History and fiction

Portsmouth edition

When we were passing up that last stretch of the ICW approaching Norfolk, we entered into this area of shipyards where all these US Navy ships are in for rebuilds or refits. I took this photo and then showed it to Wayne saying, “Möbius will be right at home here among her bigger siblings.”

There have been shipyards here in this area since the early colonists settled this region. You can see why it was so appealing to the settlers as what we now call Hampton Roads is a protected sound off the Chesapeake Bay created by confluence of three rivers, the Elizabeth, the Nansemond and the James Rivers.

This 1898 map created by the United States War Department identifies the area as the place where the famous Civil War Battle of the Ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimack occurred. Portsmouth is visible at the bottom.

Back in those early days, the easiest method of transport for the early colonists was by water, and this area with all the timber and waterways developed a shipbuilding industry early on that continues today. It makes it rather appropriate for us to have chosen this place as our summer home.

Our view from the Portsmouth side of the Elizabeth River looking across at the city of Norfolk

We are currently doing our own mini-refit to Möbius (mostly Wayne is doing it as I am writing) here at Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, Virginia. For the past month or so, the major project has been replacing our 24 Firefly batteries with 12 Victron AGM Super Cycle batteries. We were lucky to get my son, Tim, who is an electrician to come help out for several days last week.

I have been thrilled to let the guys do the work and to be free to do my own work. However, writing involves so much sitting that I make sure to get out as often as possible to get my steps in. Lucky for me, here in Portsmouth, there is the Olde Towne, a several block area of homes built in the 1700’s and 1800’s. I grew up in California and also lived in Florida; both places don’t have many buildings that are older than the early 1900’s other than the California missions and St. Augustine, Florida, so I’m really enjoying seeing these homes built centuries ago that are still being lived in.

Both the town of Portsmouth and the local homeowners have done an excellent job of putting signs up to tell folks about this history.

Just a few steps outside the marina is this home of a former shipbuilder

The street sign hanging from the lovely old street lamp tells us that the house above was built circa 1820, and the plaque on the side of the house gives some background about the shipbuilder who built some of the last sailing ships and first steamers in the US Navy.

Several homes have large signs on the street to explain some of the more famous characters who once were entertained inside.

This is my favorite house. I like to imagine stories about who might live in that cool downstairs apartment. A witch perhaps?

Some of the homes have elaborate, ornate architecture while the older homes tend to be relatively simple reflecting the Puritan outlook.

But while the homes might be old, they most definitely have 21st century residents living in them.

Another thing that surprises me about the South in general and Portsmouth in particular is the number of beautiful old churches. In 1840, Portsmouth only had a population of about 6,500 people, so for such a small city, it has quite the array of churches. Unfortunately, they are difficult to photograph with the cars on the narrow streets, the street signs and the utility wires.

One of the oldest churches in town is the Court Street Baptist Church. It also survived better than some of the others because they started out building with bricks instead of wood.

This Catholic Church is, if I am reading this correctly, the fifth version of the church, as they had to expand early on and two others burned.

The Episcopal Church below has a lovely adjoining garden.

But what I liked best was the tiny library just outside.

Nautical Fiction

I am really enjoying getting back into my writing persona, and I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts on that with my readers. I’ve always had a difficult time describing the genre or category that my books would fit in to. In the last couple of years, some like-minded authors have organized a group called Tropical Authors, and I have joined them. They put out a newsletter a couple of times a month with news of freebies, new releases, and audiobooks from this selection of writers who mostly write mysteries and thrillers set on and around the water. If interested, you can sign up here: Tropical Authors.

When I was younger, I longed to find good adventure thriller books that were set on and around the water and were written by authors that REALLY knew boats. I simply loathe being thrown out of a scene by an author who tries to write about boats and the sea, but makes mistakes that make me groan and want to throw the book at a wall.

The first writer I discovered who did a fantastic job with his boating scenes was Sam Llewellyn from the UK. Most of his novels were written back in the 70’s and I read them as paperbacks, but he has reissued them as ebooks. I have been rereading some of them, and they hold up very well. Recently, he has released a few new ones, and I am thrilled that he is writing fiction again. If you’re a reader with salt water in your veins, I suggest you give him a try. You could start with Blood Knot or Death Roll, but really, they are all great.

If you have a favorite author of nautical fiction, please share by leaving a comment.

And finally, on the subject of nautical fiction or whatever you choose to call it, the first book in my Seychelle series, Surface Tension, is being offered as a free ebook on Amazon from today through Tuesday, August 22. If interested, you can click here: Surface Tension.

Fair winds!

Christine

Note: Any links to Amazon I include in are affiliate links for which I would earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase.