Outstanding video! The raft-up and tour at the Dismal Swamp seemed wonderful to me. All of you are experiencing such a wonderful educational experience.
It looks like you aren't covering your dingy/tender when it rains. It won't last long that way, collecting rain and the sun beating down on it all day. Love your videos, and watching since your cast-off. It also looks like you guys are having way too much fun. I am so jealous.
Great observation! We purposefully keep our tender ready to deploy in case of an emergency. It may get a little extra sun exposure but that’s a small price to pay for safety.
You guys are awsome! I just learned about the loop and found your channel. The loop is the boating adventure I always dreamed about but never knew was a thing. I now have a goal to work towards, till then I'm going to enjoy your adventures 😁. Thanks so much for taking us along! We just lost our 20 year old tuxedo cat named Lucy, seeing your two makes me smile and think of her. Be safe out there ✌️
We are so sorry to hear about your loss. I bet Lucy was a wonderful kitty! It took us 15 years of dreaming and planning to do our loop. Now that you have your goal, I bet you will be looping before you know it. Thanks for your sweet comment and for joining our adventure.
Thanks for the sweet comment! We are so glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding rating etiquette, boaters are an incredibly kind, inclusive and supportive group. I was stressed that there wouldn't be room for us on the free dock -- especially given our large size. But the boaters ahead of us knew we were coming and planned for our arrival. They were waiting for us and welcomed us in. Fun fact - we did not know the the boat that we rafted up to, but we became wonderful friends along the Loop. They actually saved the day for us in Canada and will forever have superhero status in our book. Stay tuned for that fun episode.
Well maybe I won’t be so scared or reluctant about the Dismal Swamp in the future. Although I really hate snakes and ticks and mosquitos 🤦🏼♀️ I know I say it all the time, but your energy really is inspiring. Thanks for sharing your journey Boomershines.
Thank YOU for joining our adventure and cheering us on! Definitely do the Dismal Swamp. Just stay on the paths to avoid snakes and ticks and use a good bug spray. And whatever you do, DO NOT use your thrusters. More on that in our next episode LOL
Admiral Cinda, shame on you. Telling the kiddos that was a Brussels Spout festival. 😂 Cool beans, y’all made it to the Dismal Swamp. They packed y’all in that lock. The swamp is so scenic. Hopefully nobody had any ticks. I can see why Capt Mark was looking forward to the Dismal Swamp. I’m like him, the sounds at night in the swamp is awesome. Especially when I have tinnitus really bad. The night time sounds help drown out the tinnitus. The kids looked like they were enjoying the wildlife as y’all were cruising along.
It was a magical day on the water with all the critters -- ticks excluded. Thankfully we avoided the ticks, but others weren't as lucky. One of the boats had a dog that literally had hundreds of ticks on it. They spent hours picking them off. Yuck. And too bad we missed the Brussels sprout festival LOL
I rowed from Town Point Park in Norfolk, when the area was nothing but old warehouses, to the Coast Guard Station in Elizabeth City 4 times and knew the Dismal Swamp to be HAUNTED!
The DS is probably the most reflective/mirror water your ever going to see on this trip. It can play some serious mind games when the sun is just right.
LOL Seeing that we had to google that term, you are going to be waiting a bunch more episodes to hear it. But now I am kind of obsessed and excited to add it to my boating vernacular.
If we ever do the loop again we will absolutely stop again! Thank you for having us and for all the hospitality we experienced while there. The free walls/docks are a wonderful thing :)
@@TheBoomershines Great channel and great adventure. Thank you for the graceous reply highlighting it for others, and for sharing your journey with everyone! And if I may make another suggestion... ... Try brussel sprouts drissled with basalmic vinegar glaze, it may turn them into a favorite :)
@@_davis435 LOL basalmic glaze makes everything better! Our favorite way to use it is drizzled over burrata with fresh basal on a piece of French bread. So yummy!
