ELIZABETH CITY AND THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP CANAL

We were not really sure why we were going to Elizabeth City other than it sits at the gateway to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal route we chose to take to the Chesapeke Bay.  However, when we got there, we found a great little city.

This is the Navy blimp hangar on the Elizabeth River just south of Elizabeth City.

As we were on our approach to Elizabeth City, we noticed that there were high speed racing boats buzzing around what appeared to be a set course in the river right before the area we had to cross to get to the town docks. 

Then, from off to the side, we were charged by a fast moving Wildlife patrol boat, aka the "po po".  So, we stopped and he came along side.  I said, "Howdy" and he said, "The river's closed."  I said, "Oh, really!? And for how long?"  He told us we might have to wait an hour or so and asked where we were going.  So, we told him, and he said we could anchor and wait.  There were a number of small boats anchored, and he told us not to go past the line they were making.    So, that's fine, we anchored out and enjoyed some high speed boat racing. 

It's only later that we really learned to enjoy this sport.  In the interim, however, it was fun to put the beach chairs out on the bow and catch a glimpse of some of these boats running the track at speeds approaching 100 mph.

Soon enough, we figured out what vhf radio channel the folks in charge of this thing were on so we listened in on the logistical end of things.  We heard them talking about us and the Wildlife guy was asking if there was a way they could get us through as we had been waiting for over an hour and a half.  Eventually, they told him to get us and another couple waiting boats through.  They were asking about our wake and were told it was really small.  I sometimes wonder if they were more worried about our wake messing up the race course or the fact that we were moving so slowly so as not to make a wake and might have been holding them up.  Oh well, you can't win for trying.

Well, we got through and found a piece of bulkhead to tie up to.  No electric or water, but no charge for the dockage either.  Elizabeth City has a reputation for its hospitality to boaters.  This derives from their fervent belief that the Dismal Swamp Canal should remain open and an important part of North Carolina boating.  There was an old guy who lived nearly 90 years in Elizabeth City who, for many of those years, showed up at the docks to greet visiting boaters with a bottle of wine and a rose from his garden.  He became rather popular and several others joined his cause.  They became known as the Rose Buddies, and E City's reputation for parties on the dock anytime there were five or more visiting boats was secure. 

When we got there, it was nice to see several other boaters show up along the wall offering to help with our lines.  There was no difficult involved whatsoever, however, it is nice to see cruisers helping cruisers.  Once we were tied up, a fellow cruiser gave us the rundown.  We then settled in.  Later that evening, there was a makeshift party on the dock.  A bunch of the other cruisers busted out with their musical instruments (I with my backpack guitar) and a little concert on the dock was had.  That was fun.

 Later, we went to this deck bar where there was a country music band playing.  This was honestly the first time I have ever listened to country music (which I really like) in a place were folks listen to country music.  It's just not the same in California.  Country music just sounds better riverside in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  What can I say?  It's simply better.

The next day, we took off early and went exploring.  There is a very nice downtown waterfront area.  Unfortunately, when we visited, many of the streets were all torn up as part of this large scale refurbishment.  As such, nothing was open (it was Sunday), and many businesses were closed permanently.  We did some sight seeing, however, and enjoyed a number of very nice old structures built back in the colonial times.  Yes, another 4C town.  Nice, nonetheless.

However, we did find the racing event and really had a good time with that all afternoon.  We talked to a couple crew dudes on the side of the river who explained how these races are run.  There were sponsored pro's as well as amatures, and even kids running these boats.  Everybody sure looked like they were having fun.

The next morning, we left at sun up so we could make the run all the way to Portsmouth, Virginia by way of the Great Dismal Swamp Canal.  There are two routes you can take from the bottom of the Albemarle Sound to get to the Chesapeke.  You can take the Virginia Cut which is deeper and somewhat faster, with only one lock and one bridge, or, you can take the slower and much more scenic Dismal Swamp Route with its two locks and several bridges.  We chose the latter.

George Washington was interested in the Dismal Swamp as a supply of timber in the late 1700's.  So, he bought up 45,000 + acres and started a project to dredge the canal so he could get the lumber out.  The issue was not so much building the canal, but maintaining it. 

He and others over the years grew tired of this until the mid 1900's when it was taken over by the Army Corps of Engineers who maintain it today.  They don't do much dredging, but from what I understand, they do keep the trees from completely enclosing the ditch.  Almost the entire route is a "no wake zone" as it is important to the powers that be that there be as little bank erosion as possible.  I can understand this.  This is why mostly trawlers and shallow draft sailboats take this route.  It is a lazy stroll through a primordeal forrest. 

The water was so still that it was hard to tell where the water ended and where the banks began. So, what you do is drive in "the window" - the reflection of the sky in the water.  It doesn't change regardless of the position of the sun.  This is all you can do.  It's so narrow, your radar will not help you stay in the middle.  You have to do it all by sight alone.  The water was not very deep.  We saw an average of 7-8 feet most of the way (about 40 miles), but did bump whatever litters the bottom a couple times.  Nothing really hard and no damage.  Just bumps.  Probably the bottom of the keel bouncing over a sunken log.  I would not recommend running this canal with one of those boats with its running gear sticking out there in the wind and unprotected by a full keel, especially if the boat draws more than 4 feet.

When I started studying this trip, I knew I wanted to cruise this canal.  We were not disappointed.  It was one of the most beautiful and magical places I have ever seen.  I would love to do it again someday.

We popped out of the Dismal Swamp Canal and rounded a few bends before we came to the outskirts of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and the bottom of the Chesapeke Bay.  Wow - what a difference a few miles and a day make.  You go from this fantasy land, Disney like canal, to a heavy industrialized ship building mecca in a very small stretch. I knew something was going on as my AIS was lighting up targets like a christmas tree.




We arrived in Portsmouth, found our slip, and enjoyed the rest of the day.  I'll write about Portsmuth later.  We are off to Jamestown.

Later.