Pastoral Peace and Beauty

Dismal Swamp Welcome Center,
NC36 23.17 N 076 17.18 W

We spend last night at one of our favorite anchorages. It is a semi secret spot. It is a branch of the Pasquotank River that is not on the ICW. We can travel up this side branch a mile or more in 11 feet of water. When we anchor, we are surrounded by pastoral peace and quiet. No wind. No noise of motor vehicles in the distance (except for the occasional airplane). We just love it.

I took a sun shower on the forward deck without any fear of being surprised by a passer by. The day was cool and the sun-warmed water felt deliciously good.

Surprisingly, there aren't many song birds. We listened and heard only a single mourning dove in the distance. There are a number of state placed bird houses along the river, each with a sheet metal cone that presumably prevents snakes from getting in.

We visit this area only in the spring and fall. Neither is the season for insects, especially mosquitoes. I imagine that is might be a lot less pastoral in mid summer. The few mosquitoes we did see seemed sluggish and heavy and not in a hurry to bite.

Wherever a log from a felled tree lies with one end in the water and one end out, it forms a ramp. Turtles love to climb those ramps and sun themselves. There were lots of turtles out yesterday. It reminds us of why we are lucky to be warm blooded animals. The turtles are probably hungry but before they forage for food they have to build up a little energy first by warming in the sun. If there was no sunshine today, they may have to continue going hungry.
We'll spend the night here at the Welcome Center. We love this place and we've wasted many a day here just enjoying it.

Anchoring for the night

Panorama of our view while eating breakfast

Waiting for the South Mills Lock this morning