We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went to
the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that the
Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it will
not close at the end of this year. She said there were three boats
there Friday night.


grandma Rosalie

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:45:27 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went to
the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that the
Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it will
not close at the end of this year. She said there were three boats
there Friday night.
=============================

What is the maximun allowable draft?

Wayne.B wrote:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:45:27 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went to
the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that the
Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it will
not close at the end of this year. She said there were three boats
there Friday night.
=============================

What is the maximun allowable draft?

IIRC the controlling depth is supposed to be 6 feet, but when we went
through last year, they told us that a boat with 7 foot draft had been
through and was ok.

grandma Rosalie

Rosalie B. wrote in
:

Wayne.B wrote:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:45:27 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went to
the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that the
Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it will
not close at the end of this year. She said there were three boats
there Friday night.
=============================

What is the maximun allowable draft?

IIRC the controlling depth is supposed to be 6 feet, but when we went
through last year, they told us that a boat with 7 foot draft had been
through and was ok.

grandma Rosalie

I went through with a 5'2" draft and bumped on logs several times. No
damage, but they're there.


-- Geoff

Geoff Schultz wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote in
:

Wayne.B wrote:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:45:27 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went to
the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that the
Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it will
not close at the end of this year. She said there were three boats
there Friday night.
=============================

What is the maximun allowable draft?

IIRC the controlling depth is supposed to be 6 feet, but when we went
through last year, they told us that a boat with 7 foot draft had been
through and was ok.

grandma Rosalie

I went through with a 5'2" draft and bumped on logs several times. No
damage, but they're there.

That has nothing to do with the controlling depth. Even catamarans
have logs bump on them. EVERYONE has logs bump on their bottoms. But
they aren't on the bottom, they are floating around under the surface.

There are logs and deadheads in the Alligator Pungo Canal too but they
don't have anything to do with the depth.


grandma Rosalie

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 01:23:59 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

There are logs and deadheads in the Alligator Pungo Canal too but they
don't have anything to do with the depth.

====================================

Ouch. Nothing I'd really like to encounter with my new set of props
and shafts. Pamlico Sound is sounding better and better.

Rosalie B. wrote in
:

Geoff Schultz wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote in
m:

Wayne.B wrote:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:45:27 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

We are driving south this winter instead of going by boat. We went
to the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center yesterday and they said that
the Corps of Engineers has found money to keep the canal open - it
will not close at the end of this year. She said there were three
boats there Friday night.
=============================

What is the maximun allowable draft?

IIRC the controlling depth is supposed to be 6 feet, but when we
went through last year, they told us that a boat with 7 foot draft
had been through and was ok.

grandma Rosalie

I went through with a 5'2" draft and bumped on logs several times. No
damage, but they're there.

That has nothing to do with the controlling depth. Even catamarans
have logs bump on them. EVERYONE has logs bump on their bottoms. But
they aren't on the bottom, they are floating around under the surface.

There are logs and deadheads in the Alligator Pungo Canal too but they
don't have anything to do with the depth.


grandma Rosalie

I do understand the concept of controlling depth. I will also state
that I've never had a log bump until going through the Dismal Swamp
canal. One shouldn't think that simply because the canal has a 6'
controlling depth that you can get through it unscathed. There's also
all of the tanins in the water which makes it look like coffee. That
will leave a beard.

If I wouldn't have been forced to divert to Elizabeth City, I wouldn't
have gone through the Dismal Swamp Canal.

If you want to see pictures of the canal, go to:

http://www.geoffschultz.org/1999_Sai...5_FL_RI/990514
_Norfolk/ind
ex.html

-- Geoff

Wayne.B wrote:

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 01:23:59 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

There are logs and deadheads in the Alligator Pungo Canal too but they
don't have anything to do with the depth.

====================================

Ouch. Nothing I'd really like to encounter with my new set of props
and shafts. Pamlico Sound is sounding better and better.

We can't go around the Alligator Pungo canal (Roanoke Sound or
Croaton Sound to Pamlico) because either the depth is too shallow or
the bridges are too low. The A-P is far more of a problem with
deadheads etc. than the Dismal Swamp.

While the logs in the Dismal Swamp sound horrible (you can hear them
rolling down the hull), we've never had any damage from that - of
course we have a modified full keel and our prop is protected by the
keel. I much prefer this route to the Virginia Cut, both because I
like the friendly people in Elizabeth City and because I think it is a
far prettier and more tranquil route. No barges and no crazy power
boats speeding up and down the Dismal Swamp Canal.

The tanin in the water is not just in the Dismal Swamp either. We
don't have too much trouble with the 'mustache' because we don't have
a white hull.

My pictures of the trip down the Dismal Swamp in 2003 are linked
together starting at http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/445ce/#TL


grandma Rosalie

I've had more trouble with low hanging trees than logs on the Dismal
Swamp. Of course, we only draw 3 feet. The scenery on the Pasquotank
is the best on the ICW, only you meet only the finest crowd at the
Visitor's Center!


Rosalie B. wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:


On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 01:23:59 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:


There are logs and deadheads in the Alligator Pungo Canal too but they
don't have anything to do with the depth.

====================================

Ouch. Nothing I'd really like to encounter with my new set of props
and shafts. Pamlico Sound is sounding better and better.


We can't go around the Alligator Pungo canal (Roanoke Sound or
Croaton Sound to Pamlico) because either the depth is too shallow or
the bridges are too low. The A-P is far more of a problem with
deadheads etc. than the Dismal Swamp.

While the logs in the Dismal Swamp sound horrible (you can hear them
rolling down the hull), we've never had any damage from that - of
course we have a modified full keel and our prop is protected by the
keel. I much prefer this route to the Virginia Cut, both because I
like the friendly people in Elizabeth City and because I think it is a
far prettier and more tranquil route. No barges and no crazy power
boats speeding up and down the Dismal Swamp Canal.

The tanin in the water is not just in the Dismal Swamp either. We
don't have too much trouble with the 'mustache' because we don't have
a white hull.

My pictures of the trip down the Dismal Swamp in 2003 are linked
together starting at http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/445ce/#TL


grandma Rosalie

Geoff Schultz wrote:
I do understand the concept of controlling depth. I will also state
that I've never had a log bump until going through the Dismal Swamp
canal.

Well, that certainly makes it the canal's fault.


.... There's also
all of the tanins in the water which makes it look like coffee. That
will leave a beard.

That's true most places between Daytona and Barnegat. And it won't leave
a stain if you wax your hull.


If I wouldn't have been forced to divert to Elizabeth City, I wouldn't
have gone through the Dismal Swamp Canal.

Geoff, why do you cruise? You don't seem to enjoy it, all you do is
complain about your gear and the awful places you go.

The Dismal Swamp is of historical interest and still has some lovely
undeveloped spots. The Pasquotank River is one of the prettiest &
wildest places left along the whole ICW.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King