We left the dock at the Deep Creek Lock by 9 and passed by the Deep Creek draw bridge. It's a very narrow bridge, manned by the same lock master as the Deep Creek Lock. The lock and bridge are in sight of each other, a quick jaunt by the lock master from one to the other.
We idled slowly along the beautiful, narrow Dismal Swamp Canal at about 6 mph. That was fast enough in the shallow waters. Hwy 17 runs along much of the canal, only a few yards from the water. I've been on that road before, but never dreamed I'd actually be the one in the boat instead of the car. :-) The highway is filled with lots of little picnic stops along the swamp canal.
The water in the canal is a deep tea color, due to the tannin in the cypress and juniper trees in the swamp. It's an amazing tea color. This is a shot of the very lowest step on the back of the boat, the part that is always under water as we are underway. BUT - the acid is at such a high level that the water is the cleanest in the USA. In the colonial days, it was used for transatlantic voyages because it stayed clean and potable for years. Clean or not, it's having a definite affect on all white surfaces on the boat, inside and out.
We made one detour today, taking the dinghy to Lake Drummond. We couldn't actually get to the lake, but we did the 3 mile feeder "ditch" to the little picnic/camping area at the base of the lake. It was a beautiful dinghy ride, a stop about 1/2 way between the lock and our destination, the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center.
Luke enjoyed the ride through the canal, finally getting a little sunshine.
As we approached the welcome center, we were treated with a bald eagle. She soared over us, along the canal, for almost 10 minutes, circling higher and higher. Finally another eagle joined her. I think they were trying to divert us from their nesting area. Absolutely magnificent!!!
We ended up at the welcome center dock for the night. We were accompanied by another boat that was with us at the lock. We were the only 2 boats in this section of the canal today.
And - sunset over the Dismal Swamp Canal
Last, but not least, I just can't resist a cute face.....
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