Thursday 19 March 2020
We arrived at Cobb’s Marina at noon yesterday after a small
bit of confusion with the plethora of interstate numbers including I-64, I-264,
and I-446 and maybe a few others.
Chip and Glenn and I spent an hour or so in the engine room
going over all the systems and piping there before heading to the pilothouse
for continuing education. Owing to the
fact that all restaurants were closed due to the corona virus epidemic, we ate lunch
and dinner aboard with Chip heading off to a nearby seafood restaurant for a
to-go order of 60 fried ship for the six of us.
He made up some grits and beans to complete the entre of shrimp and
grits.
This morning we got the Eleohn underway with Chip watching
to see that we had gotten the operation of the boat down pat. Glenn discovered an o-ring seal leak in the
hydraulic system, and chip went off to get an o-ring selection. The leak was quickly resolved, and Chip and
Glen and the kids are packing up their car to head home. Then Mary and I went onto Joint Expeditionary
Base Little Creek, the fence of which is about 100 feet from us, to shop at the
Navy Exchange and the commissary.
Because this boat has not microwave nor TV, we felt it important to get
one of each to help us stay abreast of conditions in the country as well as
properly fed. After this expedition, I
turned the car in at Norfolk International Airport which was completely empty
with not a soul at the baggage carousels as I walked out to the taxi stand. The cabbie said he had been waiting for six
hours for his first fare (me) of the day.
This crisis hit all pockets, some worse than others.
Just across the fence from us on the base is the boat ramp
used by Coastal Riverine Squadron Four, and we have seen some rather large and
powerful Navy vessels being launched and pulled out. As we motored down the fairway for our test
run this morning we passed by the piers where the large landing craft
designated as LCUs moor and then saw off to starboard the armed Navy patrol
vessel ensuring that no unauthorized vessels entered the waters of JEB Little
Creek.
Our plan is to leave here as soon after sunrise (0700-ish)
as possible tomorrow and get down through Norfolk and out into the hinterlands
where we will likely anchor for the night.
