Dismal Swamp, North Carolina

Most of our dock mates leave fairly early. The ICW officially starts about 15 miles south of Hampton in Norfork, with a choice of two ways south for the first two days of travel before they rejoin on the Alligator River; The Dismal Swamp or the Virginia Cut. We have been taking the Dismal Swamp route southbound and the Virginia Cut northbound, in the Spring. Most prefer the Virginia Cut, because of the shallow Dismal Swamp, 6 feet minimum and occasional bumping of submerged logs. Not a big deal with a sail boat keel, not something you would want to do with exposed props. In the Dismal Swamp you do have to pay attention to overhanging tree branches and floating debris.

Since we plan on arriving at the north lock, to lock up to the Dismal Swamp at the scheduled 1:30 PM Lock-up, we have plenty of time to travel the 23 miles to get there. As we are passing by Battleship Row in Norfolk our old friend Warship “80” is backing out of her slip, pushed by a tugboat. 

First Ships in the Norfolk line up

Our old Buddy Boat, Warship "80"

We try to keep our distance to avoid any calls on the VHF. Once we pass her we have to dodge a couple northbound barges. Since we have time to spare we turn into Tidewater Marina for a pumpout. We tie up to the first dock we see with fuel pumps, but quickly discover we are at the wrong dock. The dock with the pump out is down a long narrow fairway so we head back out onto the River and pull in to Ocean Marine a little further south. We tie up and have to go looking for a dock person since no one is monitoring the VHF radio. After farting around with “Mutt and Jeff” they determine the pump is not working, something that was quite obvious from the beginning. I have learned not to get fuel first from many past experiences of fueling up and then finding the pumpout does not work. It turns out that Tidewater Marina back to the north, that we just left is their sister marina and they tell us we have to go back there (Expletives Deleted).

Gilmerton Highway lift Bridge

So back north we go, doesn’t look like we will make the 1:30 pm lockup now. We pull up to the pumpout dock and don’t bother with topping off the fuel. We have plenty and I don’t want to waste the time. They do not charge us for the pumpout. We pickup our cruising speed trying to catch the sailboat in front of us heading to the Gilmerton Lift Highway bridge a few miles south. 




The bridge opens on demand, but they will make you wait nearly and hour if it just opened. Fortunately the rail road bridge just to the south which is normally open have been down for a train passing, So the boat ahead of us had to wait the the railroad bridge to clear, before the Gilmerton would open. Perfect for us, we do not have to slow down at all and follow the other two sailboats through the bridge. Boat one heads south to the Virginia Cut and boat two, turns west ahead of us to the Dismal Swamp, Deep Creek Lock. We are the only boats going to the lock so it waits for us.

These locks are not a sophisticated as the 100+ year old Champlain Canal locks and the water pours in rather violently. The boat in front of us looks like they are shooting the rapids. I find out later the usual lock operator is on vacation, which might explain the wild ride we have not had here before. 

 

Riding the Rapids

The Draw Bridge immediately after the Lock

One turn in 26 miles on the Dismal Swamp

Once through the lock we cruise slowly because the lock operator gets in his truck and drives ahead to open the draw bridge ahead to let us pass into the Dismal Swamp. We go straight for the next 12 miles, which means the drawbridge behind us disappears over the horizon as we distance ourselves from it. At mile 12 we make a slight left turn the only one on the Dismal Swamp, then its another 10 miles to the Deep Creek lock and back down to the Pasquotank River to Elizabeth City. 
 

The tea colored water of the Dismal Swamp caused by the tannin from the tree roots.

The brown tannin in the water of the Dismal Swamp and other sections like the Alligator-Pungo Rivers often create a bow stain on ICW boats, called the "ICW Moustache"


We stop at the Visitors Center Dock in another 5 miles and tie up for overnight and do the Deep Lock at 8:30am in the morning. 

 

Dismal Swamp Visitors Center

At one point I dodge a floating log and forget to look up and run the mast into some overhanging branches. I expect to see our new wind gauge bouncing off our deck with the other twigs and branches raining down. Fortunately our lightning rod protects our instruments and wind vanes, but our boat is now rather messy with the organic fallout. A little while later after my Keenes are starting to stick the the cockpit floor I look down and see the floor turning purple (Expletives Deleted). Turns out I snagged a grape vine sending a bunch of ripe grapes raining down on our deck. Fortunately they do not stain, but Linda gets stuck with the clean up on aisle one.

We have a quiet night at the Visitors Center, with only 4 boats, rather cool by morning, 42 degrees. Sure miss plugging in for heat. Last time through we were rafted 3 boats out and I have heard boats have been rafted across the canal. The Dismal swamp was closed for over a year after Hurricane Matthew. The prior traffic has not return since reopening.