On Tuesday I took the boat from JordanPoint down to Newport News and then on to Portsmouth. I wanted to check the waterfront and take a look at Craney Island. I had not been down by water since before Christmas. It never ceases to amaze me how much activity takes place in that area--shipbuilding, ship repair, coal loading, container ships, dredge material storage, military operations, commercial fishing and so on. The Hampton Roads area could really use a Keeper of its own.

The weather Tuesday was extraordinary! Cool in the morning but warmed up nicely during the day and best of all, no wind! This was one of the few trips I have made recently where the water was glassy calm. It's nice not to get beat up when making those long runs. It is about a three hour run to the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel from Jordan Point. Rough water can make for tough going in a small boat like mine.

On the way down I stopped at Kingsmill to meet a friend and was happy to spot a pair of ospreys. These were the first I have seen this year. I also saw two large flocks of swans heading north. This made me realize that spring is just around the corner. Don't know about you, but I'm ready!