Day 202-205 – 4/23-26/24

Starting location: Tidewater Yacht Marina, Portsmouth, VA.

Weather: 40 am, 66 pm, mostly sunny – Tuesday 2/23. 42 am, 63 pm, drizzle – Wednesday 4/24. 48am, 61pm, drizzle then partly cloudy. Thursday 4/25. 49am, 59 pm, sunny – Friday 2/26.

Ending location: The docks at downtown Hampton, VA.

Statute miles: Approximately 10

General summary: We had chosen a marina in Portsmouth, rather than Norfolk (just across the Elizabeth River to the East) as the Port of Norfolk is an intimidatingly BUSY place. It is the biggest port in the country for the Navy and there were numerous huge military ships around. Portsmouth is a smaller suburb and actually has older history. It, and Norfolk, are notably at MM 0 on the AICW. From here North, until the C&D canal, we will be on the Chesapeake Bay. We did a walking tour of the historic area.

Our next goal was to figure out a way to visit Jamestown and Williamsburg, which are located on the peninsula over the James River to the North. We found a marina in Hampton, VA and rented a car to accomplish this.

On arrival, we walked about old Hampton and then had a local brew.

Spent the next day, after picking up the car, visiting Jamestown. This was the first English settlement on the continent, settled in 1607. There are exhibits that pay homage to the native culture, show re-creations of the three ships that made the voyage from England, and a lifesize example of the original town, with tradesman in historical garb producing wares as the original settlers had.

Spent the following day touring Williamsburg, which became the capital of Virginia in 1699, when it was moved from Jamestown. (It was subsequently moved to Richmond in 1779.)

On our final day (we got a fourth night free at the marina for 3 paid nights), I toured the science museum (influenced strongly by the proximity to NASA in Langley) and the Hampton History Museum (with excellent displays detailing this town’s native history and then 400 years of European history).

It is also notable that Hampton University, an early historically black college, was nearby and has on its campus the Emancipation Oak where the Emancipation Proclamation was first read to the public.