Dismal Swamp Canal

I left the Dismal Swamp Visitor Center dock this morning at 7:30am and made my way to the Deep Creek Lock. Most interesting thing I saw was a farmer’s portable steel bridge that he can slide back and forth to get his livestock and farm equipment across the canal. Both Mike and I tried to get photos of it when we went by, but were already by before we were able to take a shot. The entire canal is not much more than 50 feet wide pretty much the entire length. And only about 7-8 feet deep. Just before the Deep Creek lock, is a bascule bridge that also has to be raised before we can get under it. Two of the other larger boats at the Visitor Center were waiting with me for the bridge and lock. One south bound boat was locked through at the 11am lockage, and then the lock tender, who also tends to the bridge, about a ¼ mile away, came down to open the bridge. Once the south bound was through, then the three of us continued under the open bridge and to the lock. The operator drove back to the lock and locked us through. After lockage, I met back up with Mike and Bill, who had gone through the first lockage at 8:30, then anchored in the next bend, while taking their small Kaboats back on a small side creek to explore. We continued on in Deep Creek, and then turned into the Elizabeth River Channel, which runs into Chesapeake Bay. We entered the Norfolk outskirts and all the industries along the water. Not far, we had to wait about 30 minutes for a railroad bridge to be opened. It’s normally left open, except when trains are traveling by. There were quite a number of boats waiting by the time it opened! Coming around Money Point, we turned into Saint Julian Creek to anchor for the remainder of the day and night. 23 miles today.Read more