Dismal Swamp Waterway Open-AICW

Traveling the Dismal Swamp on the ICW. Photo courtesy of the "Tellico Lady."

News from ActiveCaptain


The Welcome Center at the Dismal Swamp added a review a couple weeks ago providing an update on the Dismal Swamp:

https://activecaptain.com/X.php?lat=36.506911&lon=-76.355795&t=h&z=17

They also asked that we let all east coast boaters know that their waterway is open and ready for visitors. In addition, the ACOE crane barge, Elizabeth II, is going through the canal to make sure it is clear of debris for boaters. There are a few hazard markers along the Dismal Swamp route from last Fall - please update or delete them if the hazard no longer exists.


Thanks to all of the contributors there is no more reliable source for up-to-date information on the Dismal Swamp or anywhere else you cruise.


Are you traveling the AICW and have pictures or information concerning the Virginia- North Carolina region to share? Please e-mail them to skipjacknauticalwares@gmail.com. so we can share them with others traveling the AICW.  Have a great day and a safe passage.  Joe Elder, MilemarkerO.blogspot.com.

Boating News: Five Wintertime Tasks To Save Gas This Summer

With fuel costs on the rise, the nation's largest boat owners' group has five fuel saving tasks  that can put a dent in your summer fuel bills. All of these tips from Boat  Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) are time tested to reduce fuel  consumption, and boaters can accomplish most of them now while their boats are  in winter layup - before the boating season begins

Lighten  the load: It's one of easiest  no-cost things to save on gas, and applies to just about every boat type on the  water - power, sail or fishing. With the boat on jack stands or in the garage,  jump aboard and take a good look at what you really need and clear out all of  that junk under the floorboards, in lockers, or in less-used storage areas. And, if she's already in in the slip, remember that water  weighs over eight pounds per gallon. Carrying more than necessary in freshwater  and waste tanks is almost as bad as flushing money down the head.

Get  a tune-up: An annual engine tune-up,  whether you do it yourself or ask a marine professional, is a must for any  powerboat owner. It's also likely to save you the most money on gas in the long  run.

Check  the prop: To avoid any delay in  launching this spring, take your motor's prop to your marina, dealer or local  prop shop now while they are less busy and can repair any dings. It's also good  to have a discussion on your current boating needs.

Trailering fuel-saving tips: Check tire pressure for proper inflation, ensure you  have a tight fitting cover to decrease wind drag. Also, a five or six mile per  hour decrease in towing speed will give a noticeable decrease in fuel  consumption.

Pay less for gas: Join BoatUS for only $24/year and the member fuel discount can be as much as $.10 off  each gallon of fuel at over 340 BoatUS Cooperating  Marinas. It's one of the Association's more popular member benefits and can pay  for itself in as little as one or two fill-ups. For membership  information, visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

Dismal Swamp Canal - Closure for Lock Maintenance

South Mill Lock,  North Carolina.

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, the Corps of Engineers will begin repairs to the South Mills Lock on the Dismal Swamp Canal. Therefore, the locks at Deep Creek, Virginia and South Mills, North Carolina will stop operating after the last scheduled locking at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The Dismal Swamp Canal, Route 2 of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, will be temporarily closed to through vessel traffic until repairs are complete. The repairs are expected to take 60 to 90 days.

The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, Route 1 through the Great Bridge lock at Chesapeake, Virginia, will be open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Operators will monitor Channel 13. Should you have any questions concerning this matter, please call 757-201-7642.

Reported by Bob McBribe, Mile Marker "0" Marine Supplies. for more information, contact Bob at (757) 673-4186.

Colonel Crawford’s Olde Towne Holiday History Tours Are BACK in to Olde Towne Portsmouth.

It is more than a walk through the streets of Olde Towne Portsmouth, when you take one of Colonel Crawford’s acclaimed Living History Tours, it is a little bit of history come to life. Since 2002, Eric “Ricky” Price has portrayed the founder of Portsmouth, Virginia, Colonel William Crawford, and extolled the extensive history of this early colonial port.

The Holiday History Tour is a 60 to 75 minute stroll through the history, homes and hearts that created the “faire towne” of Portsmouth, and will cover approximately one mile. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. Prepare to be educated and delighted with this walking production, which “is never quite the same!”

Tours will be conducted Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m. and will depart from the Courthouse Gallery at High and Court Streets. Tours will continue through December 31 – including Christmas Day.

Ticket prices are as follows: General Admission - $10.00 Senior (62+) and Military / two for $15.00 Children 8 and younger – FREE but not advised.
Fees are collected at the time of the tour.

Private Group tours with Colonel Crawford are available any day and time with ten or more advance reservations. To reserve a group tour, contact Colonel Crawford (Eric Price) directly at 757.391.0155 (message-quick return) to reserve a tour or email at ColCrawfordAndCo@aol.com

For more information call the Portsmouth Visitor’s Center at 393-5111.

