Day 195 - April 26, 2013: The Dismal Swamp and Portsmouth, VA

They call it the Dismal Swamp, but today it was most pleasant. We awoke to dead calm winds and full sunshine, a perfect day for this much anticipated part of our cruise. We spent the entire day crossing the Dismal Swamp in this man-made canal, which runs from the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City, NC, almost to Portsmouth, VA. The history of this area is rich and also somewhat tragic.

The Dismal Swamp covers the coastal plain in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia and is estimated to have at one time occupied over 1 million acres. In 1763, George Washington purchased 40,000 acres, formed the Dismal Swamp Company with the idea of draining it for settlement, and supervised the initial canal work. He later sold this land to the father of Robert E. Lee. In 1793, North Carolina and Virginia authorized completion of the canal, which was accomplished in 1810. With this efficient transportation highway, the focus turned to logging, and soon the entire swamp had been depleted of all desirable trees. The swamp also began to drain and shrink, drastically modifying the natural wilderness and animal habitats. In the 19th century with pressure from conservation groups, the government bought the canal and later formed a national wildlife refuge. Over time, Elizabeth City lost the rich trade the canal offered, and there have been two recent government attempts to close the canal.

The canal entrance wound around, narrowed, and then became straight as an arrow for 20 miles up to a visitors center. The guide books warned to keep a lookout for hidden tree stumps, submerged logs, and floating debris. We saw turtles, ducks, geese and herons, large butterflies and a myriad of birds.

Winding entrance to the canal

20 mile long straight section

Mama, papa, and baby turtle

Two geese taking flight

The tree roots and peat deposit large amounts of tannin in the water, which turns it the color of dark tea or a full-bodied Shiraz wine. We could see it in the water breaking on the bow, and it leaves stains on the fiberglass. After going through a lock designed to keep the water levels high in the swamp, we stopped at the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center, which is part of a state park. There were hiking trails, bike lanes, and a museum devoted to the area.

Tannin in the water breaking off the bow

Great Laker on the Welcome Center dock

The canal continued for another 20 miles through a second lock, and it became so narrow in places, you could barely negotiate a pass of another boat. It will be quite a shock to emerge from this serene canal and soon find ourselves in the busy shipping port of Portsmouth, VA!

Extremely narrow sections of the canal

This was one of our favorite days on this trip, and we arrived treasuring the experience.