@@TheBoomershines yep I lived off Escambia river north of Pensacola and the swamps was my backward. I would sleep on the back porch in the summer time. We had no AC back then
What line hangers are you using towards the rear of the bridge on the port side? They are yellow and on the horizontal rail and you have 4 sets of lines. I'm guessing velcro. Can you share a link to these? Thank you, Rob
At the lock, you were told to shut engines off? Did any other locks say this? I thought they wanted motors running when we did river, gulf portion of the loop. Thought it was safety so boats weren't starting up in the locks.
@@mazi302 Different locks had different policies. Some insisted you turn your engines off. Others told you to keep them on. We just asked the lock masters which we needed to do. If I remember correctly, Canadian locks required us to turn off our engines which I prefered. Otherwise you are breathing the fumes of all the boats in the lock.
Nutria were borough into the country. There pelts were used for making men’s hats. They look like very big rats with the back legs creating a hump. We have had them in our back yard here in north Florida.
Lol. I note sarcasm here. We were going as slow as we possibly could without rowing the boat ourselves. No one in their right mind would speed thru there.
We were on the Dismal Swamp Canal that goes thru the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. While the South Mills Lock is just south of the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, most people consider it the start of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Interestingly, the Dismal Swamp Canal is part of the Intercostal Waterway and one of the sections of the ICW where you have a choice of two routes north/south. Hope that clears up any confusion.
To those of us who grew up in the area, the Dismal Swamp is Lake Drummond. The ICW canal has a spur to Lake Drummond which 'natives' will avoid after dark. When I was travelling to Elizabeth City, if I made it thru the South Mills lock, which closed at nightfall, I'd pull up and tie onto a branch for the night and the sounds I'd hear were NOT made by any identifiable animals known to inhabit the area...I'm in Tucson, Arizona and I'm getting a chill as I write this - there were vertical 'lights' seen to hover over the black water, from the tannins released by the rotting vegetation. There are also stories of an encampment on Lake Drummond occupied by 'runaway' enslaved humans who never came out of the swamp.@@TheBoomershines
Too much video of the lady talking and not enough of the boat, how it was watching the draft and the views. In fact, too much commentary all the way around.
@@JeffVanDerford Thanks for watching. The “Lady”, my wife Cinda, brings a very entertaining aspect to the event. There are plenty of information rich Loop UA-camrs with less commentary. We are choosing to present a little more entertaining viewpoint. To each their own. ⚓️Capt. Mark
Mind blown! I would never have imagined a boat like Sea Shine navigating such a narrow channel. < 5' depth is 😬
What a great video. Thank you! Thank you!
So glad you liked it! And thank YOU for taking the time to write such a kind comment :)
Fabulous, love your adventure!!!
Thank you! Thanks for joining the adventure with us!
Another great episode! Shine on.
Thank you :)
Outstanding video! The raft-up and tour at the Dismal Swamp seemed wonderful to me. All of you are experiencing such a wonderful educational experience.
Thank you! It was a great day on the loop for sure!
It looks like you aren't covering your dingy/tender when it rains. It won't last long that way, collecting rain and the sun beating down on it all day. Love your videos, and watching since your cast-off. It also looks like you guys are having way too much fun. I am so jealous.
Great observation! We purposefully keep our tender ready to deploy in case of an emergency. It may get a little extra sun exposure but that’s a small price to pay for safety.
You guys are awsome! I just learned about the loop and found your channel. The loop is the boating adventure I always dreamed about but never knew was a thing. I now have a goal to work towards, till then I'm going to enjoy your adventures 😁. Thanks so much for taking us along! We just lost our 20 year old tuxedo cat named Lucy, seeing your two makes me smile and think of her. Be safe out there ✌️
We are so sorry to hear about your loss. I bet Lucy was a wonderful kitty! It took us 15 years of dreaming and planning to do our loop. Now that you have your goal, I bet you will be looping before you know it. Thanks for your sweet comment and for joining our adventure.
Fantastic video... really great footage of how tight the channel is aboard Seashine. What is the typical rafting etiquette getting to shore?
