If you have taken advantage of this source of refund on fuel taxes, let us hear from you! Thanks for the Heads-Up Greg!

I came across the following when looking around for sales taxes on http://www.boatus.com/gov/state_taxrefund.asp
It lists state that will refund sales taxes for off road use and specifically describes boat use. VA will refund .18 and NC .16 per gallon. Has anyone heard of this or gotten a refund? All one has to do is fill out a form and send original receipts.
For VA use http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/ts216.pdf.
Greg and Susan Han aboard Allegria, Krogen Whaleback #16

A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy (MAMA) in Virginia Beach, VA. serves the maritime community with 75 Coast Guard certified deck and engineering classes, from Entry to Unlimited Master, and Engineering Fundamentals, DDE & QMED. See the link below for info on referrals and class discounts. And, of course, it’s always good to hear from an experienced seaman like Captain Ron.

I travel the ICW at least twice a year and use the Cruisers Net for latest info. When I am not out on the oceans I teach at the Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy. Quite a few of my students are cruisers and they have taken several courses that are beneficial to them.
Best, Capt Ron

Click Here To View a Previous Posting on Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy

Good advice from Captain Odell

Subject: FAKE FUEL PRICE QUOTES
Cruising News: BEWARE FAKE FUEL PRICE QUOTES ! QUESTION: How many of you have found that a marina will quote one price on the phone, raise the price the next day, and then when you pull up, ask the price before the fill up… and again get the same price…AND ONLY after you have filled over 379 gallons of Diesel do they say that “OH, there is an up charge of 3% if you charge this fuel on a charge card”
Ml ODELL

Capt. Odell: I have not experienced the problem you cite, but I do know that fuel prices change rapidly, often, and sometimes contrary to what commonsense would indicate. I have noticed the same thing at landlocked gas stations that I frequent. Prices frequently change overnight, or even more than once during the same day. Many marine docks do charge extra for credit cards, so it is worth asking beforehand. In some places the price on the pump is for cash or check only. Don’t call for a price one day and expect it to remain the same the next day–pricing is often for one day only. My usual modus operandi is to plan to fill up in areas where I know the fuel is always around the lowest prices and they pump a lot of it, like Coinjock, and then not worry about a few cents this way or that, instead enjoying the savings of many tens of cents over what I am likely to pay in other areas.
Upon reading some news around the Internet (you know how reliable that can be!), it appears that the practice of charging extra above the cost listed on the pump for credit cards is in violation of VISA/MasterCard license agreements. It is acceptable, in most states, to offer a discount off the published price for cash, but not to increase the price for the use of credit. I suppose you could try to argue this with a marina or even report them to VISA/MasterCard–I understand that the credit card companies take this very seriously. But I think the best practice is to determine exactly what the charges are before you start pumping.
John Kettlewell

It is against federal banking laws and the merchants bank agreement with the card companys to charge more than posted rate for any end user purchase when paying for it on a credit/debit card of any kind. Just confront any Dockmaster and if he needs to call his account let him. If he refuses to offer you the current posted rate when purchased on a card let him know you will contact the card company to file a complaint. What a retailer can do is offer a discount for CASH or CHECK off the posted rate. That is the way our local marina offers discounts. Don’t let people like that bamboozel you. They may just be misimformed as I have seen it happen time again.
John Beaver

Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy is a new, much valued SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

When you refer a new student to MAMA who takes a class priced at $500 or more, we will send you a $50 VISA gift card. If you prefer, however, we will take $100 off the price of your next MAMA class within the next 6 months. Please assure that the student you refer to MAMA lets us know that you made the referral, and gives us your updated contact information.
We hope you’ll want to get to know us better yourself! Give us a call at 866-775-8382 or come and see us in Virginia Beach. We’ll look forward to meeting you.
* MAMA reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time.

