Update

     Rather than messing around at an anchorage for a few days we made an arduous minute-long crossing to Joy's Marina across from the public piers in Hampton. This is mostly because they gave us a great deal for the week and we figure sticking around to prep for the passage is a good plan. Now we sit in a large dock space surrounded by pilings trying to soak up the sun on this cool cloudy day having just reunited with Raftan after two weeks apart.

     One detail about staying here that I forgot to mention before is the crackling sounds that come through the hull of the boat as night settles in. The first night here Sarah and I were still awake and started to hear these unsettling crackling sounds-like electrical wires shorting or water dripping. Since we couldn't pinpoint where the sound was coming from we ignored it and went to sleep. The next day we remembered reading about a similar experience in Ann Vanderhoof's "An Embarrassment of Mangoes." As she and her husband traversed the intracoastal waterway in North Carolina they heard the same noises and feared they were sinking only to discover that the sound was caused by krill eating the algae off the hull of their boat. Seeing as our bottom is slowing growing a carpet-like coating of green stuff we are more than happy to have these little guys helping us out in the cleaning department.

     I'll have Dad do some pre-departure posts soon to disclose our plans for the crossing so that everyone at home is nicely informed.

Hope everyone is well!
Nicole.