Dismal Swamp

Wednesday

The wind and waves kept up most of the night, but died down around sunrise.  We needed to wait for an  8:30am bridge opening but soon after breakfast the winds started to pick up again.  So we left our slip from hell and stayed just off the docks while Mary finished up on the internet.

We made it through the Elizabeth City Bridge opening at 8:30 along with Raydiance and a sail boat, we were on our way up to the Dismal Swamp.  This channel was first proposed by Colonel William Byrd in 1728, he had found the place repulsive and is said to be responsible for the addition of “Dismal” to the name.  The canal was not completed until 1805.  It is under the management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We passed through the first of two locks today. We have not been in a lock for many months.  Can’t say that we have missed them.  The Visitors Center has a 150 foot face dock for boaters to tie up to, so that is what we did, rafted next to Raydiance and there were three other boats there as well.  We visited the Visitors Center and just as we were about to start a hike into the woods it began to rain.  We will spend the night here and leave in the am for Chesapeake, VA.

Raydiance going going through the bridge.

Grandma had to take a picture of the crane for the boys.

Coffee colored water.

One of the old mile markers.

Thursday

All of the boats got a good rinsing with the rain yesterday and over night.  We left around 7 am and headed to a spot along the Dismal Swamp that we had read about where you put your dingy on a small trailer that raises over a small hill and launches it in Drummond Lake. It was quiet a long dingy ride and by the time we got the dingy across and out in Lake Drummond we experienced a 2 foot chop, so we just stuck our nose out and came back to repeat the process.  By the way the clutz (that would be me) fell and banged up his shin pretty during the process.  We then proceeded to the last bridge and lock on the Dismal Swamp.  

Only four more states and another country and we are home.

Even though it was straight as an arrow it was quite beautiful.

The dinghy lookout.

It was much rougher than the picture shows.

The Dismal Swamp was not dismal at all, actually a nice little trip.  We agree with the sign and would highly recomend it.  

We had decided to stay at Top Deck Marina where they had a dock and dine offer.  Which is free dockage if you dine at their restaurant.  We dined with Ginny and Craig who had taken the Virginia Cut and enjoyed both the company and the dinner.  

John & Mary