Our tour started at 2pm on a beautiful Norfolk autumn day. After getting our tickets from the Nauticus, we boarded Victory Rover. The weather was beautiful, but when the boat started cruising in the Elizabeth River, the chilly wind was felt as we were sitting on the deck. As the sun warmed our faces, we first traveled towards the Portsmouth Bridge. Our guide informed us about some of the buildings visible in Waterside district of Norfolk. Later, the boat made a U-turn and we were able to see downtown Portsmouth. One of the most interesting things to see was the ships in dry docks. Seeing huge ships being repaired was not a common scene for most of the tourists.
As our boat gently cruised towards the Norfolk Navy Base, we passed docks, houses, and my university - Old Dominion University. When we approached the base, everyone got excited. Here we were able to see docked destroyers, nuclear-powered submarines, guided missile cruisers, frigates, and most amazingly aircraft carriers. The huge size and the cost of these aircraft carriers made most of sigh in awe. We were informed that there were sharp shooters positioned to shoot anyone that crosses an orange line in the river. This made me feel a little bit uneasy. For the navy crews, it was an ordinary day, but for us, it was an opportunity to see the Atlantic fleet. Some of these ships were involved in the Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In order to get a good look at the fleet and other attractions, sit on the right side of the paddleboat. You can get a discount on admission to Nauticus if you show your ticket for the tour. For me and my husband's parents, this was a very exciting way to spend the afternoon.