Always Fleet Week

That’s true along the Elizabeth River in Virgina.  Naval Station Norfolk always has a formidable array, like

LPD-24 USS Arlington,

T-ARC-7 USNS Zeus,

T-AKE-13 USNS Medgar Evers,

T-ESB-3 USNS Lewis B. Puller,

lots of patrols and a fence,

T-AKR-5063 USNS SS Cape May,

and its complement of barges.  Here’s more of a description.

 

Then, there’s the R class.

 

 

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who suggests taking a tour if you’re in the area.

 

Ports of the lower Chesapeake

This is GHP&W 9, and since this unexpected trip to new ports has materialized, here we are.  Passing through Thimble Shoals Channel looking toward the Delmarva peninsula . . . it’s hard to capture the expanse of this bridge/tunnel.  But once inside, vessels to behold through the sudden rain include

a noisy LCAC,

a historically-named fishing boat,

a Stiletto,

and a landing craft.  Is that a pelican-shaped drone flying escort?

Although we passed through Hampton Roads, the rain grayed out any sign of shore, where I’d been ashore four years ago.  Gold Coast was pushing a covered barge with

seagull lookouts.

Spring Scenery left a lot to the imagination.

But the fleet lining the Norfolk shore was fabulous starting with USNS Lewis B Puller,

possibly about to get a push from Tracy Moran, and

USNS Supply,

and Robert E. Perry.

And much more, but for this post, we stop here.  All photos here by Will Van Dorp.