Portsmouth MTOA

Monday September 17, 2012

Bonnie and Jon turned up on time (having driven from their home in Ames, Iowa) and we were on our way to the MTOA Rendezvous in Portsmouth, VA. I had fussed around Tide Hiker for hours that morning - checking every line and every electrical setting and every window etc - as we would be away four nights. This was going to be our longest separation since taking ownership.

From our hotel

 It was a 2 hour drive to the hotel. Portsmouth is one of the several cities that make up the "Hampton Roads" port complex. Our hotel is located right on the Elizabeth River in the heart of the US Navy build and repair facilities. The room is on the 12th floor and we have a great view of the river and surrounds. (We came along this river when we were heading North back in July.) We are across the river from two floating docks - one with an Aegis Cruiser getting a refit.

Tuesday September 18, 2012

Was a fun but wet day today. Between the two of us we went to "Short History of the Hampton Roads", "Ladies in the Engine Room" (guess who attended that and asked a great question?), "Varsity Anchorages on the ICW", and "The Down East Great Loop". We were also treated to a "Lunch on Board" because we were dive-ins. Dinner was a very wet and rowdy affair in the big tent. The rain was coming down in torrents, the "floor" of the tent was a river.Good fun though, we met some new people.

Wednesday September 19, 2012

More of the same. Instead of lunch in the tent (Hot dogs!) we arranged to meet a couple that we met on their boat in The Tides, and had a nice lunch in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was in the tent - bar-b-que pork and 'fixings. Wednesday night I went for a guided tour of Old Portsmouth.

Thursday September 20th, 2012

Deidre's back is bothering her so she spent the morning resting. This afternoon she had a practical class on handling a two engine boat - a brave boat owner took 1/2 dozen ladies out on his boat and had them practicing docking. The boys had "engine room" with Bob Smith. Tonight was the Awards Dinner and the food was quite good, like a wedding.

This MTOA Rendezvous has been a bit disappointing for us. The hotel and location were great, but the meeting was short on useful education and training. The best bit was looking out the hotel window at activity on the river.

Friday September 21st, 2012

(The day started poorly - Collingwood had lost.) We met Bonny and Jon in the foyer and loaded up the car. Had breakfast at Cracker Barrel on the way out of town so we could return our "Books on Tape". Took about 4 hours to get to the Solomons where we dropped them off at their boat. Then Deidre and I plodded back to The Tides. Tide Hiker was patiently waiting for us. It was nice to get home.

The River

Is called the Elizabeth River. It has been the center of American Naval shipbuilding since the 1700's. Lots of battles in this area in the Revolutionary and Civil wars. I have some more photos.

This is the Portsmouth light ship from the early 1900's. Some places the water was too deep to build light houses, and so they anchored a light ship. This light ship is now a museum located right under our window.

Its a bit hard to see in this photo, but the crane in the foreground is called a "hammerhead crane" and was used to lower gun turrets onto battleships under construction. The "Arizona" was built here. They would place the ship in the right place and lower the gun turret within a few inches and then let the tide do the rest.

There was all sorts of activity most of the day. This is another big crane on a barge. We saw a massive tug - 123 meters long. It looked like it could push the hotel over.