Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 35)

Mid-Atlantic Christian University Docks, Elizabeth City, North Carolina. October 8, 2020.

Marc-  Departed the Welcome Center docks at 07:30 to reach the South Mills Bridge and Lock complex for their 8:30 opening.  We were there in plenty of time and in fact we waited 20 minutes hovering in place along with 4 other boats.  We passed the bridge without incident in this small town outpost in the Dismal Swamp and were lowered 8 feet to sea level.  Our subsequent course brought us down a winding river of great natural beauty with bald head cypress trees, cedars, various pines and a few very bright red swamp maples.  We even saw a bald eagle who circled around us for few minutes.  By noon we had arrived at our destination for the day.  We were warmly welcomed by the sailing ministry staff at the College. They literally rolled steps over the dock to our boat, and they even offered to lend us a car to go to the supermarket or to drive us there. We declined at first.

The afternoon was spent touring Elizabeth City on foot.  We really enjoyed the Museum of the Albermarle.  They had a mint condition '57 Chevy in the lobby.  There were exhibits of life in the area from the pre colonial period to the present including an exhibit on pig farming.  Later we walked to the Food Lion supermarket.  All was fine until we tried calling for Uber or Lyft.  Neither had any drivers in this area.  We called Dan at Mid-Atlantic Christian who graciously came and picked us up in his Cooper Mini (it is amazing that all four of us plus groceries fit in this car).

This is the most duckweed seen on our entire trip in the Dismal Swamp.  It seems to have gathered it the South Mills Lock.

John and Mindy Donnelly please tell us what these trees are.

The tradition in town is to present one rose to the captain of each visiting boat that arrives at the downtown docks.

The local museum had some interesting exhibits and even a mint 1957 Chevy.