May 23, 2010 to June 1st, 2010 - Portsmouth, Viriginia

I have not blogged in a while due to our circumstances. On May 23rd, Sunday, we crawled into Portsmouth, Virginia, after our exit from the Dismal Swamps knowing our bilges were working overtime. After this suspicious activity, Joey investigated to find the lift pulling off of the back of the boat, therefore leaving some gaping holes in our transom. Scarey the thought of sinking, especially with our dinghy/LIFEBOAT strapped to the apparatus that was going to sink first. It was pouring rain and very windy on this Sunday. We happened upon Ocean Marina on our port side and decided that this was our first marina we came upon and needed to stop.
We have been in Portsmouth ever since. The marina hauled our boat and it has been up on blocks in the yard since then. It has taken a week to get the company we bought the lift from to take responsibility for the installation and begin the process of working with the marina we're at, in a joint venture of fixing the boat and fixing it RIGHT!
Joey and I have had plenty of time to tour this town and celebrate Memorial Day at this very historic port. We visited every museum, ate at every diner and bistro and yes we even saw the Memorial Day Parade here. I must say it is a lovely city with very friendly people.
This past Memorial Day Weekend, the entire hotel was filled with Indian families here to celebrate a huge and I mean huge Wedding here at the hotel. The hallways were filled with curry and safron flavors as young girls and men were adorned in their Indian Cultural attire. Everyone was very nice, but it made catching an elevator a delayed event.
I have enclosed pictures of Portsmouth, which is directly across the harbour from Norfolk. The information at one of the museum's said this is the largest natural harbour in the world where we are staying. I've never seen so many giant ships.
Our hotel is nice and the staff are so friendly, but I'm so ready to begin our journey again on Rhojo. I miss the boat!!! Hopefully it will be fixed soon.
Happy to be on our way - sooooooooooon!!!