Position N 36°50′.51 W 76°17′.65
Mileage 24.88 NM
Trip 376.65 NM

At 9:30 this morning I started my adventure down the ICW. After passing under the first railroad lift bridge that is normally up I came to the Jordan Highway bridge lift. I radioed the bridge tender who stoped traffic and lifted the bridge just for me, it was a first for me, and an awesome feeling. 3 miles father I caught up to the folks I meet last night. they and another boat were waiting for a double bridge to open, one traffic and one rail, both operated by the same bridge tender. Trains went by in one direction then the other so it took a while before they opened for us.

At mile 7.2 I came to a folk, one way was the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal route, and the other was the Great Dismal Swamp Canal. I decided on the Dismal Swamp. The delay at the double bridge caused me to be 15 minutes late for the opening of the Deep Creek Lock. I had to wait 2 hrs. for the next opening. After entering the lock doors were closed and we were lifted 9 feet and let out the other side. That was also a first for me. After letting us boats out (there were two of us) the lock tender had to drive to the next highway bridge 1/2 mi. away to lift that for us, we got there before him.

The Dismal swamp is not really a swamp, it was just given that name by locals. Part of it was surveyed by George Washington as it crossed land he owned. It is a land cut 43 miles long. Tonight I am at mile 28, at the North Carolina visitor center.It serves both the highway and the Canal.

Love to all
ESP Lovely Melissa
Bob