Thanks for the sweet comment! We are so glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding rating etiquette, boaters are an incredibly kind, inclusive and supportive group. I was stressed that there wouldn't be room for us on the free dock -- especially given our large size. But the boaters ahead of us knew we were coming and planned for our arrival. They were waiting for us and welcomed us in. Fun fact - we did not know the the boat that we rafted up to, but we became wonderful friends along the Loop. They actually saved the day for us in Canada and will forever have superhero status in our book. Stay tuned for that fun episode.
Well maybe I won’t be so scared or reluctant about the Dismal Swamp in the future. Although I really hate snakes and ticks and mosquitos 🤦🏼♀️ I know I say it all the time, but your energy really is inspiring. Thanks for sharing your journey Boomershines.
Thank YOU for joining our adventure and cheering us on! Definitely do the Dismal Swamp. Just stay on the paths to avoid snakes and ticks and use a good bug spray. And whatever you do, DO NOT use your thrusters. More on that in our next episode LOL
Ka Kaw Ka Kaw, universal signal!
We agree!!! Glad we speak the same language LOL
Admiral Cinda, shame on you. Telling the kiddos that was a Brussels Spout festival. 😂 Cool beans, y’all made it to the Dismal Swamp. They packed y’all in that lock. The swamp is so scenic. Hopefully nobody had any ticks. I can see why Capt Mark was looking forward to the Dismal Swamp. I’m like him, the sounds at night in the swamp is awesome. Especially when I have tinnitus really bad. The night time sounds help drown out the tinnitus. The kids looked like they were enjoying the wildlife as y’all were cruising along.
It was a magical day on the water with all the critters -- ticks excluded. Thankfully we avoided the ticks, but others weren't as lucky. One of the boats had a dog that literally had hundreds of ticks on it. They spent hours picking them off. Yuck. And too bad we missed the Brussels sprout festival LOL
I rowed from Town Point Park in Norfolk, when the area was nothing but old warehouses, to the
Coast Guard Station in Elizabeth City 4 times and knew the Dismal Swamp to be HAUNTED!
Impressive and YIKES! Do you have any stories you can tell us?
Boy this is one I finish. Many people before have been through this swamp folks.
The swamp is definitely worth a visit!
Should see it when the leaves are changing.
I bet it is absolutely amazing in the fall!!!
The DS is probably the most reflective/mirror water your ever going to see on this trip. It can play some serious mind games when the sun is just right.
It sure can play serious mind games! We will show that in our next episode as we leave the dismal swamp. But MAN was it beautiful!!!
It is the Dismal Swamp canal, but it is in the Great Dismal Swamp. The great makes it sound cooler.
LOL it certainly does!
Remember this view. If you ever cross an ocean you will have days and days with just nothing except sea and sky!
The swamp made it feel very cozy -- so different from the vastness of a crossing. Both are beautiful in my humble opinion.
I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to hear the Captain order "Single-up all lines!" I've been waiting 25 episodes for that. 😁
LOL Seeing that we had to google that term, you are going to be waiting a bunch more episodes to hear it. But now I am kind of obsessed and excited to add it to my boating vernacular.
@@TheBoomershines 😁
Swamps always make me think of that old classic movie "Frogs"
We may need to watch that. LOL
@@TheBoomershines You may add another area to be avoided to the ocean though LOL
@@michiganengineer8621 LOL so maybe we won't watch it. Just googled LOL
Hope you stopped in Elizabeth City NC .
We did! We show that stop in our previous blog episode (EP 25). It was such a welcoming town.
@@TheBoomershines Great ! Hope you enjoyed your stay we certain thank you for the visit , please return . Safe travels !
If we ever do the loop again we will absolutely stop again! Thank you for having us and for all the hospitality we experienced while there. The free walls/docks are a wonderful thing :)
Wasn't the stretch of the Pasquotank from Eliz City to South Mills the most beautiful waterway you've ever cruised?
It was SPECTACULAR! Totally like our own personal jungle cruise but so much prettier!
Stop in and see Mike at Portsmouth Boating Center at ICW Mile Marker Zero. Best fuel prices you'll find
Unfortunately we missed it but that is great info for loopers behind us! Thanks for sharing!
