Scheduled closure of the South Mills Lock for electrical repairs on April 20-22, 2026. Our thanks to Sarah Hill of the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center for this information.
Please see the USACE Norfolk District’s Notice to Navigation regarding the scheduled closure of the South Mills Lock on the Dismal Swamp Canal, April 20-22, 2026. This temporary closure is for electrical repairs to be made. The lock will reopen on April 23, 2026.
Attaching image from this week at the dock. Boaters are beginning to trickle through during this early springtime period.
Looking forward to many more in this season!
Thanks,
Sarah
Sarah Hill, TMP Director, Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center Chairperson, Camden County Tourism Development Authority 2356 US Hwy 17 North, South Mills, NC 27976
Bastardizing the American English language is really not my game; I tend to manipulate and over-describe rather than combine and shorten. But I couldn’t pull any terms out of my, um, repertoire, that described the situation any better than these shortcuts which frankly, get the point across damn well. I’ve had a British associate or two tell me we Americans bastardized a whole lot of their language anyway, so I figured, might as well keep on goin’…
And why, you may wonder, are such crude shortcuts in order? I arrived at STEADFAST’s substantial aft end last week and got quite a flashback. Or a couple of them, actually. The photo on the left was taken in September of 2024. The other one was taken this week. Sigh. Thought we were done? Looks pretty similar. Well, we mighta stripped that section last year. Mighta known it was gonna need it. Coulda, woulda, shoulda done something differently? No, not really.
The white hull on the left was the only section of the vessel that we were NOT going to refit….and now, we gotta.
The reality is that STEADFAST’s port side, (left facing the bow) is full-on southern exposure in a part of the northern hemisphere which gets some intense sun, in fact, three-quarters of the year it shines directly on those surfaces and, ironically, far less in the steaming summer months. Her near-century old planks (and some newer ones) didn’t stand a chance against Mother Nature’s solar array, nor did the caulking holding them together, even under half a dozen layers of enamel paint. Our very real concern is those materials cannot recover from so much sun and not enough sea; they need a fresh seal, re-caulking in maritime terms, which is quite a process. As often happens, our best protection from nature’s power wasn’t good enough, and over time her planks have dried and shrunk just enough to separate and be dangerous. Wooden boats are designed to be in the water to remain watertight— if the build is proper, the planks expand perfectly to squeeze the caulk, just enough but not too much, creating a seal. Click the story link below or peruse a (very) brief explanation as to what’s gotta happen next. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.
We braced ourselves and dug in; there is no point in taking chances, compromising quality or cutting corners now. If you’ve been subscribed since the beginning of SPARRING (originally designed to be a wooden boat sailing and travel journal—you never know where life will take you…), feel free to skip to the next divider line or stay and get a refresh.
Many of you found STEADFAST after these crucial tasks were completed on the balance of the (above-water) hullsides. We also had to Caulk every inch of the 32 new planks on the bow, stem and knee. Somewhere I calculated that we completed all eight time-consuming, meticulous steps on approximately three-quarters of a mile, or 1650 meters of seam. Just today, we reefed, pounded and sealed 300+ on the starboard aft quarter seen above.
OK—the Caulking process; STEADFAST was extensively rebuilt in Puerto Rico in the 1980s by a very passionate and equally crazy Sailor who reads my words each week. His seal has lasted forty+ years and that’s impressive; some of this new work would not even need to be done if we hadn’t run into the lengthy rebuild which we are immersed in. After removing that old seam material (a process called reefing, another one of those maritime terms that has too many meanings, IMHO), the multi-step Caulking task consists of brushing on two protective coats of boiled linseed oil and turpentine in equal parts; my favorite boatbuilding aroma, seriously appealing to the forest lover in me, I suppose. After that tonic, some perfectly pounded fresh, soft, pure cotton strands (nothing man-made works as well), as many as three rows if the existing cannot be saved, are inserted and tucked firmly with iron and mallet. If I do say, we’re a hell of a lot more efficient at it than we used to be, but it was dejà vu like I’ve never experienced to be back to doing things I thought were completed months ago.
