Day 91: Mile Zero of the ICW to The Great Dismal Swamp Canal – 12/10/12

We wake up to a beautiful sunny day – cold, naturally, but with a brilliant blue sky – and of course, the inevitable hangovers all around although they are not as bad as we deserve!

We set off down the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, past the huge naval base and past Portsmouth.  As we motor, more and more boats are added to the line of vessels heading south for the winter – snowbirds – as we are called apparently.  The are all different; tatty little things that hopefully never go out on the ocean, large, flashy power boats and lots of catamarans.

It’s all going on along the river, something new to look at every few minutes, not all of it pretty, but interesting all the same.

Photo:  Heavy industry all around

Photo:  In the navy …

We go under many bridges, lifting railway bridges, opening bascule bridges and fixed bridges with early morning traffic flowing across them.  We pass under the first of the many 65 foot bridges.  Looking up while we are under it looks close but our VHF antennae glides through without touching.  After ten miles we turn right into the Dismal Swamp Canal, Mike almost missing the turn because he was turning around showing Bob how much room Silver Moon had left above her as she went under the next fixed bridge.

Photo:  Bridges, bridges, bridges

Photo:  More bridges

Photo:  Made it under that one!

Photo:  Entering the Great Dismal Swamp Canal

Photo:  Into the countryside

Immediately we are into countryside leaving the hustle and bustle of Industrial Virginia behind us.  We motor parallel to a minor road for a couple of miles, going through small villages flying their Confederate flags.  We are in the South now and it is beginning to show!  We arrive at the first of the two locks, the Great Lock, with 40 minutes to spare before the lock opens.  Putting down the anchor we wait for Silver Moon to arrive at lock and when they do they tie on to us and we all sit back and wait.

Photos:  Silver Moon tied on to Jeannius awaiting the opening of the lock

Gradually another six boats have gathered just outside the lock and right on time the lock master calls over the VHF and invites us in, the first four of us tying up down the starboard side and the last four on the port side.  We pass him up our lines and he loops them back to us.

  Photos:  In the Deep Creek Lock

Photo:  Robert the lock keeper (and bridge operator)

Robert has been doing this job for over 30 years and tells me that the alligators are gradually pushing their way north (I ask him about this as the Royal Army Corp of Engineers’ plaque on top of the lock has an alligator on it).  He himself has seen a couple of ‘gators in the Dismal Swamp.  I’m definitely not going swimming.

When all 8 boats are in he closes the gates and starts to let the water in.  Operating the flow very gradually we are gently brought up 8 feet and we take in the slack on the lines as we rise, keeping them taut so as not to let the boats swing in the slightly turbulent water – a bit like the Panama Canal but on kiddie scale!  I am amazed (and horrified) at the short, feeble lines most of the boats have with them.

When the water it up to the right level, we release our lines and motor out.  Immediately the last boat is out Robert closes the gates and jumps in his car to drive to the next bridge along the canal as he lock operator is also the bridge keeper.  The boats all slow down to wait for him and we can see him tearing along to get there before us all.  He stops the traffic, lifts the bridge and the little line of boat ducks are free to continue their journey.

Photo:  The traffic stops and the bridge lifts for us to pass

  Photo:  Jeannius on her way through the canal

As we go further along the side of the Dismal Swamp, the terrain becomes, well, more swamp-like really.  First we get increasingly brown water (tannic acid apparently) then lily ponds and trees hanging overhead threatening to get caught up with the mast and stays.  Occasionally a brush with overhanging bushes and trees leaves the decks littered with bits of twigs and leaves as the autumn in really coming into play and the leaves drop almost as you look at them.  We glimpse the occasional terrapin along the way, sunning themselves on rocks and tree stumps.  Apart from the noise of our engines, it is beautifully quiet and pretty.  The Dismal Swamp today, is anything but dismal.  In the bright sunshine it is exceedingly pretty and in this beautiful canal we pass through into North Carolina.

Photos:  Lily ponds and serenity in the Great Dismal Swamp Canal

Photo:  Tannic acid turns the water (and your boat) brown

Photo:  Mike laid back and happy, steering with his feet

We are the third boat to arrive at the Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre where there is a 190 foot dock that is free to tie to for the night on a first come, first served basis.  We glide onto the dock and are helped to tie up by the boat just arrived in front of us.  Silver Moon rafts up alongside the monohull in front – if they rafted to us we would all but block the canal!

Over the next few hours, eight boats are rafted together on the dock, all very cosy and companionable except for one boat which eventually manages to pull in behind us after a terrifying attempt to pull in where we are convinced he is going to slam into us.  I’m not saying that I could do any better but then I’m not the captain of a boat!

Photos:  Rafted up for the night

We go for a walk along the canal – we see terrapins sunning themselves on the banks, somewhat larger than the ones I used to have.  Luckily there are no alligators – yet!

Photo:  Terrapins resting in the sunshine

Photo:  According to the navigation software, we are land-locked!

I make crab cakes for dinner using Rosemary’s recipe and lots of Old Bay spice just like my Pasadena friends have instructed me.  I have never made them before but later when Maggie and Bob come over for dinner, the crab cakes are devoured very enthusiastically so I guess I did them right!  Our wine consumption is very much lower than that of last night but then we have an even earlier start if we want to make the first lock opening in the morning.

 

Position:  36 deg 30 min N, 76 deg 21 min W

Distance so far:  2861 miles