@@TheBoomershines Great channel and great adventure. Thank you for the graceous reply highlighting it for others, and for sharing your journey with everyone! And if I may make another suggestion...
... Try brussel sprouts drissled with basalmic vinegar glaze, it may turn them into a favorite :)
@@_davis435 LOL basalmic glaze makes everything better! Our favorite way to use it is drizzled over burrata with fresh basal on a piece of French bread. So yummy!
Sounds like home to me!
The swamp had the most magical sound track! So glad we got to spend the night so that we could hear all the critters sing their songs.
@@TheBoomershines yep I lived off Escambia river north of Pensacola and the swamps was my backward. I would sleep on the back porch in the summer time. We had no AC back then
@@mitch326m That is so cool! Well maybe not actually cool LOL but certainly fun!
What line hangers are you using towards the rear of the bridge on the port side? They are yellow and on the horizontal rail and you have 4 sets of lines. I'm guessing velcro. Can you share a link to these? Thank you, Rob
They are velcro straps -- amzn.to/46j04Sb
They were super handy on the boat. We used them for a number of things.
At the lock, you were told to shut engines off? Did any other locks say this? I thought they wanted motors running when we did river, gulf portion of the loop. Thought it was safety so boats weren't starting up in the locks.
@@mazi302 Different locks had different policies. Some insisted you turn your engines off. Others told you to keep them on. We just asked the lock masters which we needed to do. If I remember correctly, Canadian locks required us to turn off our engines which I prefered. Otherwise you are breathing the fumes of all the boats in the lock.
Alligators are in the dismal swamp and if it’s title or brackish sharks can make it in there as well
We got conflicting reports about the alligators. Have you seen one there?
Nutria were borough into the country. There pelts were used for making men’s hats. They look like very big rats with the back legs creating a hump. We have had them in our back yard here in north Florida.
You learn something new every day LOL
Looks like y'all are speeding as the ditch is a no-wake zone at 6 mph max.
Lol. I note sarcasm here. We were going as slow as we possibly could without rowing the boat ourselves. No one in their right mind would speed thru there.
@@TheBoomershines My best time from Norfolk to Elizabeth City was 13 hours 16 minutes..over-nighting at South Mills.
how do you keep your cats on the boat? don't they wanna jump on a dock?
@@ddorota2401 great question. When we are at the docks, we have to be very careful not to let them out. When we are on anchor, we let them wander.
What make of boat is Shadow?
The South Mills Lock is well past the Dismal Swamp. I think you're confusing the Dismal Swamp with the Intercoastal Waterway.
We were on the Dismal Swamp Canal that goes thru the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. While the South Mills Lock is just south of the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, most people consider it the start of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Interestingly, the Dismal Swamp Canal is part of the Intercostal Waterway and one of the sections of the ICW where you have a choice of two routes north/south. Hope that clears up any confusion.
To those of us who grew up in the area, the Dismal Swamp is Lake Drummond. The ICW canal has a spur to Lake Drummond which 'natives' will avoid after dark. When I was travelling to Elizabeth City, if I made it thru the South Mills lock, which closed at nightfall, I'd pull up and tie onto a branch for the night and the sounds I'd hear were NOT made by any identifiable animals known to inhabit the area...I'm in Tucson, Arizona and I'm getting a chill as I write this - there were vertical 'lights' seen to hover over the black water, from the tannins released by the rotting vegetation. There are also stories of an encampment on Lake Drummond occupied by 'runaway' enslaved humans who never came out of the swamp.@@TheBoomershines
❤❤😂😂
☺️
I think I heard banjo music.
You did indeed!
It’s pronounced Naw fuk or Nor fuk😜
We clearly aren't locals LOL
Too much video of the lady talking and not enough of the boat, how it was watching the draft and the views. In fact, too much commentary all the way around.
@@JeffVanDerford Thanks for watching. The “Lady”, my wife Cinda, brings a very entertaining aspect to the event. There are plenty of information rich Loop UA-camrs with less commentary. We are choosing to present a little more entertaining viewpoint. To each their own. ⚓️Capt. Mark