Then it is protected with red lead paint, from George Kirby Jr Paint Company in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where, coincidentally, a hundred and twenty years ago, William Hand Jr was designing beautiful, diverse boats, eventually reaching Design #608: our number, which can be found in the Massachusetts’ Institute of Technology archives. And Mr Hand still wasn’t even close to being done conjuring seagoing vessels.
When we first hauled out, July 2024, we had no idea what we were in for. OK, let’s rephrase. I had no idea what I was in for and the Sailor had a better idea but still no true grasp because STEADFAST’s problem was insidious. One of my favorite words, learned long ago from my treasured Grandma Pearl.
By early August, while experts were assessing the bow structure, I set about stripping her lovely transom, whose teak had been replaced in the 1980s rebuild. I also took at least a dozen coats off the highest of her hullsides, the steel gray color above that kick-ass bronze rubrail, stripping down to bare planks.
We had noticed and noted that some of the seams in that region had become just a little too loose for comfort. It was a tad disconcerting to see daylight out through one of the seams on the aft port side. Thinking we would simply take advantage of our four months or so out of the water prior to heading to the Bahamas in the fall of 2024, we naively thought we were killing two birds with one stone when in fact there was a giant flock to be addressed and managed. Unforeseeably giant. Ah, the best laid plans become those with no shortcuts.
One of the most stunning displays of power I have seen in a long time occurred here on April 1st. A very warm, windy day proceeded a slow-moving cold front with show-stopping lightning, wind and rain; as I write this two mornings later we are still socked in by fog, every surface dripping, unable to work on what needs to be done. Back to this appropriate expression:
They go awry, those plans, but I firmly believe that eventually things fall into place and happen as they should. STEADFAST and her crew found a place to call home for two years with a group of kind, kindred spirits the likes of which I have rarely encountered.
This week SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE enters its third year and I was inspired to look back on my first few pieces. They detail the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Dorian on Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas; the first is entitled IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE. Those resilient individuals experienced a battle for life, not merely a spar, and STEADFAST was there, three years afterwards, listening to the stories and watching a painfully slow recovery. The balance of the pieces I produce are likewise stimulated by moments in time, characters and considerations. I find this platform and my reader interactions incredibly rewarding even if it is not monetarily so.
The name of this publication came to me in the spring of 2023 when we rounded Cape Hatteras in a considerable sea state, under full sail, and STEADFAST’s impressive rigging went slack. Even if you’re not a sailor you can intone how bad that might be, right? It was bone-chilling. Since masts are also known as SPARS, and we were in for remarkable jousts that summer and beyond which seem to have become contiguous, endless even, the title was born. It’s what all of us do every day, at least to some extent. That multi-faceted story was published in WoodenBoat Magazine (limited access) here. Mother Nature is the most predominant force on the planet and some humans think she can be conquered, tamed and harvested without harm nor foul. I don’t agree.
While SPARRING’s topics deviate, the fascinating, resource-consuming world of wooden boat construction and ownership has taught this mountain and desert dweller innumerable things. Not the least of which is patience. There’s no point in considering what Mighta Shoulda Coulda Woulda. The thing that matters is what ya gotta. ~J
See you here next week! Please restack this post so my community continues to reach water and nature lovers; we currently have subscribers from 36 nations. Along those lines, I am posting casual, imperfect, work-site videos on our YACHTING STEADFAST channel in order to document what has become a worthy, educational project.
Saving our piece of maritime history is a daunting task.
And more on Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, September 2019.
There is no greater natural force on earth than a Category 5 Hurricane. Dorian made landfall on the afternoon of September 1, 2019, at Elbow Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, and proceeded directly across the small but bustling city of Marsh Harbour; the utter destruction is still evident. In a never-before seen track, the storm struck with 185mph winds, rain and a …
Read full story
I so appreciate your support of my work. Have a wonderful week!
Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
This is a view of the Caribbean Safety and Security Net’s interactive crime reporting feature on its website.
