The dawn broke with a heavy fog and limited visibility. Several boats are planning to transit the Dismal Swamp today, and all waited for the fog to lift.
When visibility was sufficient, we called for an opening of the Elizabeth City Bascule Bridge.
The day’s trip began with a twisty and narrow river.
There were lots of boats in the river, mostly staying in line as the river is narrow and passing is difficult.
The trees grow close to the banks, and we felt we were cruising down a county road.
Prior to entering the Dismal Swamp Canal, boats must pass through the South Mills Lock. There were ten boats in the lock at the same time, quite a crowd. The lockmaster operates the lock and an adjacent bridge. After helping us get tied up in the lock, and completing our lift up, he jumped in his pickup and raced to the bridge to open it for us.
Then we were in the manmade part of the canal, very straight and very narrow. This canal was constructed following the Revolutionary War. Both George Washington and Patrick Henry felt that this would be the best route for transportation of goods to the area’s isolated towns and villages.
The canal is paralleled by the old towpath, which now is a biking and hiking path.
The park has a visitor’s center, with interpretive natural and historical displays. The canal was dug completely by hand, most of the slave labor provided by local landowners. It is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the United States
In most areas, the canal is very narrow, and also shallow, with many submerged objects that were kicked up by our propellers, causing bumps and thuds!
Most of the banks were undeveloped and impenetrable wilderness, as it was when the canal was dug. Slaves who originally built the canal became so familiar with the swamp that it became a haven for runaways. This is an original mile marker for the canal, which opened in 1805. At a number of these spots, pocket parks have been established for bikers, hikers and drivers.
Colonel William Byrd II of Virginia first surveyed this area in 1728. After slogging through the dense undergrowth and forests of the great swamp, he termed it “dismal.” The canal seemed anything but “dismal” to us! Our trip reminded us of a nice Sunday drive on a country road, although passing was difficult.
We were officially welcomed to Virginia. On this site, the infamous “Halfway House” hotel was built in the late 1820’s. The hotel straddled the state line, and was a popular haven for criminals “on the lam” who avoided capture simply by walking to the other side of the hotel.
Occasionally, the banks revealed farmland.
The locals were fishing at Arbuckle’s Landing.
Here, the canal bisects a farmer’s property, and he has permission to slide this bridge across whenever he needs to get his cows or tractors from one bank to the other!
The original Superintendent’s House is in need of repair.
We enjoyed the scenic trip through the rest of the Dismal Swamp Canal.
That evening, we docked at Elizabeth’s Dock, in Deep Creek, Virginia. This dock was built by a man, in memory of his wife, who enjoyed visiting the riverbank to watch the boats pass.
Heavy rains fell all night and the next day, so we decided to take a lay day. We dined at LaFamilia Mexican Restaurant, celebrating Jerry’s birthday with Mexican food, topped off by a Mexican serenade by a couple waitresses, who “crowned” Jerry with a giant sombrero.
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