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Old 12-14-2016, 10:40 PM   #1
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Dismal news!

Norfolk District closes Dismal Swamp Canal indefinitely > Norfolk District > Norfolk District News Stories
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Old 12-15-2016, 12:24 AM   #2
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Reality is it was already closed indefinitely, they just formalized indefinite. Now, it's just running into the scheduled work on the Deep Creek Lock which is planned to take 2 1/2 months. So, April or so looks like the earliest possible reopening to me.
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Old 12-15-2016, 05:07 AM   #3
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Reality is it was already closed indefinitely, they just formalized indefinite. Now, it's just running into the scheduled work on the Deep Creek Lock which is planned to take 2 1/2 months. So, April or so looks like the earliest possible reopening to me.
Which is what the lady at the visitor center told me back before Thanksgiving also.

But she was pretty sure all phases of the project were a go.
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Old 12-15-2016, 08:41 AM   #4
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We have not yet planned a trip south in Revel (thinking north to Canada for our first foray this summer). But we would have to rethink a route south were the canal to reopen as "The TRUMP Dismal Canal".
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Old 12-15-2016, 08:54 AM   #5
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........ But we would have to rethink a route south were the canal to reopen as "The TRUMP Dismal Canal".
Huh?
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Old 12-15-2016, 09:06 AM   #6
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Wes, just a bad joke.
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Old 12-15-2016, 09:10 AM   #7
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Geeze, I hope Trump doesn't get involved. He'll "drain the swamp".
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Old 12-15-2016, 09:26 AM   #8
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Wes, just a bad joke.
OK. I thought it might have been a political statement.

We've been through the Dismal Swamp three times and the Virginia Cut once. I prefer the Dismal Swamp Canal and I hope there's enough boat traffic to reopen it and keep it open.
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Old 12-15-2016, 10:06 AM   #9
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Which is what the lady at the visitor center told me back before Thanksgiving also.

But she was pretty sure all phases of the project were a go.
They appear to be continuing to work toward reopening it and I see nothing that indicates it won't be reopened. A bit of a case where the headline leaves an impression the article doesn't. I think the moment people read "indefinitely" they think there are no plans to reopen it, but everything I see says they're proceeding toward doing so, just going to take time and even if the cleanup work was complete, which it isn't, they still have the lock work scheduled. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I read the indefinite as "some time after the lock work is complete, work continuing, and not sure how long after that."
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Old 12-15-2016, 10:31 AM   #10
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But we would have to rethink a route south were the canal to reopen as "The TRUMP Dismal Canal".
The competition was going to rename it "The Deplorable Canal".
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Old 12-15-2016, 12:40 PM   #11
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I second deplorable

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The competition was going to rename it "The Deplorable Canal".
In Sept. we did the Albemarle Loop, leaving from Hampton, VA. From the beginning of the canal to the visitors center, we encountered submerged logs close to 30 times. One encounter stopped my starboard engine. I was running at idle speed, so no damage, but still . . .

The swamp is pretty, but the Virginia Cut not so harrowing.

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Old 12-15-2016, 01:02 PM   #12
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In Sept. we did the Albemarle Loop, leaving from Hampton, VA. From the beginning of the canal to the visitors center, we encountered submerged logs close to 30 times. One encounter stopped my starboard engine. I was running at idle speed, so no damage, but still . . .

The swamp is pretty, but the Virginia Cut not so harrowing.

Gordon
We've never done the swamp. Many times through the Virginia Cut. We've never been there with a draft we were really comfortable doing the swamp with. We have said that one day we'll take our Rib and do it. Definitely not the route I would regularly choose as I'd only choose the swamp route to see the swamp.
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Old 12-15-2016, 02:02 PM   #13
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I swear by the Dismal for many reasons...but obviously not suitable for all boats.

I have used it 7 times over the last 5 years and never touched a thing...and I travel late and early after winter storms have had their way with trees.

I draw just a hair over 4 feet and have a full keel so if I did...not too big a deal.

Now, Robert the lock master did describe how a trawler ran up on stolen SUV that got dumped in the canal....but that's not common.

If you draw 5 feet or less and the canal is reopened....it is worth one trip in a boating career.
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Old 12-15-2016, 02:13 PM   #14
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I have found the Canal the highlight of my trips. In no order, Robert, the history, the views, Elizabeth City.
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Old 12-15-2016, 03:13 PM   #15
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It was definitely beautiful, and I am glad I did it, but, it was white knuckle driving, waiting for the next bang from below. Our boat draws 4'2" and has a single keel with props on either side.

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Old 12-15-2016, 05:22 PM   #16
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We have a full keel, twin props and rudders. Even though protected against damage by a shoal, I suppose a sunken object could do serious damage anyway.

Dad hit a sunken piece of timber at night while sailing the '72 Morgan 27 at speed (racing). It made a tremendous noise; he found a deep impression of a large hex head fastener in the leading edge of the lead keel when he later pulled the boat. Many years later, I removed the rotted plywood sole and found that the polyester-marble dust filler used to level the hull under the plywood was thoroughly cracked. I repaired the sole and the boat lives on in Baltimore.
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Old 12-15-2016, 05:25 PM   #17
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I swear by the Dismal for many reasons...but obviously not suitable for all boats.

I have used it 7 times over the last 5 years and never touched a thing...and I travel late and early after winter storms have had their way with trees.

I draw just a hair over 4 feet and have a full keel so if I did...not too big a deal.

Now, Robert the lock master did describe how a trawler ran up on stolen SUV that got dumped in the canal....but that's not common.

If you draw 5 feet or less and the canal is reopened....it is worth one trip in a boating career.
We're borderline at 5'. We've never taken a boat with less draft that far north.
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Old 12-15-2016, 06:15 PM   #18
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Been through the swamp 8 times on 2 different boats. Definitely my preferred route. Much nicer, more scenic, and no sportfish cowboys to deal with. If you're taking the scenic route (less than 7 knots) go swamp. If you're a chest thumper focused on the next destination go Virginia cut.

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Old 12-15-2016, 07:58 PM   #19
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Hope it opens in Spring 2017. Like to try it when we bring "Adagio" back to NJ.
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Old 12-16-2016, 07:21 AM   #20
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[QUOTE=Gordon J;504469]In Sept. we did the Albemarle Loop, leaving from Hampton, VA. From the beginning of the canal to the visitors center, we encountered submerged logs close to 30 times. One encounter stopped my starboard engine. I was running at idle speed, so no damage, but still . . .

The swamp is pretty, but the Virginia Cut not so harrowing.

Agreed. We bumped things 8 times (at idle, no damage) on our trip through the Dismal north in August. It was fun to do once, the Virginia Cut was much less stressful on the trip back south in October.
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