Econo Lodge Airport

Mile Zero on the ICW

by grandmaR

The 'beginning' of the marked east coast ICW is Hospital Point. The hospital referred to was the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, opposite Norfolk.

There is an anchorage there where boats often wait before starting south. There's also a boat moored near there advertising fuel prices. Since Waterside doesn't sell fuel, a cruiser would have to go to another marina to get fuel.

Tidal range in feet 3.3 and there is room for about 20 boats. When heading south, leave by 5:30 am to beat the bridge restrictions - to either be past the Steel Bridge before 0700 (if doing the Virginia Cut) or to be past the Gilmerton Bridge (for the Dismal Swamp route. Good ground tackle.

Ground tackle is the anchor and anchor rode. An anchor rode is what attaches the anchor to the boat - chain or rope.

Holding is realtively good, with good protection from wind, but the anchorage is subject to a lot of wakes. At times there are a lot of crab pots to get fouled in your rode or prop..

Norfolk Naval Base

by amadeeville

"Ships Galore"

Here are several pictures that I took of Norfolk Naval Base. The one with all the people waiting I was among them waiting. It made a great photomontage for a school project that I worked on.

The picture of the ship is of poor quality. I could visit it anytime and take more pictures but I've seen the base so much that it's boring to me. Have been on several of the ships and I thought that the most interesting part was seeing the jets take off and land on the aircraft carriers. Be sure to use ear plugs because it's loud.

The Eisenhower has two nuclear power generators that powers everything and provides fresh water to the whole ship for months at a time. Nuclear power saves a lot of money when it's underway, otherwise while it's in port it pays the local power company for its power.

Basically the ships are a city on water for 6 months at a time. Sometimes the ships are gone even longer and while in port when there is a big storm coming through they ship out because they don't want the ships banging up against the port.