They were closing this bridge off and on all day on Sunday. As we approached, the bridge was closed and we circled around with about 15 other boats. The Gilmerton Bridge tender said that a train was coming but we never saw one. The bridge re-opened after about 30 minutes. We heard today (5/19) that the railroad bridge was stuck closed for a while.
S/V Moondance

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the “Alert” Established for the Norfolk Southern #7 Railroad Bridge

I have reviewed Captain Joe’s “blog” which is linked below. It’s really more of a web site, with a WEALTH of information for any cruiser calling at Portsmouth. Give it a look!

Hi Claiborne ,
Would you post this link to our blog Welcome to Mile Marker “0″ AICW? I will writing often to inform boaters traveling the ICW about upcoming events, restaurants, stores, shopping, and where to buy everything from groceries to boat parts and how to get to them here in Portsmouth, Virginia.

http://milemarker0icw.blogspot.com/2010/05/please-share-your-experience-with-us.html

We will also be publishing a FREE Boaters Guide to Portsmouth, VA. (available fall 2010)
Thank you,
Joe Elder

The question and answer sequence below was copied from the MTOA List-Serve!

I struck an underwater object. I will need to be hauled. Can anyone suggest a reasonable repair yard in the Norfolk area? Thanks
Dick Hein

I have my boat hauled at Ocean Marina in Portsmouth. So far so good. Do you know what you hit and where was it?
Dave Hart

I don’t know what we struck. We were just motoring up the ICW south of Norfolk a bit. Before you went into Ocean Marine, did you consider Atlantic Yacht Basin?
Dick Hein

Lot’s of options… Atlantic Yacht basin.. Yard right at the entrance to the Dismal Swamp Cut-off, Ocean Marine, Portsmouth Yacht Marina (Full Throttle) and many more if you can limp a bit further. There
seemed to be a lot of deadheads this year.
Don R,
m/v Andante

There has been a very informative information exchange on the MTOA (Marine Trader Owners Association) List-Serve this weekend (5/15/20 to 5/16/10) about where to anchor near Hampton Roads, VA. We have copied some of these excellent messages below.
By the way, let’s be very clear about this. All of us at the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net highly recommend membership in the MTOA for all who cruise under power. If you don’t already know, membership in the MTOA has long been thrown wide open to owners of all types and brands of vessel. Long-gone are the days when this organization’s ranks were filled exclusively by Marine Trader trawler owners.
Anyway, we don’t think there is a better owner’s organization going today than MTOA! Why not join!?

We are traveling north to the Chesapeake and would like to bypass the Norfolk-Portsmouth marinas in favor of an anchorage. Does anyone have any recommendations in the Hampton, VA area ?… the cruising guides are fairly thin with recommendations. Visually there appears to be a large ‘basin’ off Old Point Comfort similar to Marine Stadium in Miami. Does anyone anchor in the basin?
Thanks.
Betty Robinson
aboard M/V LiLi

Other than Hampton you might like to look at Willoughby Bay on Chart 12222. Look at NE side.
Carl Hibbard

We usually anchor next to the the bridge up in the channel next to Fort Monroe between the bridge and the hospital. This is the bridge on the northern side of the bridge tunnel.
Chuck

Hi Betty,
Go into Hampton and go past the city marina beyond the bridge. The charts don’t show any depths there but you can anchor safely in 12′ of water. Or utilize the Hampton YC for $1/ft. They don’t take reservations but it’s 1st come/1st served on any of their ‘T’ heads.
Jim Fisher

Portsmouth has a great FREE overnight spot right downtown. fyi
Bill Feller
Knot Tide Down

I have some years ago. There is a lot of large and small boat traffic. The wakes are fierce.
John Zalusky,
“NEVER FINSHED”

Traveling north, just before the shipping terminal, there is a small inlet taking you East that leads to the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. There is about 10′ feet of water to the NY&CC and room to anchor to the south of their club docks. If you choose to use the NY&CC they charged 1.50/ft to other yacht club members. You will need evidence of membership, membership card or paid receipt, credit card and picture ID. The meals are great and reasonable in the After Deck, showers with warm towels and a bus ride to downtown Norfolk. Hard to beat after a long turn in the Intercostal.
John Zalusky,
“NEVER FINSHED

