October 26-29 Dismal Swamp & Elizabeth City NC

The trip from Portsmouth through the Dismal Swamp canal needed to be timed so we could make the 8:30 am lock opening at the north end of the canal which meant leaving our Marina before first light. The trip through the Canal which is a very narrow and straight man made ditch was uneventful and serene. We arrived in Elizabeth City NC about 4pm and the free docks were full so we went to the overflow dock and Our Time rafted up beside us. The Mayor stopped by to see us as he did the last time we were here. This town relly likes boaters and they are famous for handing out Roses to the ladies as they stop here in this delightful town. The man who started that tradition recently died and in his honor they placed a monument at the waterfront. John (Our Time) has been troubled by a waterleak when his engine was running. He found the source of the leak-his water cooled exhaust elbow had rusted through. On Monday morning we walked over to a real working boat yard (you can just tell by the look of the equipment) to see if we could find someone to weld his exhaust elbow and my cast aluminum dinghy davit. We found the right guy, but the prognosis was the same. He could weld it but no guarantees. So we both ordered parts. His was critical to the continuation of the journey and mine was not. His part came the next day. Mine was sent to the store to be shipped at a later date. After the part arrived the weather turned sour again. We must cross the Albemarle Sound which is a large body of water and isn't very pleasant when the wind blows. So in port we stayed and the girls went to the grocery again.