Publish Date: Thursday, November 6, 2008
Location: Dismal Swap, Virginia
Coordinates: 36° 44.74′ N 76° 20.46′ W
…but thats not stopping us!” I thought, as we threw the bowlines from the docks and cast off for a
long day of exploring, bridges, and locks! We were going through an area known as the Dismal Swamp. We all agreed that the name didn’t suit the atmosphere, for the banks were rich with red and orange trees and towering greenery.
The swamp was hand dug by slaves in the late 1700’s to the early 1800’s. The two important people who surveyed it were none other than George Washington and Patrick Henry! It was amazing going down the river of history.
However, gorgeous trees were not the only things we encountered. Our journey was complete with
Lock door closing behind us. This time we are going up about 8 feet.
two locks! A lock is basically a boat elevator. You motor in, tie up to the rim of the lock, and then it slowly starts to fill up or empty out water taking you to the level of the next stretch of the voyage! It was my first real time handling lines and I was happy that I made the toss every time.
The Dismal Swap was an amazing experience and I hope to do it again some time.
Handling the lines.