Every year, we ask the same question: should we take the Dismal Swamp or Virginia Cut? We’ve made the trip up and down the ICW a dozen or more times now, and on each trip, we weigh the pros and cons of the scenic Dismal Swamp Canal versus the more traditional Virginia Cut. For those heading southbound from Norfolk, VA, on the ICW, this is one of your first decisions. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of each route so you can make the best choice for your boat and crew.
Dismal Swamp Canal Versus the Virginia Cut
Overall, cruisers find the Dismal Swamp a wonderful break from the hustle of Hampton Roads. It’s a peaceful escape from wakes, the fast boat passes, and a truly unique experience. The Dismal Swamp is one of our favorite parts of the ICW and one of the best places for spending some time in nature along the ICW. But not every boat should take this route—there are issues with depths, “dead heads” and other underwater obstructions, and trees overhanging the narrow canal. The bottom line is that if you want to go fast, your boat draws more than 6 feet, or you worry about the damage that hitting an underwater log might do, your best bet is to stick to the Virginia Cut.
Cruisers taking the Virginia Cut route have more room to spread out and will enjoy easier lock and bridge timing. There are more marina options—including the famous Coinjock steak—and the ability to go fast without speed restrictions.
Speed Restrictions and Powerboat Considerations
The Dismal Swamp Canal is very narrow, and you may be sharing the water with kayaks, canoes, or small fishing boats. The entire canal is a no-wake zone. In addition to the lack of room to maneuver, wakes will dislodge more tree branches and deadheads while eroding the shoreline.
If you want to get on plane, take the Virginia Cut. But that’s not the whole story.
Everyone who goes through the Dismal Swamp experiences a “bump” or two, regardless of their draft. The bumps are logs underwater, trees that have fallen across the canal and been cut, their stumps or limbs left floating on the edges or sinking toward the bottom. The deeper your draft or the closer you are to the edges, the more likely you will get a few bumps.
Why does this matter to powerboats? A beefy ocean-going trawler with a nice keel likely won’t care, but a sportfish with thousands of dollars worth of running gear dangling down there could suffer real damage even if they’re going slow. Sailboaters are the least likely to care since their keels are (generally) built to withstand a hard grounding or two.
Canal Depths
The Corp of Engineers says the controlling depth on the Dismal Swamp Canal is 6 feet. However, in May 2024, our depth sounder reported 5.7 at Lake Drummond. This area should be approached with caution. The Dismal Swamp will be most comfortable for boats with drafts of less than 5.5 feet. Remember, the canal is only used by recreational boats these days, so dredging is limited.
The Virginia Cut is wider and deeper. In fact, large commercial barges trekking between Norfolk and Morehead City, NC, continually use it. However, boaters must still be diligent about staying in the channel. The Currituck Sound area especially has some dramatic shoaling outside the narrow channel. We’ve seen boats run aground here often.
As always, the best source of information will be the AquaMap app with the Army Corp of Engineers surveys activated (Master subscription). If you’re taking the Virginia Cut, you can also use Bob423’s tracks to get you through.
Canal Locks and Bridges
The regular ICW route (Virginia Cut) has one lock, while the Dismal Swamp alternate route has two. In all three cases, the lock timings are also “connected” to nearby draw bridges—if you go through one, the other is timed to open at the same time.
Dismal Swamp Canal: The Deep Creek Lock is on the canal’s north end, and the South Mills Lock is on the south end. The water level in the canal is steady (although droughts and severe floods have been known to cause the canal to close completely), while tides affect the two ends.
The Locks operate at 8:30, 11:00, 1:30, and 3:30. Boaters entering the canal are locked through first. For example, if you’re southbound and arrive outside the Deep Creek Lock by 8:30, you will be the first to lock through. After you exit the lock, you’ll travel the half mile where the lockmaster will open the Deep Creek Bridge. At that point, you’ll pass any northbound boats that might have been waiting for the bridge and lock. They’ll go through the bridge at 8:50 or 9:00, since they must wait for the entering vessels first. But, if no southbound vessels are waiting for the opening, the lockmaster will check to see if anyone is northbound. In that case, a northbound vessel might lock through at the published time. The same scenario occurs at South Mills Lock, except the northbound vessels go first (vessels entering the canal always go first).
Boaters averaging 5 knots can pass through both locks in one day. So, when heading south, you could pass through the Deep Creek lock at 8:30 or 11 and travel the 22.4 miles to the South Mills Lock by 1:30 or 3:30. Many boaters, however, take their time and spend the night at one of the free docks along the canal.
