At the start of the Dismal Swamp sits Elizabeth City, NC, a town that now proudly calls itself the "Harbor of Hospitality," and for good reason. We arrived to tie up to a free dock, then hustled over for the "Rose Buddies" welcome reception (see the pix of the Rose Buddies plaque for the history). We were feted with free wine and cheese and, because they were also welcoming another town we were fed a free dinner of pulled pork sandwiches, mashies with fixins, and lots of other good stuff. I was given a rose (see pix), and then we were invited to partake of movie night. (There's a picture of this, too - it was an old black and white starring Andy Griffith as "Lonesome Roads" - now I know why Keith Olberman calls Glen Beck by that name). A lovely night!
This morning we headed into the Dismal Swamp - the oldest canal in the Americas, started by George Washington and others as a business investment well before he became President. It's beautiful, especially today when we were the only boat transiting. Very contemplative (see pix of Bill sitting forward just enjoying watching the world go by - or maybe napping).
There are 2 locks (duck soup, even easier than the ones on the French canals), and at the second one our lock tender treated us to a concert on the conch (see pix). Yes, he plays the shells, and not only makes different notes, but he played jazz! Very cool! In the middle of the swamp is a welcome center that is now a state park. Note the pix of the exotic moth. (One of the volunteers told me its name - starts with a 'c' - but I can't remember it.
Tonight we're in Portsmouth, VA, heading to see friends in Cape Charles tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment