The Dismal Swamp

(June 12-13, 2003) At the end of our two week foray up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) we had to decide between two possible routes for the final leg north to Norfolk. We could travel through wide and deep channel of the Virginia Cut, or we could choose a route through the Dismal Swamp, a shallow and smaller canal bordered by a wildlife refuge. The decision was similar to choosing an Interstate Highway or Scenic Byway-we opted for the scenic route and hoped that the Dismal Swamp wouldn't live down to its name.

The Dismal Swamp has played an interesting role in history. It was named in 1728 by the surveyor who was charged with drawing the dividing line between the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina. After months of struggling to traverse the dense vegetation and bog, he labeled the area, a "vast body of dirt and nastiness." Later, however, George Washington was one of six investors that saw the potential of the timber in the swampland. They purchased 40,000 acres of swampland and, using hired slave labor, began construction of the canal in 1793. Once finished, in 1803, the canal was an important route of commercial boat traffic between Virginia and North Carolina. The inhospitable swamp provided a natural refuge for escaped slaves and eventually a large community built a crude hut colony within the swamp. Henry W. Longfellow's poem, The Slave in Dismal Swamp and a novel about the Swamp by Harriet Beecher Stowe are further testaments to the historic importance of the Dismal Swamp.

Before heading through the Swamp, we spent the night on the free city docks in Elizabeth City. This beautiful little city is the home to a blimp factory and one of the largest Coast Guard Stations in the nation. The friendly townspeople have a tradition of welcoming visiting boaters by presenting roses to all of the boating women. Not only do "Rose Buddies" arrive in a golf cart and welcome boaters to the city with flowers, but they also host a wine and cheese reception for those spending the night at their town dock. Later, we enjoyed a cracked crab feast with our friends on Alembic (3 dozen blue crabs!) We settled in for the night because we would have to be up early to make a bridge opening a 7 a.m.

The 22 mile long Dismal Swamp Canal is anchored at each end with a lock. We arrived an hour early for the 11:00 a.m. lock opening and had to set an anchor in the narrow river to wait for the lockmaster to open. Fortunately there was no traffic and we were one of only three boats that were locked in and raised the eight feet to reach the level of the canal. From there the waterway became a ribbon of peaceful water that was bordered by a forest of vine-covered loblolly pine, wild cherry, cypress and juniper trees. The tannic acid from the bark of the juniper and cypress trees makes the water coffee-colored and surprisingly, bacteria free. Historically, sailing ships sought out this amber colored water for long voyages as a source of chemically pure water. We were not impressed as we watched our white hulls take on the brownish color of the water. On a challenge from his brother, Ben was the only one willing to take a taste….yummm! We stopped at the dock of the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center about halfway through the canal and decided that it was a great place to spend the night. The Welcome Center has a hospitable staff that caters to boaters as well as the tourists that exit the nearby highway looking for a rest stop. We took advantage of their air-conditioned center to watch videos about the Swamp then the kids used up their remaining energy on a water fight. After another wonderful potluck dinner with our friends on Alembic the mosquitoes forced us indoors for the evening.

The next morning we were up early for the last leg of the Swamp, north to Deep Creek Lock. The Canal seemed tighter and more menacing on the second day. The route hadn't been cleared by the Army Corp of Engineers and we were nervously maneuvering the boat so that our mast missed the limbs of the overhanging trees. We enjoyed our slow and deliberate pace through the Dismal Swamp (and the Intracoastal Waterway). Now, as we motor toward Norfolk we know that we are leaving the uncrowded, natural beauty of the Swamp to experience the cities and jam-packed historical sights of the Chesapeake.