Betty,
I wouldn’t take Lili into the downtown “free” docks in Portsmouth if I were you. Lot of ferry traffic and You are pretty big for this area. If
you decide to look for a marina instead, we can recommend Salt Pond marina in Hampton. It’s on the bay side of things and not far off the path you will take. Very well protected with pool , easy access, and good pricing.
We left Second Star there for two weeks to go home a while back.
See you on the Water!
Michael La Porte
M/V SECOND STAR

We’ve spent one good and one terrible night in the Mill Creek anchorage between the bridge and the fort. Memory is that there is little protection from surge in one direction, but it was a long time ago. I can’t remember the specific problem.
Bad experience would eliminate this anchorage from our list.
We use north end of Hampton River. You go under a bridge which filters out the sailboats into a very nice anchorage which could likely accommodate a dozen boats. Use of the City’s dock is free. Post office, pubs, this and that, easy walk from city dock.
Protection is excellent from all directions.
Another anchorage is Lafayette River. We’ve used this three times. Other than distance off the Waterway, if you go well beyond the bridge, there’s good holding and adequate room, moderate protection.
Our only serious anchor drag over recent years was in Chismun Creek. Winds were 70 knots++. 44 lb Delta. We dragged about a 1/4 mile. Problem, which seems not uncommon in the bay is that the bottom can be 18 inches of silt or muck on top of hard-pan. Plows find their way down to the hard-pan and then skate along it as you drag downwind.
We think that is what happened there. If we were to do it again, I think we’d try the West Performance which is a very stiff Danforth type.
Testimony to this problem (silt on hard-pan) is the frequency with which we have to reset or try the other anchor in the bay. We back down on each try and with some force. No matter what Bruce Van Sant thinks about this, if you’ve backed down, you know it will hold in at least one direction.
john ferguson
m/v arcadian

Use of Hampton’s City dock free to dinghys, not the big boat
john ferguson
m/v arcadian

My thanks to all who provided advice on Hampton Roads anchorages. We ended up in the basin which was quite rolly-polly until past sundown. Everyone’s suggestions were so good that I look forward to visiting Hampton Roads .
Safe travels…
Betty Robinson
on board M/V LiLi

The notice below was received from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association on 4/7/10.

Mariners are advised that the Coast Guard has approved a temporary deviation to restrict the operation of the Centerville Turnpike (SR170) Bridge, at AIWW mile 15.2, across the Albemarle and ChesapeakeCanal in Chesapeake, VA. To facilitate structural repairs to the movable span, the Drawbridge will be allowed to open every two hours for vessels requiring an opening on the following schedule:
A. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2010, until and including 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, 2010; and
B. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 17, 2010, until and including 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 18, 2010.
C. Saturday openings at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m.
D. Sunday openings at midnight, 2 a.m., 4 a.m., 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m.
E. At all other times, the drawbridge will operate in accordance with the operating regulations set out in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.997(i). Mariners should adjust their transits accordingly and use extreme caution when transiting the area. Chart: 12253.

Centerville Turnpike Bridge
The span will be closed from 7 a.m. on April 10 to 7 p.m. on April 11. A second closure will happen from 7 a.m. on April 17 to 7 p.m. on April 18. The closures will allow crews to make structural repairs.
Dick Litchfield

The notice below was sent directly to the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net from the Army Corps of Engineers Office in Norfolk, VA!