You've got a friend at Mile Marker 0

Mile Marker "0" Marine Supply is located at the High Street basin, Portsmouth, Virginia

By Karen and Jeffrey Siegel
aCappella
Castine, Maine

Our own cruising this week brought us to Portsmouth, Virginia and mile marker 0 of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. While there we met the owner of a new marine supply store, Robert McBride. He told us that he wants to help cruisers coming through the area. He specializes in getting parts, holding them for arrival, and providing service above and beyond the call. We wish he hadn't said that to us.

Our generator's raw water pump started dripping while anchored off the Chesapeake a week ago. We knew a rebuild was coming but Westerbeke parts are difficult to get and we hoped it would wait until we got settled in Florida. Right after talking to Robert, the pump started spraying water. It needed attention now.

So we show up at the store at 9 am and give our tale of woe along with the part numbers. Let's see what you can do Mr. McBride. Normally, I'd expect Westerbeke parts to take a few days since the common distributors don't carry them. Two hours later I get a call - a new pump and a rebuild kit will be at the store that afternoon. That afternoon? Robert drove to Norfolk to have the parts available that same day.

Before dinner that night we installed the new pump and it's working perfectly. We'll rebuild the old one in the next month. The prices for everything were exactly what we expected. The service was way, way above our expectation though. Remember this store if you're passing through Portsmouth and need anything. Propane, parts, beer, anything.  Robert is more than a supplier - he's a friend to all of us.

www.activecaptain.com
The Interactive Cruising Guidebook

Mile Marker "0"

One High Street

Portsmouth, VA 23704

757-673-4816

milemarker0@cox.net

Tis the Season...Boaters Traveling South on the ICW

Yachts fill up High Street Landing, Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA.

It is the season and the boating traffic on the Elizabeth river at mile marker "O" heading south for the winter months is now in full swing.  Each year the number of boaters discovering our quaint historic seaport is rapidly growing.  Boaters visiting for the first time are joining the ranks of the returning boaters who visit with us each season.  According to local sources, the marinas were booked solid this last weekend and so were Olde Towne Portsmouth Virginia's two public basins, with elbow-room only space available as many friendly boaters traveling in groups rafted together.  So were the number of boaters that had anchored out at Swimming Point, and the growing numbers are for the most not by chance.  According to Karen & Jeffrey Siegel of ActiveCaptain most boaters do not just happen up to a location.  They plan their cruising agenda months in advance and book their marina reservations then as well.  And marinas as well as other anchoring locations located north of Hatteras, North Carolina are full waiting for the November 1st date that hinders boaters from continuing farther south due to their insurance restrictions.  Also, the fuel costs here in Virginia are cheaper than in North Carolina, sometimes as much as .50 cents per gallon due to North Carolina added gas tax.

Betsy Cartier of Starboards Coffee Kiosk, our High Street Landing concierge who has been meeting and greeting the incoming boating traffic now going on 9 years stated "it's nice to welcome new boaters and also to see old friends from years past stopping in as they pass through Olde Towne".  Visiting boaters from nearby marinas amble over to the Kiosk for muffins and local maps and don't leave until this dynamic welcoming committee of one has inspired them to explore the area on foot. Make sure that you ask Betsy or David for a copy of the "Unofficial Boaters Guide To Old Towne Portsmouth" or you can download it here at "Welcome to Mile Marker "O" Blogspot by clicking on the picture of the guide located on the left column of this page.

A new addition to the High Street Landing is Mile Marker "O" Marine Supply. Make sure that you go in and meet owner Bob McBride and staff for your needed boating supplies and other necessaries or call him in advance and have your parts ready when you arrive.  His number is (757) 673-4816 or you can write him at milemarker0@cox.net.

Yachts raft together due to limited space at the High Street Landing.

Besides the numerous restaurants, taverns and pubs that boaters frequent that are located along the 7 block High Street corridor and of course the famous Commodore theater that everyone comes from all destinations to dine and watch a first run movie, this week boasts Olde Towne's famous Halloween events weekend.  First, is the 31st Annual Olde Towne Ghost Walk, Friday, October 28, 2011.  Based on the Jack-the-Ripper Walks in London, participants in the 31st annual Olde Towne GhostWalk will be treated to some of the most haunting stories of Portsmouthç—´ past.  Guides take spectators on a walk past haunted houses and mansions of Olde Towne, a 20-square block, 500 building area on the National Register of Historic Places.  At each house on the tour, actors in appropriate costume will retell the legends of ghostly visitations and things that go bump in the night. Click on the link above for details.

On Saturday, October 29, the City of Portsmouth features Portsmouth Museum Madness Noon-6:00 p.m. Enjoy a haunting day of Halloween fun at the Portsmouth Museums, including frightfully fun Arts and Crafts, Face Painting, and Wizardry!  Do it all with a $12.00 “Museum Madness” pass. Street Closure Notice: Both sides of High Street will be closed between Green Street and Crawford Street from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Museum Madness and Safe Trick-Or-Treat activities.