On the Virginia Cut, the connection between the Lock (MM 11.7) and Bridge (MM 12.2) is even more complicated. The Great Bridge Bridge (also called the Battlefield Blvd Bridge) operates on the hour, 24 hours a day. The Lock has no published schedule; it just operates with the bridge.
So, here’s how it works: A southbound vessel should arrive at the Lock about 20 minutes after the hour. Southbound vessels will be locked through the Great Bridge Lock in time for the Great Bridge Bridge opening on the hour. So, if you arrive at 1:20 PM, you will go through the lock and then go through the 2:00 PM bridge opening.
Northbound vessels should arrive at the Bridge just before the hour to make it through the hourly bridge opening and then be immediately locked through.
A lockmaster will offer assistance and instructions no matter which lock you use. Call them on VHF Channel 13 before entering the lock. Expect them to tell you which side of the lock to tie to and whether or not fenders are needed. All will request that you have two 50-foot-long dock lines ready, one bow and one stern. You will give them to the lockmaster, who uses a boat hook to grab your line, warp it around a bollard, and hand it back to you.
Your crew can then hold onto the line and ease it or bring it in, depending on whether you are going down or up. The rise and fall may be an inch or up to 8 feet.
Other Hazards
The Dismal Swamp Canal is a fun adventure, but there are considerations to know before you go. We’ve already mentioned the risk of hitting deadheads and underwater logs. Since you’ll be going slow, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for most seaworthy vessels. However, you might want to think twice if you have exposed running gear.
Another risk comes from above: trees overhang the canal along most of its route. Sailboaters must look up and swerve to keep their rigging out of the branches. It’s a quick and easy way to lose a $1,000 wind instrument or anchor light.
There are no lights or markers along the narrow canal—it should be considered a daytime-only route. If you want to stay late, consider spending the night at one of the free docks. Be sure to plan to get there before dark because it is very dark out there!
Floating plants, known as “duckweed,” are another thing to worry about. At certain times of the year (usually autumn), the duckweed covers the canal in a thick, bright green blanket. On our trip in early November 2020, the swamp was filled with duckweed. Most boats had to pull over a few times to empty their sea strainers, which were quickly clogging with duckweed and causing their engines to overheat. You can call ahead to the Corp or a Lockmaster for a current duckweed report. When we traveled in May 2024, the duckweed was no issue.
Deadheads and logs can be an issue on the ICW between Great Bridge bridge and Belhaven. However, they are probably less likely on the Virginia Cut route than the Dismal Swamp route—the canal is much wider and is frequented by large commercial barges. Sailboats will not need to worry about tree branches in their rigging, and we have never encountered duckweed on the Virginia Cut route.
What will you encounter on the regular ICW? Boat wakes and a lot more traffic. You’ll also have to contend with more bridges, each with its own restrictions. Check ahead for current information on the Great Bridge Bridge, the Centerville Turnpike Bridge, and the North Landing Bridge.
One year, the Great Bridge Lock only opened every two hours; one year, it only opened 8-4; and another year, it was temporarily closed during a thunderstorm. The North Landing Bridge may have rush hour restrictions or only open one span. The Centerville Turnpike bridge also has rush hour restrictions.
Which Route is Quicker?
The ICW southbound routes diverge at MM 7.5 and converge at Alligator River at MM 68. Both routes cover the same mileage. However, their different speed limits, bridge and lock timing, and anchorage and marina options will impact your overall travel speed. For fast boats, the Virginia Cut is faster. Even slow boats in a hurry can make it through the Virginia Cut faster by traveling earlier or later. For slow boats taking their time, it’s a draw.
For slow boats, it is possible to go from MM 0 to Coinjock Marina (MM 49.4) or anchor at MM 56 in one day. On the Dismal Swamp, you can also go from MM0 to Elizabeth City at MM 51 in one day.
From ICW MM 0 (Hampton/Norfolk), you must first travel through the Gilmerton Bridge. Sailboaters must request an opening (~35 feet vertical clearance when closed). Gilmerton Bridge often has maintenance issues, so check ahead — once, it only opened at 9 am and 6 pm, which was a big inconvenience. Marine traffic can back up at the Gilmerton even when there are no expected delays. In addition, there are weekday rush hour restrictions from 6:30 am to 8:30 am. Give yourself extra time to get through this bridge.
For the Dismal Swamp route, you could go through the Gilmerton at 10:00 am and be ready to lock through Deep Creek (MM 10.5) at 11:00 am. If you don’t stop, you could be at the South Mills Lock (MM 32.8) at 3:30. If you have 4 hours to travel (expecting 30 minutes to lock through Deep Creek), you must travel at 4.75 knots or faster to make it. Most boats should be able to travel at 5 knots and have a little fudge factor. You can then continue on the 17 miles to Elizabeth City and be there in time for dinner.
