Thursday
0922 The call sign for a boat backing up and good advice from Phil, our resident weather expert in Maine (also known for sailing around the world and enabling the Audax to leave the great sate without falling apart! Check out his site at www.worldvoyagers.com.) Another quick look at the weather shows high winds and moderate seas, its go time.

1608 – Here listening to the high pitched sound of the SSB radio as it currently downloads the NE Atlantic Surface Analysis, take a look at all the sweet graphics we can get at sea from this machine here… old school technology is still pretty cool - We raise the antenna, plug in an audio chord from the SSB to the computer and a program converts the sound into a readable graphic. Trolling for fish with live eel (see photo below of me blessing EelsTeam Audax Caribbean Endeavour › Edit — WordPressifer) 6 NM off the Delaware coast, significantly calmed seas as the wind seems to becoming just right to sail under sunny skies and a rapidly falling sun, ahhhh….life at sea.

Friday
1048 – New Jersey…check; Delaware…check; Maryland…check; Virginia…check mate. Ripped dodger…Jesus!; Partially torn genoa sail….Christ!!; Smokey engine…Holy sh$#!;

A beautiful day as we officially crossed the Mason Dixon line last night. No time for photos given the 30 knot gusts and attention to steering needed (our team member “Otto”, the auto pilot does not like to sail, a pure motorist at heart! ) Thus an interesting night to say the least, but wow…here we are in the South. Cape Charles and the mouth of the Chesapeake just off our Starboard bow.

1958 – “On the hook” aka we dropped our anchor for the first time as darkness was just befalling. A celebratory cigar for team Audax tonight upon reaching mile 0.0 of the Intracoastal waterway and now laying wait with a handful of similar vessels here at Hospital Point -the crossroads of Norfolk, Hampton and Portsmouth and it seems the heart of American industrial and military might. I even got to see a submarine steaming by as we entered the Chesapeake. Stuck it seems for 24 hours as both routes of the ICW remain closed; 1) The Dismal swamp, our choice route but with low water it is indefinitely shut down and 2)the official ICW route is closed for 36 hours due to emergency bridge repair work… go figure!! We are all tired and looking forward to bed after the spectacular Italian sausage spaghetti dinner by Steve… goodnight and sleep tight.

Saturday
1330 What a difference a good night sleep makes. Our first cruise today aboard the mini Audax (no name yet so suggestions welcome!) Trip into Norfolk, Steve seems to have made some good friends whilst Jordi and I took one for the team and made friends with Dan, our cab driver! Game plan for the afternoon: Change oil, go for a run, wire CO2 monitor, plot route for tomorrow, 13 bridges to get by and one lock within the first 20 miles of the ICW, wow. Once again stealing internet as the “Shlong” has yet to provide any significant signals from the boat. Happy weekend to all and stay warm for all our good friends and family in Maine!!!!