Caribbean crime reports declined last year, but suddenly Panama emerged as a hotspot for theft in its anchorages, according to the Caribbean Safety & Security Net.
In its recently released report for 2025, the crime reporting organization also noted that incidents in the British Virgin Islands appear to have declined dramatically. And violent crime in general dropped slightly, down to seven reports from eight in 2024.
From the CSSN summary:
In 2025, reported incidents of crimes against yachts in the Caribbean totaled 124, a 14 percent decrease from the record high of 145 incidents reported in 2024. This moderation follows a year of unprecedented activity and signals a return toward the five-year average of 119 incidents. Violent crimes continued their encouraging decline, falling to seven incidents (from eight in 2024).
Geographic concentration was a defining characteristic of 2025. On a positive note, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) saw a dramatic decline from 20 incidents to four.
Offsetting this improvement, Panama emerged as the most active country in the region, with all-time region-wide record high activity of 33 reports, a 200 percent increase from 11 in 2024. Activity in Panama was concentrated in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, and the Linton Bay area.
Activity in French Saint Martin increased modestly (from 13 to 15 incidents), remaining elevated; however, the nature of the activity shifted. St. Vincent and the Grenadines trended upward (from seven to 12 incidents) as cruising patterns normalized during the continued recovery from Hurricane Beryl.
In July 2025, three West Indian men received long sentences in connection with the murder of an American couple the year before, one of the most heinous crimes against foreign cruisers in recent memory. Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel of Fairfax, Virginia, were killed after the trio boarded their catamaran off Grand Anse Beach on Grenada in February 2024.
Panama’s government last year recognized the problem of outboard motor theft when it instituted harsher penalties for the crime. The penal code was amended to impose a prison sentence of six to eight years for the stealing motors valued over $250. The penalty also applies to those who anyone who deals in stolen motors.
The Bocas Del Toro cruisers page on Facebook contains the same type of advice heard through out the Lesser Antilles about securing dinghies and outboards at night and not leaving valuable items on deck.
If you area foreign cruiser in Panama waters, and you have some insight on the problem, please leave a comment below.
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
Few Floridian communities are as welcoming to the cruising community as CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Fort Myers Beach! This is a town that knows how to treat cruisers.
Few Floridian communities are as welcoming to the cruising community as CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Fort Myers Beach! This is a town that knows how to treat cruisers.
There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor. While berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you are certain to enjoy visiting Western Florida’s beautiful Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.
Fishermen’s Village APRIL Calendars of Entertainment/Events
April 2026 Sunset Beach Club CalendarApril 2026 Fisherman’s Village Calendar
Regulation 91 of the principal Regulation is amended in the new bill, with changes to temporary cruising permit fees. The fees for pleasure vessels are as follows:
Up to 30 days
• Not exceeding 30 feet in length – $150
• For vessels 31- 50 feet in length – $250.
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $350.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $600.
• Vessels on a 30 cruising permit are NOT entitled to a free reentry.
Up to 6 months
• Not exceeding 50 feet in length – $300
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $750.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $2,000.
• Vessels on a 6 month cruising permit are entitled to ONE free reentry within the duration of the permit.
Up to 12 months
• Not exceeding 50 feet in length – $500
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $1,000.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $3,000.
• Vessels on a 12 month cruising permit are entitled to TWO free reentries within the duration of the permit.
These fees cover:
• Cruising permit under regulation 90(a)
• Attendance fees by a customs officer for attendance and travel expenses
• Overtime and travel expenses in respect of the attendance of an immigration officer.
• Entrance into The Bahamas twice within a 30 day period.
These fees will not apply for ancillary equipment being towed or on board a pleasure vessel, excluding tenders exceeding 25 feet in length. The fee for a tender vessel exceeding 25 feet will be $500 for a period not exceeding 12 months. When a pleasure vessel carries more than three passengers, every additional passenger of or above the age of six and who is not an ordinary resident of the Bahamas will be subjected to a tax of $30.