VA – CHESAPEAKE BAY – ELIZABETH RIVER
THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT HAMPTON ROADS ADVISES ALL LOCAL MARINERS,
VESSELS AND FACILITIES THAT SEAWARD MARINE CORPORATION WILL DISMANTLE THE COUNTERWEIGHT JACKING SYSTEM AND LOWER THE MESSENGER CABLES CROSSING THE NAVIGABLE CHANNEL OF THE JORDAN BRIDGE LOCATED AT APPROXIMATE POSITION 36-48-30N / 076-17-24W. THE 150′X 45′SPUD CRANE BARGE BILL JR AND ASSIST TUG ASHLEY CHANEL WILL BE IN THE NAVIGABLE CHANNEL EACH NIGHT BEGINNING AT 7 PM TO 7 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING FROM APRIL 12, 2010 TO APRIL 19, 2010. THE TUG ASHLEY CHANEL WILL MONITOR VHF CHANNELS 13 AND 16. VESSEL TRAFFIC IS PERMITTED TO TRANSIT IN THIS AREA DURING THE OPERATION HOWEVER, MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO USE CAUTION AND BARE STEERAGE IN THE AREA. VESSELS REQUIRING THE ENTIRE CHANNEL WIDTH ARE REQUESTED TO COORDINATE WITH SEAWARD MARINE BY CONTACTING RANDY TURNER AT 757-435-3031.
CANCEL AT//191100Z APR 10//
BT
NNNN

VA – ATLANTIC INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY (AIWW) – ELIZABETH RIVER (SOUTHERN BRANCH) TO THE ALBERMARLE AND CHESAPEAKE CANAL
MARINERS ARE ADVISED THAT THE DOMINION BOULVARD (US 17) BRIDGE AT AIWW MILE 8.8 ACROSS THE ELIZABETH RIVER (SOUTHERN BRANCH) IN CHESAPEAKE VA WILL BE CLOSED TO VESSELS REQUIRING AN OPENING BEGINNING AT 9 PM UNTIL 11:59 PM ON THURS FEBRUARY 4, 2010, TO PERFORM MECHANICAL REPAIRS. MARINERS SHOULD ADJUST THEIR TRANSIT
ACCORDINGLY.
Chart 12253

The Gilmerton Highway Bridge does not open during peak traffic times in the morning and afternoon (follow link below for exact schedule). Captain John had e-mailed and asked what this span’s opening schedule was during the day, between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. I answered that as far as I could tell the bridge opened on demand during these hours. His note below confirms my findings.

Hi Claiborne,
Thanks for the quick response!
I did find a phone # for the Gilmerton Highway Bridge. I just spoke with them and they confirmed that between 08.30 and 15.30, they open on request.
Happy Thanksgiving!
John

Click Here To View the VA to NC Line’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For The Gilmerton Highway Bridge

Just this afternoon, word has been received that the lock at Great Bridge, Virginia (part of the primary “North Carolina – Virginia Cut” portion of the AICW) is once again operating normally, AND the alternate Dismal Swamp Canal route has also reopened. The Great Bridge Lock was temporarily closed due to high water (which also caused some electrical damage), and the Dismal was closed due to high water and some large trees which had fallen into the canal. Well, the water has dropped, the Great Bridge electrical problems are now history, and the “large trees” have been removed from the Dismal Swamp Canal.
Let the southern migration resume!!!!

Hi Claiborne
Thank you so much for this important update. My husband Tom and I arrived in Glouchester Point Va on Tuesday to take our boat south to Florida. This after a 2 year absence from our boat.Talk about trial by fire!
We are currently at Jordan Marine Service in Glouchester Point and abandoned the boat yesterday due to high water on the docks. We are safe and secure in an area motel awaiting better weather, and the boat is just fine and being well cared for by the capable people at Jordan Marine. We didn’t know about the great Bridge Lock closing so once again thank you for the information.You provide such a great service to boaters.
Pam and Tom Frech

i just got in Portsmouth Boating Center, dockage is $1.25 a ft per day which is pretty good…
Friendly folks and usually cheapest fuel in the area too…
Pascal

Effective October 15,2009, mariners are advised that the Coast Guard has removed the drawbridge operation regulations for the Jordan (S337) Bridge, at AIWW mile 2.8, across the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake VA. Since the vertical-lift span of the bridge was removed on May 6, 2009, a special operating regulation for a movable bridge is unnecessary. A copy of the Docket USCG-2009-0814 published in the Federal Register on October 15,2009, as a final rule isincluded as enclosure (1) to this notice.

