river walk

A week ago delicate ivory shapes swirled about in the wind.  Snowflakes.  Today, more shapes dance in the breeze.  Blossoms from the trees.

With a little free time and comfortable weather I have walked along the Elizabeth River downtown.  Blue skies and beautiful one day, steel grey and gusty the next.  Workboats chugged up and down Elizabeth, ferry boats went back and forth across.  The little yawl Precious Times, weathered and worn, swung at anchor on Craford Bay.  Two large sailboats were tied up at the marina.  Nearby at the docks the little SailNauticus boats had their sails bent on for the season, waiting for the sailors to arrive on a school bus.  A friend, volunteering time and passion, painted a hatch cover on the schooner Virginia, which sits forlornly in search of a new owner.  Fishermen on a small boat cast at the rocks in search of puppy drum at Hospital Point across the river.  The grass at Town Point Park was brown.  Nearby a banner advertised the Bayou Boogaloo, yet two months away. 

I won't be sailing much on the Elizabeth this year, the boat ramp is still closed.  Should I have a three day weekend it might be worth putting in at a more distant ramp and leaving Spartina for the weekend at the dock in the Nauticus basin.  Otherwise I expect to sail out of Elizabeth City, which is a fine option.  And one I expect to enjoy, with a decent forecast, on Monday.