Free and Inexpensive Dockage Between Norfolk, VA and the AICW Split at the Dismal Swamp Canal Alternate Route
Now here is a REALLY USEFUL posting for all who are cruising south on the AICW, from the Chesapeake, this fall. What a great listing of free (or inexpensive) dockage. I only wish Captain Parky had provided Lat/Lon positions for these five finds. If anyone has Lat/Lon’s for any or all of these, PLEASE e-mail that info to CruisersNet@triad.twcbc.com.
Cruising News:
Thanks to Robert and the boys of Deep Creek Lock the Dismal Swamp Canal is now free of the dreaded intake blocking duckweed. If you’re a cheap and mean sailor like me, there are several free docks in this area.
1) Portsmouth City Docks – either one – 48 hour restriction but not enforced.
2) Chesapeake City Landing just south east of what was the old Jordan bridge. Next to a park and shops within walking distance.
3) Great Bridge Lock – great for stores and Canadian geese
4) Elizabeth Dock at Deep Creek Lock. Capn Bill, who built it, has just kindly finished another at Marker 19 on the Dismal Swamp Canal. And of course a little further down the Visitors Center where you can get water and lots of info.
5) The least expensive marina docking in the area – Scotts just north east of Portsmouth. The least expensive marina for fuel – Top Rack Marina just north of Steel Bridge.
I’ve spent over a month going from to another, meeting many nice cruising
friends along the way.
Happy gunkholing
Cap’n Parky on Pisces
I e-mailed Cap’n Parky, and asked for more details on the locations of these free and inexpensive facilities, and received the following reply:
My emphasis is that it is possible to find free docks in this area despite the attempts of the two big marinas (Ocean Marine and Tidewater) to place time restrictions on them – which nobody enforces fortunately. Cruising traffic is very much down from two years ago – presumably because of the poor economy – and I find that most owners these days are seeking good places to moor out and dinghy in – as well as free docks.
Cap’n Parky
Great timing for this we will be making our first trip south through there in a copule of weeks (Oct 21 ish)
JIM Lady
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