GLORY DAYS ON THE GREAT LOOP: THE DISMAL SWAMP PART 1.

DAY 308: MON. MAY 21, 2012

DEP. ELIZABETH CITY 08:30 ARR. Dismal Swamp WELCOME CENTER (mm28)12:50

WX: SUNNY AM, CHANCE OF SHOWERS T-STORMS

D. 23.2sm / 4993.7

We awoke this morning to a pleasant surprise, SUNSHINE, and very little wind. There has been a low pressure system stalled off the coast of NC and not only has it been cloudy, wet, and cool, the forecast for the next week is for mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and possible t-storms. This morning was beautiful. The Elizabeth City Docks are about 100 yards south of the US 158 highway bridge which has a 2’ clearance and they do not open between 7:00 & 9:00 AM unless there are boats waiting and then they only open at 7:30 & 8:30. Eighteen miles up the Dismal Swamp Canal, the lock only opens at 8:00 and 11:00 in the morning, so we had to get thru the bridge at 08:30 to make the lock at 11:00. So much for that. It was an absolutely beautiful trip up the Pasquotank River to Turner’s Cut, and into the Dismal Swamp Canal. The water was flat calm and the natural scenery was beautiful. We even saw a Bald Eagle. The river was about 100 yards wide and gradually narrowed as we went north. Turner’s Cut was about 50 yards wide, but the really narrow part began with the Dismal Swamp Canal, about 20 yards wide. Not only was it narrow, we had to pass several deadheads that were in the middle of the canal. Needless to say, we cruised very slowly. We got to the Welcome Center about 12:30 and good news, there were no boats tied up. Glory Days was first, followed by Eos, a 47’ Selene, and Something Special. We thought we had the whole place to ourselves until about 2:00 when 2 sailboats heading north joined us. Since there is only room for 3 boats to tie up, the sailors had to raft up with us. Around 4:00, 7 southbound sailboats arrived and they also rafted on. The grand total was 12 boats and it is fortunate that the locks closed and no more boats would be coming because there would be no more room to tie on or pass between the boats and the shore. Tomorrow the southbound boats will leave at 7:00 and we will leave at 07:30 in order to make the 11:00 lock opening at the other end of the canal. The bad news is the southbound boats told us of a tree that is laying across the canal and the only way to get around it is to pass over its upper branches.