Sail250 Virginia

The sail-in to Norfolk begins in Lynn Harbor, where all the tall ships lie at anchor awaiting their grand entrance. The heat of the past few days seems to have made the atmosphere a little overenthusiastic. Our night at anchor is accompanied by threatening skies, towering cumulus clouds and a stiff breeze. Then, right in the middle of the parade, the weather decides it is time for a display of truly American proportions: the rain comes pouring down in torrents. So much so that we can no longer see either the ship ahead of us or the one behind us.

After an hour or so, the downpour finally begins to ease and, by the time we enter the river, it has thankfully become dry again. Norfolk is many things, but above all it is a naval port. In the bay we had already seen several large grey ships lying at anchor, apparently at rest. But once on the river, a naval force of almost unimaginable scale unfolds before us. Several nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, landing ships, tankers, frigates, minehunters and just about everything in between. Among the American flags we also spot French, Spanish, Danish and even Dutch ones. It turns out that a major NATO exercise is being prepared. If there is a shortage of grey paint anywhere in the world, it is probably here.

We continue into the heart of the city, where we are given a beautiful berth right next to one of the festival sites. Every day we welcome around 2,500 visitors aboard, and in the evenings the ‘Oosterschelde’ serves as the setting for receptions and official gatherings. By now, the crew operates like a well-oiled machine. Alongside the inevitable questions about which end of the ship is the bow and which is the stern, we receive many compliments about the ship and her condition, something we are, of course, quite proud of.

Today we are wrapping up the festival with a celebration for all the staff and volunteers who made the event possible and who gave us such a warm welcome. Our departure is scheduled for 08:30 tomorrow morning, although we are still considering whether it might be wiser to leave a little earlier or a little later. Strong winds are expected locally tomorrow evening. Fortunately, they are only forecast to last a few hours, but they will be coming from the north, exactly the direction we are heading. With wind speeds possibly reaching 45 knots, we feel it would be wise to avoid that particular encounter if possible.