True, they did not see the giant aircraft carrier under construction at the major shipbuilding yard in Newport News. (We must get one of these for the king!).
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| The U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier and supposedly the most expensive military equipment ever built. It will reportedly have "a new electromagnetic aircraft launch system" and other amazing innovations. Under construction since 2005, it was moved to the water two weeks ago and will be christened on November 9. It is not due for commission till 2016. |
Nope, they did not pass the lonely but stately posse of decommissioned Navy warships parked along the riverbanks. (U-turn! The Spanish armada is much bigger than we thought!)
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| The James River Reserve Fleet, known as "the mothball fleet". Need scrap metal anyone? |
Yes, they definitely had much taller old growth forests through which they peered thinking about their new neighbors. (Wonder if we can borrow their lawnmower to clear some land for a fort?)
So why did they leave England to sit in stinky, crowded boats on a dangerous ocean crossing for four months? The 105 men and boys and 39 crew members had many reasons. A desire to get rich, a need for adventure ("I think you and dad would have gone," says Phoenix), a drive to colonize.
The mandates of the mission were "God, Glory and Gold". They were to spread England's Protestant religion, stake England's place in the New World with a settlement, find natural resources for profit making and find a northwest passage to the Orient and its treasures. Motivation was fueled by wanting to do this before the Spanish, Dutch or French did so.
The settlers were directed to find a place to settle that was 100 miles upriver, far enough inland to shelter them from immediate attack from the Spanish. The settlement should also be on a northwest orientation in hopes of finding the elusive Northwest Passage.
Thus, they found themselves on the river we sailed up today. We imagined them looking at these same waters and shores, feeling the sun and wind on their cheeks. We thought of their relief at ending their harsh ocean crossing, their excitement at finding the place of their new home, and their anticipation of all that lay ahead.
I hope that their day was as beautiful as ours. I wonder if they said, "We are here!"
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| Approaching the site of the Jamestown settlement up ahead on the starboard side |
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| Post-sail outside playtime! |
WHERE WE STARTED: The Hampton Public Pier, Hampton River
WHERE WE ARE: A peaceful anchorage across the river from Jamestown, off the shores of the Chippokes Plantation State Park, a working farm plantation since 1619. This state park has a museum, a mansion, and gardens to tour. There are also cottages and a campground for overnight visitors along with a pool and trails to bike, hike and ride horseback.
THERE TO HERE: 34 miles, around 6 hours. Great sailing mostly across the wind with SW winds averaging in the mid-teens and gusting to the 20s. We were flying even when just the jib was up. Jamey at the helm.
HOMESCHOOLING: There is a wealth of Jamestown curriculum material online on the Jamestown Settlement's site, historyisfun.org and on the National Park Service's Historic Jamestowne site, www.nps.gov/jame/index.htm. We explored why the settlers would have wanted to leave for the New World, how they decided which route to take and where to head, and who the Powhatan Indians were. There is a great online book at www.heritage-history.com called Richard of Jamestown by James Otis that follows the journey of the ten year old Jamestown settler.
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| A sunset dance performance |
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