Dismal Swamp, part 2

We cast off at 9am this morning to catch the first opeining of the Deep Creek bridge (just down riverr from the Deep Creek Lock..the opening of both are coordinated and in fact when the lock tender opens the lock to let the boats out he drives down to the bridge to become the bridge tender and opens it...we had gone through the lock last evening and so got back in sync this morning. 

We travelled through a canal about 50 feet wide and and in some places quite shallow (less than 2 fet under my keel). Its like going through a forest, with trees on either side, sometimes rustling through the shrouds of my boat. .

Looking back down the swamp

Looking ahead

In about 3 hours we came to the second lock (the first raised us up 7 feet, the second, the South Mills Lock would drop us down about 8 feet...basically we were going over the top of a hilll). Its the sme arrangement..a bridge, then the lock.  We got there early and rafted up against a wall at the entrance to the bridge and hung out for about an hour. Then through the open bridge and into the lock. The lock tender was helpful and gave me stern warnings about how to handle the lines...it worked out fine and we were soon on our way again

Island Spirit got a late start out of the lock

But he is catching up

Moondance gaining on me

Island Spirit pulling away ( they just put in a new engine...Hayden and Radeen did it themselve...amazing)

I 

Soon after exiting the lock we were into the Pasquotank river, a wide, pretty river that meanders to Elizabeth city and then on to Albemarle sound. 

We arrived at Elizabeth City at 5pm. Island Spiring and Moondance tied up to the city wall and then I tied up (rafted) to moondancce (there wasnt enough room for me to tie up too the wall. 

We went to dinner at Groupers, a nice restaurnat a block away

The great idea the city had was to encourage cruisers to visit by offering free dockage with the expecttion that they would frequent the local businesses..we did our part!

The view towards Albemarle sound

At the city wall..looking at Island Spiriit

Tomorrow we will layover in Elizabeth city, to rest and wait out southerly winds (whcih makes rough travelling over the sound).

Then off to the Sound and Alligator river on Tuesday.

Tomorrow we tour the city (and maybe do some laundry)