Elizabeth City, N.C.

After the disappointment of Bellhaven, Elizabeth City was a charmer.  This historic (aren't they all along this route!) town was the hub of commerce from the Revolutionary War until the mid-1900s.  Now it's trying to at least partially reinvent itself as a stopping destination for those traveling the ICW through the Dismal Swamp route.  This is one of the oldest sections and is not commercially used due to the narrowness and shallow spots.  It is used by mostly sailboats since the entire length is a no wake zone.  I have read stories about the swamp for years and visiting it was on my bucket list and EC was the jump off point to learn more about the route.  The town has invested in almost 40 slips or wall tie-up spots with free use for 48 hours.  We tried to honor their friendly gesture by spending some time and money in town.

After a long, gnarly sail across the Albermarle Sound we turned up into the
Pasquotank River for an even windier ride up the river and what to our wondering
eyes should appear but a large, white mound on the horizon.  The chart only said,
"large structure easily visible by water".  Once we were close enough it looked
like a dirigible hanger similar to one we had seen in California.  Turns out, it is
actually a blimp factory.  The produce weather and reconnaissance balloons, mostly for
the military.  Once of the larges Coast Guard stations in the country is close by the
facility. 

They lived up to the name.  Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.
The free docks are along the water side of beautiful city parks and the
townspeople enjoy coming down to meet the transient boaters.

These rose bushes were planted in memory of two gentlemen who made
it their work to welcome boaters giving each lady on board a rose.

This monument honors those same gentlemen and tell their story.
On Saturday night, there is a wine and cheese gathering in the park
hosted by the locals.  We didn't stay that long, too bad.

Our neck of the wall. You can see the finger piers are quite short
so we climbed over the bowsprit.

Each of the slips was sponsored by either a family, business or civic organization.
We were in the Clark Slip.

The welcome signs line the river wall.  This park also
had a farmer's market that we still stay to take
advantage of on the day we left.

A second park a few blocks down the river has tie-ups along the wall.

A small bridge tied two sections of park together.

Before we left, we enjoyed an antique car show.  They closed off
a section of one of the main roads allowing everyone to wander
safely. It was a blast seeing cars from our younger days.

Main Street early on a Saturday.

This is the Museum of the Albermarle.  It is a combined effort of the
towns and counties that surround the Albermarle Sound and it's rivers.
This has been a commercially important part of the country
 since pre-Revolutionary War days.  George Washington visited the
area when he was a surveyor and he tried to drum up support for a
scheme to drain the Dismal Swamp and turn it into farmland.

One of the parks had a long, raised pathway out along the river.  Can't wait to see more
 of the swamp and all it's flora and fauna, (except water moccasins).