(October 23 – 25, 2016): Coming into Norfolk waterway, many Navy ships, submarines, a military hospital ship, and etc. cannot be missed. This is the biggest port I have ever seen so far.

The city of Norfolk is not too big not too small. It is comfortable and easy to look around the city. Until we visited Norfolk, we didn’t know much about this city. After spending a couple of days in downtown, we liked Norfolk a lot. The best thing we liked here is taking a self-guided tour of the humongous IOWA class battleship ‘USS Wisconsin’, one of the largest and last battleships built by the U.S.

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(October 15 to 19, 2016): “The Historic Triangle, also known as the birthplace of American Democracy, is comprised of three cities: Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown.”

Not having a car, we rode bikes all over in Yorktown and Williamsburg (25 miles roundtrip from Yorktown).

Both Yorktown and Williamsburg are like a live US history book itself. We visited the recently renovated ‘American Revolution Museum at Yorktown’. (Replacement of Yorktown Victory Center)

The fresh look and videos in the museum, took me back to the 18th century in America without making me tired or bored. This Museum’s grand opening celebration will be in 2017,

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(October 12 to 14, 2016): For a night stay, we carefully entered the Kinsale Channel without running aground and dropped the anchor on the quiet Yeocomico River. We saw many sticks on the water where it appears to be shallow. The weather has been beautiful. Next day, we rode bikes along the soybean fields. Kinsale was named after Kinsale in Ireland.

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(September 23 to October 11, 2016): Cruising on the Potomac River was extremely smooth and very tranquil. We day sailed/motored about 100 nautical miles from Chesapeake Bay to Washington DC. On the way, we dropped the anchor at three different locations to rest for a night: Saint Mary’s City in Maryland, Port Tobacco River/Popes Creek, and Gunston Cove (not far from Mount Vernon). Mount Vernon is accessible by a boat or a dinghy but we didn’t know this at that time. Later, we rode bikes to Mount Vernon. (About a 40 mile roundtrip bike ride from DC)

Approaching Alexandria,

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(September 21-22, 2016): We stopped here just for an overnight rest. After dropping the anchor near the Saint Mary’s College of Maryland, we took a dinghy to the school dock and walked in the city. Very historic! We also stopped by the school cafeteria and enjoyed the BUFFET foods. Wandering in the school, I found below poem written on the wall in the college.

blessing the boats
by Lucille Clifton, 1936 – 2010
(at St. Mary’s)

may the tide
that is entering even now
the lip of our understanding
carry you out
beyond the face of fear
may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back may you
open your eyes to water
water waving forever
and may you in your innocence
sail through this to that

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(September 10, 2016): No wind! 25 Hours of motoring! Arriving in the Cape May Inlet and dropping an anchor near the Coast Guard Station, we heard unusual sound near distance. At first, I thought it was from an event on the shore. With a binocular, I searched the land and read ‘Coast Guard Training Center’ sign on the wall. It didn’t take long to find out we are anchored in front of the ‘United States Coast Guard Training Center’.

Next morning, I heard a group of young people running and singing together while training. It was 6:01 AM.

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(August 31 to September 7, 2016): We were about ready to leave New York City but the tropical storm ‘Hermine’ was going to be heading our way. Funny, we came all the way up here to get out of the hurricane zone but it was going to come near us. In order to be safe, we changed our plan and looked for a safe place, Port Washington Anchorage in Long Island! It is wide and protected area, and is much safer than the other anchorages in New York City. Timing with current and tide, we left Manhattan with a following current to pass ‘Hell Gate’,

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(August 12 to 31, 2016) During our sailing trip to New York City, we had originally planned to stay at the 79th Street Yacht Basin. (Dock Space: US$3.50/linear foot per day + US$20 Electricity per day) or drop an anchor (US$26/Day) next to the Mooring Field. Our boat was too large (47 foot) so we couldn’t use a reasonably priced mooring (US$30/Day) in 79th Street Yacht Basin. Based on the phone conversation with the marina, we are too heavy to use a mooring.

When our buddy boat mentioned an anchorage by Liberty State Park, John loved the idea that ‘it is free to anchor’ and even better it is close to Lower Manhattan,

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(August 12 to 31, 2016) Entering New York Harbor by sailboat, passing the skylines of Manhattan, and visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as a naturalized US citizen, I felt as if I re-entered the new world of hope. It was like reengaging myself after a long journey at sea by crossing the ocean and seeing the Statue of Liberty as ‘The Beacon of the Hope’. That’s what our previous immigrants might have felt about a hundred years ago or so before the transatlantic airplanes. Walking slowly and taking Audio Tours in Ellis Island, I respected those who came to this land of opportunity and worked limitlessly for their dreams and freedom.

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