Loving Something Dismal

Sunday, May 5th, found us preparing to leave the next day with a much better forecast to look forward to. So the rental car was returned and the final preparations made for the boat and its occupants to leave early Monday morning.

As we were waiting, we noted an "older" boat pull into the marina later in the day.

Sometimes if you can not make it to the museum, the museum comes to you. After letting it get berthed, I went over and talked to one of the guys on board.

It turns out that this boat is an early 1930's boat built in New York. It did have a history of being one of the "rum running" boats during Prohibition, hence its name.

The owner recently purchased it from its former owner in Richmond, Virginia and was taking it to Wilmington, NC for refurbishing and restoration. The "only" problem he was experiencing with it was that about once an hour or so the engine would shut off. The good news was that it started up right away. I don't think that was the situation back in the early 1930's though or it would have been confiscated by the Feds.

The current name of the boat as written on the stern is:

On Monday morning as we were ready to depart, we found this guy  wanting his slip back. I think he felt that our five days in Alligator River Marina was plenty. I know that we did.

Once you get out into Albemarle Sound you have a decision to make. Yogi Berra once said that if you come to a fork in the road, you have to take it. So we did. This is a spot in the ICW where you have two options from which to choose. Do you turn to starboard and experience a more "civilized" path
which can include a 32 oz. prime rib cut of beef OR do you go off the beaten path to port and experience something dismal. We chose dismal.

After a smooth crossing this path led us quickly through Elizabeth City where there is a history of the locals being very welcoming to boaters.

We were there too early in the day to stay so pushed on passing through another bridge opening...

with continued maintenance or construction going on...

followed by more secluded waterways.

Our arrival at South Mills Lock and Bridge was a little early but we eventually were able to pass through both. In this area the lock tender and the bridge tender are the same guy.

After he opens and closes the lock, he hustles down to the bridge about a half mile away and opens and closes it.      

This passage led us directly into the Dismal Swamp.

Some boaters love this section and some don't. We did! We likened it to hiking a favorite path in a National Forest where there is nature all around you. All you have to do here is stay on the path. There is not a lot of room to stray or you'll be aground.

Along the way we were able to see a lot of bird and other wildlife but about the only ones you have time to photograph are the loggerhead turtles. Even with those guys you have to be fast or have a great zoom lens as they have the ability to "fall off the log" really quickly.

The Dismal Swamp Canal connects Elizabeth City, NC to Norfolk, VA. The building of the canal through the swamp was a vision of George Washington and some of his business friends in the late 1700's. Construction was started in 1793 and it was completed in 1805. Its  
presence shortened and made safer the trade route between these two cities.

That afternoon we arrived at the visitors center...

 and found ourselves to be the only boat there.

After passing through the pontoon bridge that takes you to the other side of the canal, we tied up for the night, explored the grounds, and made plans for the next day.

Nautical Word For The Day: [from seatalk.info]

Loggerhead:

1. A sturdy post on a whaling launch used to secure the harpoon line.

From Great Loop Jargon:

2. The common name for a type of turtle often found in the Dismal Swamp and other areas in the Carolina's and Virginia.