Paddle for the Border trip, 5.3.2008

No pictures for this paddle.  I have been wanting to do this for some time.  When I initially heard about it, I have never paddled on the Dismal Swamp Canal.  I figured it would be a good way to do a first time paddle on the canal.  Well, things didn't work out for me to participate until this year.  Of course by this time, I have paddled the canal several times.  Still I wanted to try it.

I am glad I went.  This year the paddle started at the visitor's center in Camden, NC and ended at the Ballahack Road boat ramp off of route 17 in Chesapeake.  7 1/2 miles or so I believe was what my GPS said.  It was easily paddled at a leisurely pace within 2 3/4 hours.  While there were a lot of folks participating, it did not seem overly crowded.  The event was well organized and it was fun to participate.  It is the first paddle I have ever done where my kayak was unloaded and loaded for me, carried to the launching site and from the landing site and I was cooked lunch!  Now that is easy kayaking there!!

The one thing that I took away from this paddle was that the NC portion of the canal from the visitors center north almost to the Bend is much nicer than the VA portion (sorry Chesapeake!).  BUT,  the NC portion of the canal still has traffic noise from route 17 whereas the Chesapeake portion is buffered because of the old 17 being the canal walking/biking trail and is much quieter (Go Chesapeake!).....and we have the feeder ditch and Lake Drummond!

A few weeks ago I went back to the visitor's center in NC and rode my bike down some of the trails there.  It was hot, humid and ticks abounded.  After I finished that ride, I drove down to the locks in South Mills, NC.  Based on the Border paddle and my Northwest River paddle I am sure that I can do my next long distance paddle.  That is a trip from locks to locks (about 22 miles I think).  I plan to do it in one day with a stop at the Ballahack Road boat ramp for lunch and a stop a the visitor's center in Camden, NC for a short rest.  I plan to have my wife bring my truck to me in South Mills so it is just a one way paddle.  I don't expect it to be particularly scenic, it is just something I think I'd like to do, it sounds neat!

Maria (my wife) has indicated an interest to do the Paddle for the Border event.  I told her that it is a very nice paddle and doesn't seem like 7 miles.  Of course if the wind had of been blowing,  whole different story perhaps!

See ya next time.