This post is more for our boating friends instead of our usual travelogue about our adventures. I mean to compare using the Virginia Cut near the start of the ICW or using the Dismal Swamp Canal.
Maybe not of interest to non-boaters. It is also only our opinion. Opinion. Based on our experiences and having a 44' catamaran with a 24'beam. And less than 4' draft.
VIRGINIA CUT.
Positives:
slightly shorter
slightly quicker
Great Bridge has a free dock
and has a grocery store within walking distance
and there's a great Irish bar to watch UConn NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four games
Great Bridge Lock just controls water flow and doesn't raise or lower you much. Easy
On weekends the opening bridges are on request
Coinjock has competing marinas, one with fuel
Broad Creek at the southern end is a very good anchoring spot
at the northern end you can get free dockage if you miss the last bridge opening, you just need
to eat at their restaurant which we hear is good
Negatives:
Steel Bridge. the schedule is not great, it gets very congested in a narrow area
There are more opening bridges to wait for but after the first one southbound you usually
get decent timing for the rest
The fixed bridges can get low if the wind is blowing water up the ICW. We need more than 64'
Pretty shallow in Coinjock Bay and north of there (Currituck Sound), even for us. 2014 particularly low waters.
Commercial traffic... barges.
Fast powerboat traffic... wakes.
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL.
Positives:
Beautiful
Free dock at Elizabeth's Dock at Deep Creek Lock
walking distance to groceries
Very friendly (Robert) lock master at Deep Creek. a lot of knowledge
Dismal Swamp Welcome Center with free dockage
Very protected from any wind
No commercial traffic
Few fast boats with wakes
Free dockage at Elizabeth City for 48 hours
Gus. At Elizabeth City Docks
Cheap, clean showers. Not really interested in the revenue. Just pay once. Shhh, don't
pass this on to other boaters
Very nice free museum at Elizabeth City
Did I mention beautiful?
Negatives:
Narrow (we're a cat)
Snags and deadheads slightly more likely than Virginia Cut
Lock and bridge schedule
Overhead trees
Shallow for many sailboats
ESE exposure at Elizabeth City if windy. Can be rough
Excessive crab pots in the Pasquatank River E of Elizabeth City. No organization
hard to make a path through. May be the biggest reason to avoid this route
No nearby groceries in Elizabeth City
Heavy rain. OK, maybe not on the days you're there
That's it. Make your choice. Have fun.
Mike on Infinite Improbability.
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