May finds us in Norfolk, VA. On our way, we visited Beaufort, NC where we saw some of the wild horses of the Shackleford Banks and enjoyed this quaint, waterside town. Next we proceeded up the Neuse River where we spotted a large pod of dolphins playing and several Rays swimming just below the surface.

Our destination was a beautifully planned community on Broad Creek called River Dunes. It is a beautiful area where we experienced gorgeous weather. We stayed two days riding our bikes and exploring the area. Did I mention they had steam showers?

Continuing North on the Pamlico River and crossing the Albemarle Sound, the weather cooled and the wind picked up. It had the feel of early spring here as the trees were just leafing out wearing their bright green colors. This is a very pretty, still unsettled area. As we got closer to Norfolk, we encountered several low bridges, the most notable being Great Bridge. Great Bridge and Great Bridge Lock, our first lock of this trip, work in tandem so that when one passes through the open bridge, the lock is open and waiting for the boats to enter and tie up.





We arrived at Waterside Marina in Norfolk on May 1 and have enjoyed our stay here. A highlight was seeing our friends Dave and Rita Park. We plan to depart in the morning for Yorktown and begin our exploration or the Chesapeake Bay.