Dismal Swamp

We get up early, but don't leave before 8:00 AM.

Aircraft Carriers entering Norfolk

We get up early, but don't leave before 8:00 AM. There is no rush because the Beltline Railroad Bridge between Norfolk and Plymouth is being worked on for the next two weeks. Normally railroad bridges stay up until a train actually needs to use it. This bridge is undergoing some maintenance like replacing railroad ties, so they must keep it lowered during the day. They only open at 9:00, 12:00 and 3:00 during daylight hours. We are planning on the 12:00 opening, so we can make the 1:30 lock to the Dismal Swamp. 4 miles south of the Beltline is an “open on demand” highway bridge and an adjacent railroad bridge. When we arrive at the Highway bridge the boats that raced ahead from the Beltline opening are waiting for the railroad bridge that was down for a train. By the time we all get through we have to go full tilt to make the 1:30PM lock. Fortunately, all the other boats are taking the Virginia Cut and not the Dismal Swamp route for their trip south, so it is just us heading for the lock.

Deep Creek Lock to the Dismal Swamp

We get to the lock and there is just one trawler waiting for the lock and we both quickly enter. The Dismal Swamp has two locks one up and one down. They both have draw bridges within ½ mile of the lock which the lock operators also run. Once you go through one, the operator hops into their car and drives to the other, to operate the second immediate road block to our travels.

 

 

 

 

Time lapse video of the Deep Creek Lock

click below

https://vimeo.com/143761559

Tea colored bow wake from the tannin in the water

The Dismal Swamp is about 24 miles long, straight, with one bend in the middle. Boats disappear over the horizon, not around corners.

We arrive at the Dismal Swamp Visitor Center around 5:00 PM. We are the last boat to arrive, number nine. Three boats are tied to the dock and the rest are rafted three deep. After five o'clock the visitor center is closed, so we don't even bother getting off the boat. They are doing some construction and the 24 hour bathrooms are closed, just Porto-lets.

Raft up at the Visitor's Center