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May 5, 2015  Day 165 South for Winter

Dismal Swamp Visitors Center
South Mills, NC               

We left our anchorage at 6:45 Monday and spent another long day, cruising the Neuse River, Hoboken Cut, Goose Creek, Pamlico River, Pungo River, and the Alligator Cut.  We had a very calm day of travel!

We stopped for fuel at River Forest Marina in Belhaven, and then were on our way again.  At 3:45 we passed the marker showing 115 miles to Norfolk!  We reached our anchorage on the Alligator River at 5:30 and had a quiet night.  We enjoyed the beautiful full moon!

Enjoying the serenity of the Dismal Swamp

Bill is enjoying the relaxation of docking
 at the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center.
Note the sailboat that rafted to us!

On Tuesday we left early and continued traveling on the Alligator River.  At 9:15 we reached the Albemarle Sound which was very calm.  This led to the Pasquotank River which took us past Elizabeth City. We were soon at the South Mills Lock and caught the 3:30 opening.  We locked through with three sailboats and then entered the Dismal Swamp. We arrived at the Welcome Center at 4:45 and docked at the free wall. The sailboats that traveled behind us rafted to us and the other two boats already here, making six total. The people on the sailboat rafted to us had a teenage son and two large dogs!  The dogs eventually got used to stepping on and off our boat.  We had a very nice visit with everyone and realized quickly we already knew one couple from Maryland! The others were from Canada and we enjoyed meeting them.

Tomorrow we will finish our travel on the Dismal Swamp!