First Day on the ICW…a.k.a. Bridge anyone?

Well, … we are off.  Yesterday, we left Portsmouth, Virginia on the Elizabeth River at Mile Marker 0 of the Intra-Coastal Waterway.  Only 1,095 miles to go before we hit the Port of Miami.  It will happen.  Eventually.

This first day of the ICW is the single busiest day.  Portsmouth, Norfolk, Newport News is just crammed with military, commercial and industrial shipping, channels and congestion.  In addition to dodging that traffic, within the first 20 miles we had three railroad bridges, two fixed bridges, five lift or swing bridges and one lock to get through.  But by Mile 35 we had left Virginia and were cruising South through North Carolina. 

Having left Tidewater Marina at 0830, we were at anchor behind Buck Island at Mile 57 in Poplar Branch, North Carolina (with virtually no civilization in sight) by 1730 (5:30 pm to Tess).  A good start to a long trip.  Our day in pictures should suffice….

Milling about on the Elizabeth River waiting for the morning's first bridge opening.

Still milling about.  Not 9:30 yet.  About 14 boats wait to rush past as soon as she opens.

Gilmerton Bridge, our first, finally opens.

Then Steel Bridge.

Finally to the Great Bridge Lock where Tranquility's crew awaits a letdown.

It's a small letdown.  Only about one foot.  But a gratifying one.

Then the Great Bridge Bridge.

And, finally, the North Branch Bridge.

A bit of military training on the ICW.

And more.

The Eagle has landed.

Our anchorage.