Annual Safe Trick or Treat in Olde Towne Portsmouth

 Also on Saturday is the Olde Towne Business Association's Annual Safe Trick or Treat in Olde Towne Portsmouth. For children up to age 12. Held along the seven historic blocks of High Street corridor between Effingham Street and Water Street.  It's a great evening to walk around Portsmouth's downtown and see the thousands of little ghosts and gremlins all decked out in Halloween attire.

Beyond Halloween, you may also want to walk up High Street Saturday morning to the corner of Court Street, just outside the Courthouse Galleries where they hold the weekly Olde Towne Farmers Market.  Held from 9 am to 1 pm, find a great assortment of fruit, veggies, eggs, poultry, meat, bread, herbs and more.

That's it for this post.  Hope you are having a wonderful journey south and please stop in and say hi! We're a friendly bunch here in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Cheers,
Joe Elder
Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery
http://milemarker0icw.blogspot.com/

Backyard Bliss. Cruising the Southern Chesapeake Bay

October 2011 issue of Yachting Magazine

In a recent article written by George Sass, Sr., the Cruising Yachtsman for Yachting Magazine (October 2011 issue), George reviews some of his favorite destinations of the southern section of the Chesapeake Bay. No wonder that Portsmouth, Virginia was included in the mix. 

The article covers a wide range of favorite boating destinations, from Washington D.C. and Old Towne Alexandria on the Potomac River to Crisfield and Smith Island in Maryland. The author continues his adventure into Virginia where he visits Deltaville on the Rappahannock River and then on to Norfolk and Portsmouth on the Elizabeth, mile marker "0",  the gateway to the 1000-mile journey south down the AICW. 

Portsmouth, Virginia is a good stop for museums, shops and fine dining. Photo by George Sass, Jr.

Portsmouth, Virginia -- mentioned with its waterfront revival and two large marinas, Tidewater Yacht  and Ocean Marine Yacht Center -- is considered by the author as a good place to stay because of the short walking distance (along High Street) to our restaurants, shops and museums.

Though it's a short article and even smaller mention about Portsmouth in this Yachting Magazine article, it is still worth visiting the idea behind the inclusion. Portsmouth, Virginia's prime location on the Intra-Coastal Waterway is certainly a growing attraction and stop-over for the traveling yachtsman headed south in the fall and again north in the spring. 

The waterfront does boast two exceptional marinas with Tidewater and Ocean Marine. Boaters can also take advantage of short stays at both the North basin and the High Street basin, both with ferry stops and a short ferry ride to Norfolk's waterside and its big city offerings. 

Boaters arrive at the High Street basin at the foot of High Street, Downtown Portsmouth.

Portsmouth is known as one of Virginia's earliest and most historic seaports with the Gosport Navy Yard, now known as the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and its very long and distinguished history of maritime "firsts". Portsmouth's maritime history dates back to 1620, when the land that is now Portsmouth was recognized as a suitable shipbuilding location by John Wood, a shipbuilder, who petitioned King James for the land grant. Portsmouth's shipyards have played a major role in every war since the settlement of our country and in 2012 celebrates its role during the 200th anniversary of  the War of 1812.  Portsmouth and the Navy Yard were attacked by the British under Adm. Sir John B. Warren and Brigadier Gen. Sir Sydney Beckwith, who were defeated at the Battle of Craney Island.  2012 is also the 150th anniversary of the "Battle of Hampton Roads," the first ironclad battle in naval warfare between the USS MONITOR and the CSS VIRGINIA. The VIRGINIA was built in 1862 on the burned out hull of the USS MERRIMAC at the Gosport Navy Yard.

The CSS VIRGINIA being constructed in 1862 at the Gosport Navy Yard.

Today, Portmouth's downtown boasts some of the finest restaurants, sports bars and pubs along the seven block High Street corridor, mostly chef and family owned and managed eateries with fast food selections around the London-Effingham Streets crossing. Portsmouth also has five interesting museums all within a short walking distance of the waterfront, including the newly renovated and expanded Children's Museum. The Olde  Towne historic district is filled with period homes and is one of the largest collections of early properties in the Mid-Atlantic.

Portsmouth offers a fine selection of antique shops and unique specialty stores.

You will also find a selection of antique shops and unique boutiques along the 12 historic squares of High Street and at the High Street basin on the riverfront. Though the downtown selection of stores have certainly dropped since the 2007 and beyond recessionary years, the small, privately owned stores are starting to slowly return and hopefully will again fill the empty voids that now line our downtown streets.

As an added note, Portsmouth has certainly seen a big increase in the number of visiting yachtsmen that have now discovered our quaint historic seaport and the wonderful offerings that are available to them. Find out for yourself why Olde Towne/downtown Portsmouth is considered "the best kept secret" of Hampton Roads. Not many cities can boast such a prime location on such a busy boating highway!