"ICW Trip 2001 Leg 5 Dismal Swamp to Pasquotank" Dismal Swamp State Park Travelogue by grandmaR

Photo has the flag and solar panel on our stern , and the lock tender standing on the lock gates

Cotton patch at Visitors Center -2000

Oct 31, 2001 The Canadian on VAGABOND decided not to be towed - he said they assured him that they wouldn't leave him there for the winter. DUNFLYN left early. We started the engine at 7:45 and pulled away at 7:59 because the Gozzard wanted to leave at 8. Just as we were getting ready to leave, she asked me about the current and tide indicators on The Capn, the computer charting program, but there wasn't enough time to answer her. The trawler ahead of us pulled out before we did. At 8:49 we were all waiting for the South Mills bridge - there were 4 boats (DUNFLYN one of them) tied on the bridge fenders.

Going down the canal behind another boat

The lock tender/bridge tender opened the bridge, but the boats on the fenders were slow getting underway, and the boats in back of us were laggardly and the lock tender had to chastise them. We came into the lock - much less chatty tender - hardly talked at all.

Max, Lucette and Bob handling the lock lines

We were on the starboard side behind PERSEPHONE (a sailboat), DUNFLYN, and another trawler. When you lock through these locks, you put fenders to protect the side of the boat from the side of the lock, and you also loop lines over the bollards at the top of the lock walls. These lines help keep the boat from being pushed around or into each other in the lock from the current generated by water coming into the lock or going out of the lock.

South Mills Lock Gates Open

We exited the lock at 9:43, and Bob turned the wheel over to Lucette. DUNFLYN and the other trawlers went ahead and were soon out of sight. JOLIE DAME hung back after the lock, so FIREFLY with its little Atomic 4 engine was the lead sailboat, and then us, and then the Gozzard. Lucette learned how to steer while we were in Turner's Cut

Troubadour behind us on the Pasquotank

Eventually, FIREFLY pulled over for lunch, and then we could only see the Gozzard behind us as
the Pasquotank RIver twisted around. We went through a very smokey area. There are fires because there's been a drought

Fishermen on the Pasquotank

We came down to the RR bridge before Elizabeth City - very narrow opening at right angles to the river, but Lucette did fine. We also passed fishermen.

Bald Cypress

We passed the A. W. Jones Lumber Company again with the "Plastic and Smoke Free" sign. It said

" No plastic and no cigarettes allowed on this property. Our jobs depend on it.".

We started to see mistletoe in the trees.

Next
Elizabeth City