DISMAL SWAMP

On and on, we are heading north on the ICW. It is 1014 miles from Palm Beach to Norfolk, VA, and at an average of 53 miles/day we will have completed the entire length in 19 days. We stayed at many beautiful anchoring spots and a few marinas along the way. All along the way, tides were of great concern because of shallow spots at low tide, but with another boat to follow, we did not go aground.

The final day, and the last 22 miles in North Carolina/Virginia, was the Dismal Swamp Canal, the oldest continually operating hand-dug waterway in the country. One of the first investors was George Washington. Digging by hired slave labor, digging began in 1793 and first opened in 1805. Today it is open for boaters interested in seeing the magnificent countryside of the cypress swamp. Locks at both ends lift you the 8 feet to the level of the swamp.



Unfortunately, a 65 ft sportfish traveled the canal the day before us at high speed leaving a huge wake. The bottom debris was so disturbed that every boat since complained of bumping logs and bent props. The sound of submerged logs hitting the hull was like a tennis shoe in a clothes dryer. With much relief and no damage we tied up in Portsmouth and had martinis on Duet.

Departing Portsmouth/Norfolk we passed the BigE, the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, and the George HW Bush, one the the newest aircraft carriers.

We are now heading up the Chesapeake, saying good-bye to our friends on Duet and are within days of returning home.

ICW

We are still traveling with a Duet, a Selene 43, on their way up the ICW to the Chesapeake for the summer. This was their 13th annual migration to Florida and back.

When we bought Phantom, it was also named Duet and was also based in the Chesapeake. Since both traveled annually to and from the same places, many people had them confused. By changing the name to Phantom we solved their problem.







Beaufort (BEAU-fert) is a beautiful waterfront city in central South Carolina. It was a welcome stop after a couple of long days through Georgia swamplands. After a leisurely walk about town we had dinner at a pizza restaurant and found out it was the local prom nite.






Osprey nest are all along the ICW.

The ICW passes through the Marines Camp LeJeune. The welcome sign.