass under Great Bridge at the 10:00 opening, then go through the lock immediately after. The Great Bridge lock and bridge work together on the hour. I wasn't quite ready to leave at 10:00 which meant we had to wait for the 11:00 opening. This turned out to be a good thing. A huge barge came through, northbound at 10:00. The barge had priority over us and would have cause us to be delayed anyway.

Andromeda Sol lining up behind Mystic

Going under Great Bridge

Andromeda Sol was ready to leave along with us. It is their first time going through a lock. We gave them a few tips on how to tie up. Great Bridge is a good first locking experience because the Lock Master actually helps each boat tie off. In many locks, you are on your own. Peter and Trudi slipped in behind us and we rode the lock up. It was only a few feet from fresh water to salty.

Beth preparing to lock through

Ready to go...

Andromeda Sol tied off in the Great Bridge Lock

Back in salt water, jelly fish!

As we moved north, we begin to hear chatter over the VHF regarding the #7 railroad bridge being out of operation. Estimated time for the next opening was one hour away. The #7 is just south of the Gilmerton bridge; both have restricted openings. As we approached the bridges, we saw the Wild, the catamaran with Eric and Nicole, and the tow that went through the Great Bridge lock at 10:00, waiting for the bridge to open. We didn't have to wait long for the repair and the opening.

The Gilmerton bridge is high off the water even when it is in the closed position. Once the train bridge lifted just enough, the bridge tender told all of the smaller southbound power boats to go ahead and pass under. About seven boats came at us, all at once. A southbound tow went through next. On our northbound side, the tow went first, followed by Wild, Mystic and Andromeda Sol.

The trip up the industrial area of Portsmouth was nice; there is so much to see and a lot going on. There are two sets of free docks in Portsmouth. We found the first one but passed by to check out the next set. The second of free docks was closed for repairs so we returned to the first dock at Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Going under the bridge

Following Catamaran Wild

Elizabeth River Traffic

Wild going under train bridge near Portsmouth

Portsmouth Ship Parking

We slipped by the ferry dock into a little basin right in the downtown area. Legend Microbrewery is on the south side. A ferry comes and goes all day and night, blasting it's horn at every departure and creating turbulence at the dock. There is one other sailboat docked here, Luna Indigo from New Jersey. We talked to the solo captain, Rudolph Silas. He is heading south and appreciated the information we provided. There is a park next to the basin. The area is frequented by locals who sit on park benches all afternoon to cool off in the shady breeze. We are tied off directly in front of their gathering place. Dave chatted with them and learned about their daily routine. 

Mystic at Portsmouth Free Dock with war ship in background

The Ferry at Portsmouth

View of downtown Portsmouth aboart Mystic

Fog Island Lighthouse Lens

Mystic in front of downtown Portsmouth Waterfront Park

Dave chatting with a local in the park

We went for a walk to explore Portsmouth which is actually a lovely town. We wandered into the Olde Towne area which is quaint and reminds us of Boston and Charleston. There are many beautiful churches, row houses and cobblestone sidewalks.

Crepe Myrtle in bloom

Row houses at Old Town

Cobblestone sidewalks

I LOVE PORTSMOUTH

Portsmouth Mural

Wild anchored at Hospital Point

Andromeda Sol anchored at Hospital Point

We stopped in at the Microbrewery and met Winston, sitting at the bar. He's friends with the bartender; they would like to start a foodie and tourist blog about the area together. They have strong opinions on what's good and where to go. I encouraged them to move forward with their idea. They know this area well and could create a very popular blog for tourists to follow.

Luna Indigo at Portsmouth Dock

We felt safe at this free dock but were awakened in the middle of the night by what sounded like a fight. It turned out to be one man having a confrontation with himself. He was pacing on the breakwater outside our boat screaming profanity and threats, only there is no one there to receive them. We didn't want to add to the problem so we watched, and waited for an opportunity to close Mystic's hatch and lock ourselves inside. We never got the chance to do this but he wore himself out after about 45 minutes and moved on. 

A family of ducks lives at the marina and are fed by the locals in the park. They like to nap in the shady spot created by Mystic. We enjoyed watching them. A very protective mama and two babies come to look for a handout.

In the morning we went for walk and stumbled upon the farmer's market. We ran into Nicole and Eric there. It's always fun to be in new places and run into people we know. A art exhibit by women veterans was free at a local museum so we stopped in and found the artwork to be beautiful and moving. We returned to Mystic and headed out of the little basin for the anchorage referred to as Hospital Point where we'll join Andromeda Sol, already on the hook in the bay. We had a dinner date planned with them and are looking forward to an evening of sailing stories.