"2000, November 8 ICW - the Dismal Swamp First Trip" Dismal Swamp State Park Travelogue by grandmaR

Boats leaving the raft-up

Nov. 8 2000: S.M. 28.0 NC Welcome Station. There were at least 10 boats here, all rafted together. One was a big catamaran where we all shared pre dinner snacks. Last night I did the route to Elizabeth City, but didn't do the mileage. We know it anyway as it is marked on the charts. Also the river twists and turns so much that I'd have to convert from yards to miles, or else from meters to kilometers to miles. The ICW charts are marked in statute miles instead of nautical miles (nautical miles are longer), so I've switched one GPS and the charting program to statute miles and mph (from nautical miles and knots). I woke up about 5 and wrote up the Nov 6th and 7th journal. Bob got up about 6 intending to leave soon. I wanted to wait until the Visitor's Center opened and I hadn't quite finished writing the two days up. Fred and Sharon left, the singlehander in the Westsail (named BITTERSWEET) left (he has a date with a girlfriend somewhere in GA and is anxious to get there),

Canal to Rt 17 Bridge

and the two boats next to him. RAGGY WALTZ and CAMELOT left, and eventually (after I picked up pocketmail at the pay phone) we left. I had to use the pay phone because we get no service from either Verizon or ATT here. Bob wanted to make the 8:30 lock opening.

We boogied down to the South Mills bridge (first going under the big US Route 17 bridge), and got there before 8, and then of course, had to wait until the bridge opened at 8:30.

South Mills Lock gates behind us

Then our gaggle of geese went through the bridge and to the lock. There were a lot of us, and we were at the end of the line. No one else from the Visitor's Center came down after us for this lock opening.

In South Mills Lock

When we tied up in the lock there were 5 boats on each side, and we were the last boat on the starboard side. (The lock is 300 yards long.) Fred was directly ahead of us, and in front of him were MAGIC EYE, a boat home ported in Tempe AZ, and a boat named EPHEMERAL, who spent the night at the lock (there's a grocery store across the street), and RAGGY WALTZ. On the port side was CAMELOT II from Toronto who are traveling with RAGGY WALTZ as far as Elizabeth City, BITTERSWEET, CARELLEN the other Toronto boat) and GENESIS, a boat with blue topsides from Norfolk

"soapy" water in the lock

When we came out of the lock, we proceeded down Turner Cut in a line. RAGGY WALTZ and CAMELOT II and another boat are so far ahead that I can't see them at all.

Genesis ahead of us in the canal

GENESIS is right ahead of us and they run their boat right into the trees on the side. Guess they lost it for a moment. The trees have lots of clumps of mistletoe on them, and there are lots of bald cypress trees also. It's very wild and natural - few signs of humans. There is a house where a woman stands holding a cat and watching us pass. We get to Goat Island about 11:15.

Railroad bridge

Once we left the canal and motored into the upper reaches of the river (which is the Pasquotank River - Elizabeth City is NOT on the Elizabeth River), Fred started to pass boats, and so did GENESIS. We passed MAGIC EYE CARELLEN and EPHEMERAL. At about 11:45 we heard RAGGY WALTZ calling the Elizabeth City bridge to open, but we were about 45 minutes back. We passed the hospital, and then the water treatment plant and a wood chip plant which had a sign on it saying "Smoke and Plastic Free". (My mom wanted to know who would sell smoke!!)

We went through the railroad bridge and BITTERSWEET, GENESIS and Fred's boat DOLPHIN were in the front, and then us, and lagging about 10 minutes behind us, MAGIC EYE, CARELLEN and EPHEMERAL. Fred or one of the others called the Elizabeth City's bridge to open, and I said that we were the 4th boat and there were 3 more behind us. So the tender waited until we were all there to open.

Elizabeth City