Elizabeth City, N.C.

We headed on down the dismal swamp canal, intending to tie up and spend the night at the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center.  When we arrived, there were 4 or 5 big 40' plus cruisers and a couple of large sailboats that took up the entire wall.  We gave some thought to rafting up to them, but without knowing them or when they might wanted to depart, we decided to go on down to Elizabeth City.

More locks and drawbridges.

 

We arrived in Elizabeth City later than we wanted at about 7 pm.  Once again, all the free slips at the city's wharf were taken.  There's a bulkhead we might have tied to, however, there were signs all along saying no docking this weekend.  We backtracked under the bridge to Jennette Food Service where there was a nice wall we tied to for the night.  (Also Free)

 

We went inside Jennette to check in, and they told us that they lock their access gate at 9 pm.  A nice fellow in a nearby sailboat, told us that they lock it by 4 pm on Saturday.  (today)  We had thought we would stay another night, but decided being locked out might not be such a good thing.

Pam wanted to walk through the old town's hysterical district.  She enjoys looking at old houses which were built before the war of northern aggression.  So we hoofed it up and down Main street and the surrounding areas.   She was able to steal a magnolia blossom to bring back to the boat.

While walking around, we saw posters advertising a big regatta for this weekend.  (The reason for the signs prohibiting docking along the city wall.)  Since we're sailors gone bad, I thought it might be interesting to stay and see what kind of sailboats were in the regatta.  Little did I know.........................

 

So, we scuttled on back to the boats to depart before they closed the Pasquotank River and let loose the mayhem.   We woke up Frank, and are now headed toward Albemarle Sound.

 

Not exactly how we planned this trip, but I think I read somewhere that the most dangerous thing you can have on a cruising boat is a schedule.