A fine morning on the water for the OpSail 2012 Parade of Sail. Underway just after 0800 in overcast skies and 10 kt winds from south. Cruised the southern edge of Thimble Shoals channel from Ft Wool to the Naval Base for three hours enjoying the outbound Naval vessels and Tall Ships. Action started slow with the "Gloria" from Columbia and the Brazilian "Cisne Branco". Then finally just before turning for the barn, they began to roll up the channel "Pride of Baltimore", "Virginia","Godspeed", "Cuauhtemoc" (complete with singing foredeck crew), "Guayas", "Esmeralda" and finally the "Kalmar Nyckel". Not to mention a slew of US,Canadian warships as well as the RFAS Argosy. All and all a beautiful show that really impressed the mates. Pulled sail back to main only and the R&B stabilized for a smooth ride. Best sailing experience this year.

A wonderful morning spent cruising around Thimble Shoals channel nimbly dodging merchants, tugs, and a frigate. Underway at 7:50, raised sail around 08:00 in westerly 7 kt winds and sunny skies. Watched the brand new Polaris J head outbound for Savannah filled with containers. After morning rations of tea and bacon sandwiches, ended up on north side of channel south of Hampton Bar steering to clear the path on an incoming warship from the east. Discussion among the captains noted a color and configuration that weren't of local origin. The frigate continued and launched a rigid hull which sped right toward the R&B. This prompted recognition of a mooring buoy to the west, and, realizing that our 25 foot sloop stood between the frigate and its destination we briskly headed south. As the security crew on speedboat discharged some anchormen onto the mooring, HMCS Ville de Quebec (FFH 332) breezed past looking somewhat stodgy but workmanlike in the morning sun. Under the NATO ensign, R&B crew felt obliged to provide an assessment of armament (raisonable), sensors (hmmm), air capability (small hanger), and prospects for liberty in OPSAIL 2012 (oh-no) and overall savoir faire (eh?). After a few circumnavigations and a wave to the VDQ crew, drifted homeward with a jibe here and they to avoid traffic (including the Great Navigator-Hong Kong). Gold captain handled most of the sail stowage and we arrived back at the slip around 11:10 just ahead of the VDQ's liberty boat.