Bum's Rest with Sheet Music in Norfolk; Waiting for Winds to Subside

Bum's Rest joined us in Norfolk this afternoon. We were going to leave for Little Creek this morning, but the winds were blowing with gusts to 40 mph predicted, so we stayed at Waterside Marina. The highest we saw was 36 knots (41.43 mph). It is still blowing hard as I write this.

Chuck and I walked around the riverwalk and took Jazzy for a good, long walk. We looked at all the monuments at Wisconsin Square, a small park on Norfolk's Elizabeth River waterfront, opposite the museum ship berth of USS Wisconsin. The park contains memorials to seamen lost while serving on United States Navy ships homeported in Norfolk.

The Square also contains the ship's bell of USS Norfolk and a copy of The Lone Sailor.

We went back to the boat, had lunch and waited for Bum's Rest to arrive. They got here around 1:30 p.m. with three other boats that they were traveling with in the Dismal Swamp.

The U.S.S. Wisconsin.

Then Chuck and I walked around town and saw some of the beautiful, historic buildings and artwork in the city. (See photos below).

Norfolk must have received a LOT of stimulus money...there is construction everywhere you go in this city. They are putting in a light rail system and lots of new infrastructure.

The new park on the waterfront is beautiful and Saturday mornings there are vendors selling their crafts. I bought beautiful strawberries from a vendor this morning.

On the way back, we stopped at The Market, a big supermarket. I wish I had my cart. I need more than we could carry back.

When we returned, I took Jazzy for another walk and she had fun socializing with all the kids around the riverwalk. She loves the attention and gravitates to kids.

Patti and Wayne, Chuck and I and Tom and Diann from Noah Genda went to dinner at Freemason Abbey Restaurant and Tavern. It used to be a church, built in 1873. The food was wonderful, as was our server.











Chuck and I had our our little table overlooking the first floor. Chuck had a Caesar Salad with Seafood Fantasia, shrimp and scallops over fettuccine alfredo and topped with lump crabmeat. I had their famous crab cakes with wild rice and asparagus. Yum.

This was our view in the restaurant.

There's a mermaid public art project, Mermaids on Parade, all around Norfolk. They are really neat and I took photos of several of them (see below).

It looks like we may be here another day...the winds are really blowing and we're going to Deltaville, which is about 50 miles, so we don't want to go if there are high winds and/or rough seas. If we stay another day, we will go to the Nauticus museum. I'll try to get back to the supermarket too.

After laboring for nearly 60 hours, Felicia Smith FINALLY had her baby tonight at 10:23. JT arrived weighing 8 lbs., 2 oz. and measuring 21 inches. Mom and baby are fine. Still waiting to hear if it was a boy or girl. The initials are JT no matter what.

More photos from today:

This mermaid is my favorite. She is at the Waterside marina. Her hair is twisted brass.