Dismal Swamp

Solitude

While in Albemarale Sound and transiting to the Norfolk area, one must decide to take either the Virginia  Cut or the 40 mile long Great Dismal Swamp route.  We decided a long time ago to take the shallow, slow, mostly straight Great Dismal Swamp route.

Daisy on the Dismal

Patroit Early Dismal Swamp

Early Dismal Swamp

Sign at south lock
Key West 1217? Really?

Entry to lock

4X Rafting

Packed in for the night

Vicki talking to Loop Hole

Glad we did.  It was spectacular.  While underway at around 4 Knts, bright calm sky, minimal wind, and 70 degrees warming to 76 we had a superb time. The blue sky, full sun, minimal wind, song birds, vines, turtles and reflections were just plain awesome. About halfway up the trip from Elizabeth City there is a Visitors Center, which we tied up to for the night.  I had three sail boats rafted to us, as we were the first ones there.  The route has two locks on either end and two road bridges in addition to a bike bridge or two.

REFLECTIONS:

Virginia

Chill'n

Study this one.

Mirror Image

Suds and reflection

Its not upside own

Looking Down to see up!

Is it real? or flipped?

Vicki eating Cantalope

Love the reflections

Turtle 1

AGLCA

Turtle 2

Turtle 3

Turtle 4

Vicki and Daisy in the Lock

Looking back

Of note, is that George Washington (The), played a role in the Creation/Business of the swamp and the route. Another note is that paid slaves dug the entire route. One more note is that the Diamal Swamp is the countries oldest continuously operated hand dug water route.  Further reading...click here   Here is nice video on the transit:(not mine) Click  I rode my bike on the nearby linear bike path, and the adjacent scenery was beautiful.  With us, was Patroit, and Loop Hole.  We shared a potluck dinner.


Click for another Dismal Swamp Video (not mine)