Wed. May 14    0730/1240  

23 miles       Elizabeth City, NC to Dismal Swamp Visitor Center, NC

Sunny, 85 degrees, and light wind. We left Elizabeth City with 3 other boats all headed for the Great Dismal Swamp. (it’s neither dismal nor dreary) It’s only dismal because European settlers called swamps “dismals,” hence the name. George Washington helped form the Dismal Swamp Land Co., the first commercial enterprise in the swamp. In the 1760’s slaves dug the canals to drain the area for agriculture.  The canal, finished in 1805, makes it the oldest man-made waterway in the U.S. This canal runs for 29 miles and has a lock at both ends. Coming from the south we locked up 10 foot. Half way through is a Visitor Center/State Park with a free dock to tie up to. We will spend the night here.

The waterway had a lot of curves to get around and very narrow.

 

 Several tree snags along the way.

 

 One lock to get thru. (10 foot lift)

 

 Just after the lock the canal was residential.

 

 This bridge was 1/2 mile from the lock. The lock master was also the bridge tender.

 

 Long and straight, you can see for ever it seems.

Pedestrian bridge right before the visitor center docks.

 

 

 The State Park by the Visitor Center has hiking and boardwalk trails.

There are about 5 miles of bike trails.