Aqua Vitae at the Free Dock in Portsmouth

My frustration with WordPress continues. . . nowhere does it say “Save,” so if you click out of a screen too early it’s just simply gone! Also, it seems to me that the placement of the photos should be more manageable. I’d love to make it EASIER for the viewer. . . and DEFINITELY for me!

Being in Portsmouth is truly being in the south. . . take a look at this monument:

We didn’t leave Portsmouth yesterday until around 2 pm, as we were waiting for FedEx to arrive at the Mile Marker 0 Marine Store — a wonderfully cooperative owner, Bob, will help with just about anything I think!

South of Portsmouth on the Elizabeth River is mile after mile of huge structures, not pretty, but interesting, and several bridges that are too low for us to go under unless they are raised. It slows the trip, but we’re okay with that. There is also one lock, at Great Bridge, which raised us one foot to meet the water level of the remainder of the Virginia Cut.

This railroad bridge is almost always in the up position, unless there’s a train coming. . .

Gilmerton Lift Bridge on the Elizabeth River

A FEMA reminder

After Hurricane Sandy this kind of housing seems tenuous. FEMA will shortly be out of funds, and FEMA is where the flood insurance payouts come from. The EPA has been screaming for years about the artificially reduced premiums on flood insurance which encourage development in areas that are not flood-safe.

And here is the Great Bridge Lock. . . We went through the lock, through the Great Bridge Bridge, and tied to the free dock on the east side of the canal just beyond the bridge for the night.