Anchorage Fees
Anchorage fees for foreign vessels, not mooring at a marina, have been amended in a new regulation 91B.
Up to 30 days
• Not exceeding 30 feet in length – $50
• For vessels 31 to 100 feet in length – $100.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $200.
Up to 6 months
• Not exceeding 50 feet in length – $150
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $350.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $1,000.
Up to 12 months
• Not exceeding 50 feet in length – $200
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $350.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $1,500.
On the FDCC Permit
• Not exceeding 50 feet in length – $200
• For vessels 51 to 100 feet in length – $350.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $1,500.
• Anchorage fees are valid for two years.
Frequent Digital Cruising Card for Pleasure Vessels (FDCC)
Frequent Digital Cruising Card (FDCC) are available allowing unlimited visits for up to two years.
• For vessels under 50 feet in length – $1,500.
• For vessels 50 to 99 feet in length – $2,500.
• For vessels over 100 feet in length – $8,000.
These fees do NOT cover
• Attendance fees by a customs officer for attendance and travel expenses
• Overtime and travel expenses in respect of the attendance of an immigration officer.
Temporary Fishing Permits for Pleasure Vessels (no changes)
Fishing Permits are no longer included in the Cruising Permit fee. Foreign pleasure vessel fishing permits fees:
• For vessels under 50 feet in length – $100.
• For vessels 50 feet in length and over – $300.
Fishing permits are only valid for 30 days, even if you possess a 12-month cruising permit. It is necessary to renew fishing permits every 30 days.
The Association of Bahamas Marinas will continue to monitor any and all changes to the boating and fishing regulations and will send updates once any modifications are confirmed.
Makers Air and Staniel Cay Yacht Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, offer convenient flights to the Bahamas.
Yesterday the Government of The Bahamas executed two contracts for the construction of two airport projects: a terminal and airside works at Farmer’s Cay and also airside remediations at Staniel Cay.
Through initiatives like these, we continue to develop infrastructure, drive growth, enhance the quality of life, and unlock economic potential that supports a thriving economy and brighter future for all Bahamians.
Since the launch of the historic Family Islands Renaissance Project, over 14 airports have been completed or are under active construction, with more to come.
The affirms that all islands deserve the best airport infrastructure. Our Aviation and Airports Project Partners are working HARD to deliver results one island at a time! 🙏🏾🇧🇸✈️
Keep your calendar clear: Every season in Washington, NC brings something new and exciting. Enjoy local festivals, area concerts, or waterfront adventure.
Cruisers Net is proud to be a member of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, whose lobbying work is crucial to keeping the Waterway navigable and safe. Your membership dollars directly support their vital work. Please join and encourage your boating neighbors to do the same, regardless of their home port.
Federal funding was a major focus in Washington, D.C. this month with the release of the FY2026 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) Work Plan and the President’s Budget for FY2027.
Final Appropriations in FY2026 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
On April 7th, the Administration released the FY2026 Corps’ Work Plan identifying final funding amounts for the current fiscal year. The FY26 Work Plan can be accessed through this link.
Below are the totals for each state: the first number is the President’s budget, followed by the amount allocated in the Energy & Water Appropriations bill by Congress, and the Final FY26 funding included in the work plan.
VA: Albemarle Chesapeake Canal- President’s Budget- $3.597M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $3.597M, Final FY26 funding- $3.597M Dismal Swamp Canal- President’s Budget- $1.816M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $1.816M, Final FY26 funding- $1.816M
NC: President’s Budget- $12.490M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $16.712M, Final FY26 funding- $16.712M
SC: President’s Budget- $9.213M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $9.213M, Final FY26 funding- $9.213M
GA: President’s Budget- $6.265M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill – $6.265M, Final FY26 funding- $6.265M
FL: President’s Budget- $4.830M, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $4.830M, Final FY26 funding- $4.830M
Total for the AIWW: President’s Budget- $38.211 Million, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $42.433M, Final FY26 funding- $42.433 Million
Funding for our partners in the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway: President’s Budget- $1.715 Million, Energy & Water Appropriations bill- $1.715M, Final FY26 Amount- $2.135 Million
As you will note, we received an additional $4.222 million in a Community Project Funding earmark from Congressman Murphy over the President’s budget, but we did not receive any additional funding in this year’s Work Plan for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. However, we are happy to see our partners in NJ received an additional $420,000 in work plan funding. We still had a good year with project funding in every state, totaling over $42 million.
