Day 16 – April 24,2023 – San Diego

Arrived 0530 a couple of miles off Coronado Island. The first thing I saw outside was the Pilot boat pulling away from the ship meaning we’re on our way into San Diego.

We cruised slowly past Point Loma and NAS Coronado and straight into our pier in downtown, two piers away from the USS Midway CV-41. The first line across was at 0630. The entire ship will be searched since we are coming from Mexican ports, I suspect. The process will take approximately 3 hours.

We passed the test with the Border Guards & Immigration and were released to roam freely about San Diego and that’s what we did. But, we had a destination in mind. The nearest US Post Office. The closest we could find with Google Maps was .7 miles away. Looking each other in the eye, we made a solemn promise to give it a try walking.

The ship was tethered to the B Street Pier, just a block north of the Broadway Pier. Diane made it about half way to the post office before it became necessary for her to sit and rest, so I trundled on by myself to mail the cards. It was very hot and muggy out. I went back and gathered her up and we began the walk back to the ship. Getting a cab was an option, but Diane wanted to walk so we just mosied along, very slowly which suited me just fine.

We got to the ship right about lunch time, ate, then retired to our cabin and took a nap until dinner. Diane really needed it and slept well. I guess I did, too.

According to my very reliable technological gizmos, I’d walked over 5 miles, before noon. That’s a first for me. Diane did over 3. You wouldn’t have thought we would walk that far when the PO was only .7 miles away. But, that’s what my Fitbit reported and I trust it implicitly.

There were three aircraft carriers in port at Coronado Island, all being worked on for one reason or another: USS Carl Vinson CVN-70, USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76, USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-76, CVN-72.

The ship pulled out of San Diego while we were napping so we missed the sail away past Point Loma. That was OK as that’s a trip I’ve taken many times in my past life in the Navy.

The seas are noticeably more active.

Next stop is Victoria Island B.C.