The Dismal Swamp

 TRAVEL DAY 41 - Elizabeth City to The Great Dismal Swamp

May 2, 2023

2.37 Hours/14.9 Miles

    We woke on Monday May 1, with the intention of getting to the Great Dismal Swamp. We did our weather check and although there was some wind it wouldn't effect us on this leg. The issue was 3 days from now when we exited the swamp. The wind was forecast to pick up and it would effect us there. Another thing to consider was that the AGLCA Rendezvous was going on and Norfolk would be inundated with Loopers. We decided to hold off one day and hopefully alleviate both issues.

Lamb's Marina

    

    On our bonus day we straightened up the boat some and prepped for tomorrows journey. We got a taxi and went back into Elizabeth City to tour the Museum of the Albemarle with the crew of Ineffable. The Uber back to the marina was crowded but we made it work. Who knew you needed to tell Uber how many passengers you have?

4 people crammed in 2 seats

   I have wanted to travel the Great Dismal Swamp Canal since I first heard about the Great Loop.  Not only is the Great Loop a lesson in coastal geography of the eastern United States, it is a lesson in History of the very beginnings of our nation, most of which began on the eastern shores of America.

Dismal Swamp Civil Engineer Landmark

    The Great Dismal Swamp was originally over 1 million acres, today it is approximately 750 acres. The hand dug canal runs along the eastern edge of the swamp and is 22 miles long. It starts just north of Elizabeth City, NC and ends south of Norfolk, VA. The canal was started in 1793 and completed in 1805 to provide a pathway of trade between the Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound. The swamp was a refuge for run away slaves (The Great Dismal Swamp Maroons) and Native Americans escaping colonial expansion, prior to that, it was inhabited by Algonquian-speaking Native American coastal tribes.

Dismal Swamp Museum & Visitor's Center

    We pulled out of our slip at 8:15 am in order to make the 11:00 am lock opening at South Mills. We traveled with the crew of Ineffable behind us. We got to the South Mills Lock, the first lock on the canal, at 20 minutes until 11:00 and with no current in the canal remained pretty stationary. We called the Lockmaster a few times and didn't receive an answer until about 11:10 am. He was very cordial and informed us they would be opening soon. I let him know we had 3 other boats with us.

South Mills Lock

    With lifejackets donned and fenders over the side, we eased into the lock and moved as far forward as possible and the Lockmaster grabbed lines from us, one from the bow, one from the stern, running it around the yellow fixed bollard at the top of the lock. We waited for the rush of water in and the 8' rise in the chamber. All that is required is to keep the line tight by pulling in as we went up but never cleating it off.

Here comes the water!

    Once out of the lock, the Lockmaster has double duty and had to drive ahead on the service road next to the canal and open the low bridge just ahead of us. We thanked him on VHF 13 and motored away down the Dismal Canal at a slow 6 mph. The canal is a no wake zone, and certainly prudent as going too fast can kick up logs from the bottom and give you or the boat behind you a good "whack". We only heard one thump when a branch or log bumped the hull.

Long straight and narrow

    We arrived at the Visitor's Center a short time later and just before, we had to call them to open the pedestrian bridge that spans to the other side and the museum & welcome center across the canal. We eased up to the free dock. The dock is somewhat short and required the last 2 boats to "raft" together, a pretty common technique.

Free Dock at the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center

    Once we were secured, we hopped off the boat and walked to the visitor's center. We had 24 hour access to the restrooms. We then went across the pedestrian bridge to the Museum & Welcome Center. There is a lot of interesting information about the swamp and over 20 miles of walking trails.

Walking Trails

    Back on the dock we chatted with the Ineffable crew and made plans for a small shared meal. Then at the usual "Loopers Midnight" we crashed for a very good, sleep. No current or tide in the canal means the boat stays very still.

Lamb's to Dismal Swamp Welcome Center

TRAVEL DAY 42 - The Great Dismal Swamp

May 3, 2023

2.73 Hours/16.7 Miles

    The next day was chilly and we took our time getting ready. We had a relatively short ride through more of the coffee colored water to the next lock and the end of our Dismal Swamp Canal Adventure.

Dismal Sunrise

    We pulled away from the dock with a few other boats behind us and made our way to the Deep Creek Lock and a dock before the bridge.  About 2 miles into this portion we passed into Virginia, our 5th state on this adventure and closer to the Chesapeake Bay,

Virginia is for Loopers

The Crew of Pau Hana

    Once to the Deep Creek Bridge, we tied up to the free dock and walked to a nearby shopping center. We ordered some pizza to go and reprovisioned at a Food Lion grocery, then back to the boat just in time for the bridge opening and our transit to the final dock and lock.

Deep Creek Lock Dock

    In a slight drizzle, we pulled up to the free dock for the night. These docks don't have electricity or water but are in pretty good shape and a very quiet stop. There was only one other boat there when we arrived and the other 5 boats ahead of us proceeded through the lock. If there is not enough room for all of the boats that stop, they are rafted together. 

Dismal Swamp Canal to Deep Creek Lock