NOTE: ICW mile markers are measured in statute miles, yet most of us use knots on our instruments. We’ve done the math for you here, but be sure to avoid getting confused between the different measurements.
For the Virginia Cut route, you can go through the Gilmerton at 9:15 and arrive at Great Bridge Lock (MM 11.7) by 10:20, lock through, and get through the Great Bridge Bridge (MM 12.3) at 11 am. You will then want to either keep up your speed (6 knots) to make the Centerville Turnpike Bridge at MM 15.2 in 30 minutes or slow down and take a full hour to get there. For example, you could stop at Atlantic Yacht Basin for fuel and make the next opening. Most boaters can get to the North Landing Bridge in 30 minutes in time for a half-hour or hour opening.
Points of Interest and Mile Markers — Virginia Cut
- Gilmerton Bridge (MM 5.9) 9:15
- Top Rack Marina & Fuel Dock (MM 8.7)
- Great Bridge Lock (MM 11.7) 10:20
- Great Bridge Free Dock 1 (12.1)
- Great Bridge Bridge / Battlefield Bridge (MM 12.2) 11:00
- Great Bridge Free Dock 2 (MM 12.3)
- Atlantic Yacht Basin fuel dock & marina (MM 12.4)
- Centerville Turnpike (MM 15.2) 11:30 – Opens on the hour and half hour 8:30 am-4:00 pm Rush hour, M-F, no openings: 6:30 am-830am & 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
- North Landing Bridge (MM 20.2) 12:00 pm From 6:00 am – 7:00 pm, hour and half-hour
- Pungo Ferry (MM 28.7) – 65 ft tall bridge
- Coinjock Marina (MM 49.4)
- Buck Island anchorages (MM 56.5)
- Abermarle Sound entrance (MM 66.2)
- Alligator River entrance converges with the Dismal Swamp route (MM 80)
Where to Stop on the Dismal Swamp Canal
If you take the Dismal Swamp Route, you have several free docks to choose from. If you have a furry crew member, there are plenty of places for them to get off and stretch their legs. Be sure to check out our free guide to boating with your dog on the ICW.
Immediately after going through Deep Creek, you can pull over to Elizabeth’s Dock. This dock has some shore power hookups but no water. You can walk to the Food Lion about 15 minutes away, or you could dinghy down the canal, under the Deep Creek Bridge, and tie up at the Deep Creek Bulkhead to access the Hardees, Food Lion, and hardware stores.
You can also tie your cruising boat to the Deep Creek Bulkhead. However, its in-the-city feel and rough bulkhead make it less appealing for an overnight stay.
The Douglas Rd Free Dock offers a unique experience. Although you may be the only boat at this dock, you will have access to walking trails and a public restroom.
The Visitors Center Free Dock is the most popular place to stop. You may have to raft up, which adds to the conviviality of the experience. Restrooms and trails are available. You can walk across the footbridge and check out the trails at Dismal Creek State Park.
After going through South Mills lock, you will enter the Pasquotank River and have a new experience. Houses are almost nonexistent, frogs call out to each other, and the river winds its way to Elizabeth City. It’s one of the most beautiful spots on the entire ICW. You can anchor at a few locations in the Pasquotank River to savor this unique experience.
Points of Interest and Mile Markers — Dismal Swamp Canal
- Deep Creek Lock (MM 10.4)
- Elizabeth’s Dock (MM 10.5)
- Deep Creek Bridge (MM 10.9)
- Deep Creek Bulkhead (MM 10.9)
- Douglas Rd Free Dock (MM 18.3)
- Lake Drummond Feeder Free Dock (MM 21.5)
- Dismal Swamp Canal Visitor Center (MM 27.9)
- Dismal Swamp State Park Canal Bridge (MM 27.9)
- US 17 Highway Bridge (fixed, 65 ft tall) (MM 31.4)
- South Mills Bridge (MM 32.3)
- South Mills Lock (MM 32.8)
- Pasquotank River anchorages (MM 49)
- Albemarle Chesapeake Railroad Bridge (MM 47.4) (always open)
- Mid-Atlantic Christian University Free Docks (MM 50.7)
- Jennette Free Docks (MM 50.8)
- Elizabeth City Bridge (MM 50.8) – on signal, weekday rush hour restrictions, between 7 am and 9 am, it only opens 730 & 8:30; between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm, it only opens at 4:30 pm & 5:30 pm.
- Mariner’s Wharf Free docks – Elizabeth City – (MM 51.0)
- Forbes Bay anchorage – (MM 52.1)
- Entrance to Abermarle Sound – (MM 68.8)
- Entrance to Alligator River & Virginia Cut convergence- (MM 80)
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