President’s Budget Released for FY2027
The President’s Budget for FY2027 (starting in October 2027) was released on April 3rd, and the press book outlining proposed projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is available by clicking here.
The administration is proposing $4.9 billion total for the Corps, which is $1.9 billion less than the final amount of funding they were provided in FY2026, a 23% reduction in their total allocation. Specifically related to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, they are proposing the amounts below:
In addition, they are proposing $334,000 for our partners along the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway.
Overall, the funding amounts aren’t as high as we need them to be, but we have funding in every state again! This is a significant win, especially considering the overall Corps budget faces a substantial reduction. We celebrate this first step in the process, and we thank our Corps’ partners for including each District in the budget. A table comparing FY25-FY27 is included below.
Looking ahead
The next step is for Congress to develop its funding amounts for the FY2027 Energy & Water appropriations bill. We are advocating for earmarks to increase these amounts in the coming weeks and months, and for programmatic funding in a FY27 work plan.
Through his efforts in FY 2026, we received an additional $4.222 million for the waterway in NC and hope to build on that successful effort in FY 2027.
To aid in the identification of real-time impacts from shoaling and waterway maintenance issues, we have launched a Commercial Operator and Corporate Member Stakeholder Group. The focus of this group is to assist the organization in identifying shoaling areas, bridge maintenance projects and other issues impacting use of the waterway; and help prioritize the areas that need to be addressed. With over 1,100 miles of Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and limited funding for waterway dredging and maintenance, we will use the resources created by this group to further refine our educational and advocacy efforts with the Administration and Congress.
The first quarterly meeting was held this month and our next will be in July. If you would like to become a member of this group and further assist us in developing resources to aid in our education and advocacy efforts, please consider joining as a corporate member or sponsor of the association.
SCDES Launches Enhanced Tools to Address Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Along South Carolina Coast
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services’s Bureau of Coastal Management (BCM) has announced the launch of new and improved tools to address abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) across coastal South Carolina.
Abandoned and derelict vessels remain a persistent issue in the state’s coastal environment. These vessels can damage sensitive marsh and bottom habitats, interfere with safe recreational use of waterways, and negatively impact the visual quality of coastal landscapes. The newly enhanced tools — available at MyCoast.org/SC/boat and des.sc.gov/adv — were developed through the MyCoast South Carolina platform to improve public reporting, streamline interagency coordination, and increase transparency around ongoing efforts to address ADVs.
“Abandoned and derelict vessels pose real risks to our environment and our communities,” said SCDES Director Myra Reece. “These new tools will make it easier for the public to report problem vessels and strengthen coordination between SCDES, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and local partners — helping agencies respond more efficiently and protect South Carolina’s coastal resources.”
As part of these updates, public boat reports submitted through MyCoast now route directly to appropriate South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Law Enforcement Division personnel and SCDES compliance project managers for review. BCM also has developed a centralized ADV database to improve communication and coordination among state, county and municipal partners, helping streamline investigations and documentation across the state’s eight coastal counties.
In addition, BCM has launched an updated public, interactive ADV dashboard. The dashboard provides real-time information on vessels under investigation, those eligible for removal, and vessels that have been removed since 2019, offering greater visibility into ADV efforts within South Carolina’s coastal zone.
BCM staff are available to answer questions about the new ADV tools. Learn more about the ADV program at des.sc.gov/adv and view the dashboard at MyCoast.org/SC/boat.
The AIWA is a national non-profit organization with the mission of securing funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We are the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW and proudly represent all stakeholders of the waterway.
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