Dismal Swamp

We came close to missing this gem.  We had planned on taking the Virginia Cut but at the last minute decided to take the Dismal Swamp after discussing the routes with Linda and Mehlon on Just Ducky.  They had already traversed the canal and strongly recommended we experience the waterway.  This is a beautiful 22 mile stretch of canal with a controlling depth of 6 feet.  It is narrow and dripping with overhanging trees.  Watch your mast, ours went through the branches and came away with a few hanging at the top after trying to dodge some flotsam in the middle of the channel.  No damage was done but we certainly started paying more attention to what was above as well as below.    

That is Just Ducky ahead of us 

The Dismal Swamp Canal was hand dug by hired enslaved labor and opened to navigation in 1805.  This canal allowed trade between the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina.  The brownish colored water in the canal is preserved by tannic acids from the bark of the juniper, gum, and cypress trees which prohibits the growth of bacteria.  Before refrigeration, water from the swamp was considered a highly prized commodity on sailing ships, put in kegs it would stay fresh for a long time.

Waiting out the weather we were there for 3 days at the free dock which is about 4 miles north of the South Mills Lock.  The lock opens at 0830, 1100, 1330, and 1530.  You will come to a pontoon bridge operated by the State Park just before the Welcome Center docks.  The bridge tender usually watches for boat traffic and will be opening the bridge as you are transiting the lock, if not call on VHF Channel 13.  Just Ducky and our boat went through relatively late at 1:00 which meant we were the last two boats at the free dock.  There is only room for 3-4 boats across the face dock so boaters will raft.  We had seven boats rafted that first day and six the next.  Comments on Active Captain report up to 17 boats rafted at the dock.  Be prepared😊

We are the pickle in the middle 🥒

From the left

Chris, Wes, Linda, Mehlon and Diane

The welcome center is also a rest stop for road traffic and it was a strange feeling as our two worlds converged with just the waterway and a highway amongst all this beauty. 

At the final lock you will meet Robert, a memorable character, who regaled us with conch playing, history, and stories of people passing through.  Apparently Robert was asked not to compete in the conch playing contest in the Keys because he always won, gotta give the other guy a chance.  I could believe his story, he is the first conch player I have heard who could really use this shell as an instrument.  He could change the sound, play a series of notes and vibrato.  It was amazing listening to him.  

On to the Chesapeake Bay............................

Beaufort, North Carolina

We spent 4 days in Beaufort North Carolina at the Town Creek Marina, a family owned business.  The staff was very professional and friendly.  We had a great meal at the City Kitchen right at the marina.  

                                

We sat way down at the end overlooking the bay.

The next day we used the courtesy car to do our provisioning.  The rest of our stay was playing tourist.

For the uninitiated Beaufort is pronounced Bofort, with a long ‘o’ not to be confused with Beaufort, SC (Byufort as in ‘you’).  Beaufort is another one of those picturesque eastern seaboard places with a long history, established in 1709.  They have plenty of old houses on the historic registry to prove it.   The area originally began to grow as British ships used the port to load and unload supplies. Beaufort was once called Fishport because fishing was and still is an important industry for the area.

Beaufort was having a Wooden Boat Show which we were able to enjoy.

Flat Head Drifter

We also came at the right time for the Farmers Market.  I never seem to hit farmers markets at the right time so I was thrilled. 

                                           

Blackbeard himself came back for a day of frolic but I was disappointed not to see the fuses in his hair😊.

Blackbeard is on the left

The rest of the pirate gang

The Queen Anne's Revenge sank near Beaufort, NC believed by many to have been sunk by Blackbeard himself.  It was discovered in 1996 and many artifacts from the sunken vessel can be viewed in the North Carolina Maritime Museum.  

 That's all for today, see you next in the Dismal Swamp👀....................................

Lazy Days and the Marines

Wow, I am really behind, my only excuses are bad connections and being Lazy, yes with a capital L.  We are presently going through the Dismal Swamp but gotta stay sequential.

Traveling through South Carolina was a wonderful myriad of rivers, creeks, cuts and sounds, all part of the ACIW.  These creeks are big and deep enough to traverse and anchor in.  They are nothing like the insipid creeks I grew up with in Minnesota.  With the occasional break of a few cities, it is mostly marshes with a few areas of trees.  It feels very open and natural.  The smells were a unique blend of something tangy, sweet, salty and not quite fishy but more shrimpy, maybe even a little alligator.  What do alligators smell like?  I guess I really don’t know.   It was a comfortable feeling and all I really wanted to do was lay back and run my fingers through the water, if I could have reached that far.  Hmmm, I wonder about those alligators, maybe not!  Here are some pictures that hopefully inspire you on a nice warm day on the water somewhere quiet.

On April 30 we pulled into Mile Hammock Bay and dropped anchor.  This bay is on Camp Le Jeune so we were unable to go ashore.  We did have an interesting day watching the helicopters go through their maneuvers.  They flew low, were loud and awe inspiring to watch.  We spent two nights in the bay and although we couldn’t get off the boat we didn’t lack for entertainment. 

                                 


                                       

Surprise!

Nah, it didn't really happen but we wouldn't have been surprised if a marine had popped up next to our boat.

Love the boating life..........................