I launched SPARTINA with the new standing rigging, blocks and bottom paint. It felt good to be back on the water. I'll keep her on the river for about two weeks and then haul out to prepare for the fall sail.
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I spotted the beautiful schooner with the raked mast yesterday from the Norfolk waterfront. I hoped she would be around this morning so I could get a closer look.
She was still on Craford Bay, the schooner FLYING DRAGON out of Key West. Just a wonderful looking boat.
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The Navy patrol boat, with the mounted machine gun, running around the river with complete disregard for the "no wake" zones should have told me something was up.
And the cluster of women waiting on the waterfront with children was a sign too.
It was the "IKE," aircraft carrier DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER was coming up river for some time in the shipyard. The Navy keeps the transit days and times secret as the ship is very vulnerable in the narrow river. But Navy families always know and it is fun to see them come down and watch the ship pass by.
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There was little wind today but sailing was not the point. I just wanted to get SPARTINA back on the river. I raised sail briefly to check on the new rigging. There might be some adjustments when I bring her home in a couple week. Once tied up at the dock I walked over to Waterside for the Wednesday $2.00 burger. How nice!
Thank you for sharing the photos. Wow, CVN69 looks like she was rode hard and put away wet. Sure enough, from the Stars and Stripes article about here homecoming last month: "Since USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) left for its first deployment on Feb. 20, 2020, the ship has been deployed for 320 of the last 514 days – not counting training exercises and restriction of movement periods that have kept sailors away from family and loved ones." Two back to back deployments... Hats off to our sailors!
ReplyDeleteWow! SPARTINA looks great, I think the Navy must have noticed the fine job you did and they moved Ike over so you can work on her bottom :)
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