I will be coming through this area of the ICW Nov. 14, I just called the number above to inquire about the restricted schedule and was told all work was complete and that they have returned to normal operations. Can anyone confirm this?
Joe

Subject: Gilmerton Bridge (mile 5.8)
Cruising News: I just contacted the bridge tender at the Gilmerton Bridge (VA, mile 5.8) about the scheduled weekend restrictions. He said all work has been completed and the Gilmerton will be opening on request this weekend.
s/v Yoohoo

VA – ATLANTIC INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY (AIWW) – SOUTH BRANCH OF THE ELIZABETH RIVER TO THE ALBERMARLE AND CHESAPEAKE CANAL
Mariners are advised that the S168 Lift Bridge (Great Bridge), at AIWW mile 12.0, across the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, at Chesapeake VA, will be closed to vessels from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2009, to accommodate the Jaycees’ Christmas Parade event. At all other times, the drawbridge will operate in accordance with the operating regulations set out in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.997(g). To avoid delays, mariners are advised to plan their trips accordingly.

I received the following query on 9/30/09:

Hi,
I think I read that the Hospital Point anchorage had been dredged, or at least was deeper now than previously. Any validity to that info?
Thanks,
Ray
m/v Crackerjack

I then contacted Captain Allan DeWall, a long time contributor to the Cruisers’ Net, who lives in the Norfolk, VA region. Captain Allan was good enough to supply the following info!

Claiborne,
I pulled up this proposal for dredging the Norfolk Harbor Channel from the U.S. Army Engineer District, Norfolk, web page (http://www.norfolkdredgingeis.com/ProjectDescription.aspx) – the added notation on the figure for the location of the Hospital Point Anchorage.
I then called the Tidewater Marina (757-393-2525/888-390-0080) which is located on the south side of the anchorage and asked about any dredging. The woman answering told me that no dredging has occurred in the Hospital Point Anchorage and she was not aware of any plans to do so.
Hope this helps!
Allan DeWall
S/V Cat Rageous

Captain Allan went on to say, in a telephone conversation, that he anchors in these waters all the time with his 4-foot draft, and does not encounter any difficulty. However, he also allowed that a vessel with a 6-foot draft might be a different matter entirely.

We anchored at Hospital Point on 9-24-09 and found 6.5′ at low tide at a locaton well away from the red channel marker. A very comfortable spot.
Earl Goodwin
S/V GETAWAY

I just spoke with friends who passed through the Norfolk/Portsmouth area earlier this summer. They were able to anchor off Hospital Point (waiting for lat/long) despite drawing almost 7′. It’s my understanding that, in fact, they still had 2′ under the keel. We’ll be in the area in a few days and will report first hand on how we fare with 6′ of draft.
Rick Emerson

There is deep water closer to the point and, no surprise, closer to the channel. We could have anchored in anything from 10′ to more than 20′ with no difficulty. We opted to spend the night at Waterside, based on the forecast strong winds from the NE.
Rick Emerson

Subject: Transient Dockage
Cruising News: Transient dockage available at 4 Norfolk marinas – Bay Point, Little Creek, Vinings Landing & Willoughby Harbor Mairnas. $2/ft/night – 25% off Boat US, Sea Tow or Marina Life membership card. Weekly & Monthly rates also available. Visit littlecreekmarina.com / viningslanding.com / willoughbyharbormarina.com for more info. Airport, rental cars, grocery, restaurants and more are all within 10 mins from marinas at the most.

Little Creek & Bay Point Marinas – 757.362.3600
Vinings Landing Marina – 757.587.8000
Willoughby Harbor Marina – 757.583.4130

If you stay with us for a day or a month you can received $1.00/ft/night at Skull Creek Marina (Hilton Head, SC) and receive access to the local country club, restaurant, pool & more. Ask for more details when you stay with us in Norfolk…
We look forward to seeing you whether your vessel is 20′ or 100′.
Brian