Monday, June 11, 2012

I was awake pretty early 5AM. Out in the country, no TV, not very much in the way of light, you go to sleep early, wake early. I arrive at the lock at 7:30 AM. There was not the typical dock with cleats that you could tie up to. Instead there were these bundles of pilings, they call them Dolphins, all strapped together. Anyway I motor up to the Dolphin very slowly and grab on with my hands and then slip a line from my mast around one of the pilings in the bundle. There was space between the pilings, and there was no way that you were going to get a line all the way around this thing. Now I relax and have my breakfast, and wait for the Lock Master to arrive.
    At about 8:30 AM the Lock Master arrives, His name is Robert, He gave me very precise instructions as to every move that I was to make in his lock. The Instructions were very good. Anyway he raises the boat up the 10 feet needed. Now he goes into this talking mode, and begins to tell me the history about the Great Dismal swamp, the Canal, the Lock, and George Washington, who he said was responsible for its existence, the Lock, and Canal that is. I later found that he also works as a tour guide, and he loves to talk. BTW at this time I am also a captured audience. He must of talked at the dock for about 10 minutes or so, and then invites me inside for a cup of coffee. Inside he went on for maybe another 30 or 40 minutes. he explained to me why the color of the water is what it is, ie: amber. He says that because of the surrounding vegetation, the water has a lot of tanic acid in it. This he says makes it impervious to bacteria. He went on to say that ships, of Washington's time, would carry this water with them as they crossed the oceans because it would not spoil. He told me that you could bottle this water for seven years, open it, and it would still be good. He even went on to say that if they did not invent Reverse Osmosis that the astronauts would of used it for their trip to the moon. After that he talked a lot about the swamp. I will talk more about that tomorrow.Then he proceeded to talk about the Norfolk Naval Base. I had told him that I had counted almost 11 aircraft carriers on my passing through there. He goes on to tell me that I did not count any aircraft carriers. I gave him a double look at this point. He goes on to say that they were helicopter carriers and that the US, the only country in the world to have aircraft carriers, has eleven of them. Britain has VTOL carriers. China is just now coming out with some. Then he goes on to tell me where each one was deployed. Then he goes on to explain how the aircraft carriers are all part of battle groups, and what the battle group consisted of, and how they all protected the carrier. While he was talking I tried not to interrupt much at all. He was so interesting that I did not want to miss a word.
   So now time is ticking on and we head back to the boat. On the way back to the boat he goes on to explain to me why he has all these Conch shells around. He tells me that he is the best Conch Horn blower in the world. I say "in the world". He goes "yep in the world". So he goes on to play this song called 'Bubbles'. To tell you the truth, he did a pretty good job of it. I think that of he was on 'America's has Talent' that he just might continue onto the next level.
     After leaving the lock I proceed down the  canal for about 4 hours. The canal is 150 feet wide and 8 foot deep, and runs for about 40 miles or so. As you proceed through it you feel that you are traveling through a jungle.It is very scenic and beautiful. At the 28 mile marker there is a Visitors Center. I had planned on passing it up, but when I got there I saw two other sail boats, and so decided to stop. I met the other sailors, traded stories, travel tips, and some sailboat technology. The place was very pleasant. It had , for me, a free dock with water. An information desk, a refreshment stand, toilets, and a nature center. In the Nature Center you can see what roams the swamp. Unfortunately I missed the time schedule for the nature center. From other people that I had talked to about this place, they informed me they have alligators, bears, panthers, poisonous snakes, eagles and more.