Lots to experience from Norfolk to Wrightsville....

When we finally arrive in Norfolk, we are tired and hungry and it’s late, and oh my goodness I had forgotten how cold wind can be. The weather in Virginia/ Norfolk has been the coldest for years, and it’s not very pleasant, but it is pleasant to be united with Sven again. We are loading or entire luggage into little trolleys and bringing them to the ship, getting everything and us on board and uiiii it’s different than what I imagined. I don’t try to think too much I am tired and all I want to do is go to bed and have a sleep.
Norfolk is the biggest Marine Harbour in the US. Right opposite us are two big Navy Marine Supply Ships, one is leaving a couple of days later, we assume it’s going down to Haiti to help after the devastating Earthquake. Norfolk is not very inviting, but we have to stay here a week or so for the weather to calm down before we coast can leave down south. We have decided to ask John the previous skipper of the boat to help us to sail JUCA down the to Florida, which will help us to get to know the in and outs of the boat. Sven’s D has also arrived; we get familiar with the boat and then the weather finally allows us to leave the port of Norfolk. We have done the shopping for food supply in one of those big supply shops nearby. I started off with one trolley and by the end of the shopping trip I had five trolleys in tow and the bill came to US 1500, I nearly dropped dead - I think that was my biggest shop ever. When we arrive with boxes and boxes of food at the boat, the next questions arises, where to stow it all, but I was surprised after a little bit of pushing and shuffling and the food supply disappeared behind all the cushions and seating arrangements.
Here are few technical details of JUCA. She was built in 1982 and designed from Morgan in Florida US; the Boat type is a schooner (Morgan), its 60 feet long. We have got a 135 HP Perkins Diesel that will bring us from A to B if there is no wind in sight. We can store 700 liter of fresh water and 2500 liter of fuel.
18th January 2010 at 4.15 pm we are leaving the port of Norfolk and heading down to Wrightsville. We have decided against the Inner Coastal Waterway (ICW), as this is quiet shallow in a lot of spots. This morning there is not enough wind to get the sails up, so we are motoring down the coast of Virginia. Everything is going well until the sea is picking up a little bit and I am starting to get a bit funny in my tummy. The noise and smell of the motor doesn’t really help the situation. Julia and Carlos are doing fine, and Klaus, Sven and John are doing great too. It’s very cold outside, so I cannot even sit outside to watch the horizon for my tummy to settle down, so I am going down into bed … here it is a bit better, but I try not to move my body or my head too much, the boat is doing enough movements. Here I stay until we reach Wrightsville. I sleep a lot, I don’t eat anything and the rest of the crew has to cook their own meals, there is no chance that I can even stand the thought of handling any kind of food or drinks. I try coke, yak….. Bammer haven’t got any ginger with me, so I suffer in silence. I am seasick, but luckily I don’t have to vomit. We are going through the night and day and another night…. And then finally on the
20th January 2010 we arrive in Wrightsville at 6 in the morning, I survived and I believe that the worse things are over and I immediately feel better. Getting slowly out of bed and ……everything is ok…. I feel good. Its Julia’s birthday today and we are all singing happy Birthday to her. We are going to buy some muffins and candles later on in the shops, as well as a DVD for afternoon entertainment. During the night we had a few problems with the fuel pump so we need to get some spare parts as well and we are also fueling up. I quickly go and have a shower before heading off to the Marine shop and the café for breakfast. Oh no, I am underneath the shower and the shower is moving, my head is spinning, but I am on land, well apparently now I am land sick, lucky me…. my body had been adjusting to the boat movement . The marine is offering a courtesy car, what a luxury. Hopping into the car and driving along the highway I try not to move my head to fast, even in the restaurants, everything moves, the tables, the chairs and everything in on the lean, I would laugh if I wouldn’t be the one with the squeeze head. They tell me, I will get use to it, usually it takes a week  We are filling our tummy and our fuel tanks and at midday we are leaving Wrightsville towards Charleston. The weather is sunny, but very cold. The sea is calm, but we are still under motor as the wind has been coming out of the direction we are heading the whole time. We are motor sailing all day and night until ….