The Great Dismal Swamp Canal - Episode 329 - Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat

[@lincolngrove2808]

We can't change the past but we can remember those who suffered and learn to be better. Thank you for doing that so eloquently in this episode.

[@schaefer32100]

You did the correct things to get your self unstuck. Great seamanship. Enjoyed the passage of swamp. Merry Christmas to you both.

[@BackseatGamingJesus]

Good work getting ungrounded, you did everything right.

[@AcornToArabella]

Thanks!

[@lafarm123]

Very nice! I had never heard of the Great Dismal Swamp or its history before. Amazing videography and the music was perfect. Thanks for bringing us along! Fair winds.

[@RussWabuda]

so nice to see you enjoying the boat and your life. thank you for taking us along. it is my gateway to the weekend and the planned few moments i treat myself to every week. best wishes.

[@gregkilgour4545]

Now my week is complete, enjoyed our little jaunt down the dismal swamp and look foreward to our next adventure next Friday night at 10pm, stay safe you three.

[@AcornToArabella]

Here’s to next week!

[@steveatkins1]

Up early watching!!! Always a nail biter with you guys. Thanks for putting it all in the same episode. I helped a fellow sailor get off ground once using my 1998 Jetski pulling forward while he healed it over using his skiff. It worked and saved him a $3000 Sea Tow charge. Sad to say he had another issue the next day and I ended up taking him 2 gallons of fuel in the Jetski to get out of the jam. Never saw him again but he’s got my number.

[@Cberg7793]

When I watched Arabella launch I never thought you would be traversing such fun shallow passageways along the east coast. It would be amazing to see Arabella while driving along the canal!

[@chrisenglund9269]

Fascinating episode! Thsnks for sharing!

[@Rainmaker60LM]

Cool video i've never seen footage like this of the Dismal Swamp. It is beautiful and the slow route has its benefits.

[@howardmccarthy5811]

So much fun to see Akiva knows his lines and recites them on cue! 😊

[@michaelcirincione9378]

Someone once said "if your not grounding from time to time, your not pushing the adventure hard enough!"......Great maneuver, lesson learned....(Happy Holidays 16 days late"!

[@thomasbraeking6225]

That goes along with: There two kinds of sailors; those that get grounded, and those that lie about never getting grounded.

[@mikepetersen5024]

Arabella can handle a little grounding so you did a great job getting her off safely. Wait until you get to Georgia with the tides and mud. Great Video!

[@DrMartinYoung]

Back in the day swamps used to be called ‘dismals’ - so in effect you were in the ‘Great Swampy Swamp.’ Great episode - I enjoyed it!

[@jonathanlewis1352]

Note to Ben…InTRAcoastal. Good for you singing the praises of Elizabeth City. They go out of their way to welcome boaters.

[@AlisonFort]

What a fantastic trip - thank you for the journey

[@geraldtribbe6363]

What a great name for a swamp! Sounds like a great place.

[@rickvangunten4800]

Now this is what I call adventure. Thanks for sharing....................>

[@warrenmaxxon1305]

Although you guys are often in my thoughts, I think about what an adventure this voyage is for Akiva. Beyond the new scenery, there are many new species of flora and fauna filling his nostrils with new scents. Cheers! Much Love

[@jonathanmcvennon4108]

Thank you, without your v,cast I would never hear about this swamp and it's history. Keep on sailing both of you, and enjoy yourselves. Happy New Year.

[@balaenopteramusculus]

Always enjoying the nicknames at the end, haha

[@sparknflash3]

Ben, I think Akiva needs more of a title than himself during credits. Great job not panicking and getting the boat off of whatever you get stuck on. Sail on guys!

[@psycocavr]

Loved seeing the Dismal swamp canal. I have kids in Elizabeth City i have stopped at the visitors center with Grandkids and loved it. Glad you enjoyed Elizabeht city.

[@pparker5113]

Nice dock line throwing Robin! well done on the ungrounding!

[@henkresink5073]

Beautiful nature in the swamp👍

[@wesleyclark2032]

I've always wanted to see this! Thank you!

[@nukejets]

Always enjoyable to watch your adventures. Thanks for sharing.

[@keg1dog]

Hey you two! And Merry Christmas! We made a winter escape from NY one winter and ended up at the Outer Banks and drove through the Dismal Swamp and thought it to be very beautiful. It snowed in Las Cruces the last two days, very unusual for us down here and the Organs will be shrouded in it today. You are becoming a complete seaman and your skill and determination show when you pulled off the catch. Good sailing and enjoy your weekly adventure updates. Happy New Year stay safe and warm.

[@petegraham1458]

I used to live about 1/2 a mile from that canal and had to cross the intercostal on my way to work , the factory was on the east branch of the Elisabeth river, you passed by it as you went under the highway bridge. It’s a beautiful and historic area for our country, happy to see you enjoying it. George Washington was involved in planning and building the canal you are on. Good time of year to make the transit , No Mosquitoes!

[@fordfan3179]

Rode the salt marshes in the carolinas a few years ago. One of my favorite places. Enjoy!

[@martin_mue]

Great effort getting her floating again proofing once more a good rigger is never lost!

[@oomwat6101]

I can see Akiva looking out and saying to themselves .. Trees, Trees, everywhere, and not a spot to pee!

[@badcat4707]

Good morning Akiva 🐺 and Crew , good work getting un stuck 👍👍👍😸😺

[@nathandenny5575]

Well done, and a merry belated Christmas to you two. To Akiva, a merry wooowoo wooooo!

[@5fingers1]

Great video thanks

[@n4837z]

Good Deal, What a Rigger!!!! with that save.

[@stewartkj]

A great episode!

[@MrXjellox]

This sounds so cool yet risky with a sail boat. I haven't finished the episode. I'm writing this midway. I hope you made it safe.

[@sallyb3]

Been up and down the ICW many times, enjoyed your dismal swamp route 🎉

[@bin_chicken80]

Nice one. Always interesting to learn some history and follow your journey. 👍

[@seancbrophy]

Great stuff you guys.

[@steveschwartz6138]

Awesome video!

[@gtree7047]

Now these are the adventures I was expecting! Not fun but real and unscripted!

[@philparmenter53]

Happy Friday and A2A day everybody from Plymouth UK

[@DrDaveSalisburyPhDMBA]

That’s some brackish water! Holy WOW!

[@JaredDixon]

Welcome to NC y'all! Hopefully Beaufort NC is on your stopover plans. It is a lovely small town (although very quiet in the tourism off season).

[@darrenleask6042]

Nice vlog

[@moejaime2654]

Nice christening on your first lock !

[@sjmazzoli]

Happy New Year

[@jonnenne]

Patience is key. I almost made a bad situation much worse by running here and there when our anchor didn't hold.

[@budschermerhorn6062]

Good Morning from Sandwich, MA

[@AcornToArabella]

Morning!

[@juliancrooks3031]

I love how captain akiva told you to get under way even on Christmas. No slacking with his crew, he runs a tight ship😮

[@AcornToArabella]

we must follow each bark without questioning it.

[@wpierce57]

Well you certainly chose the right Season to go through the swamp. You probably didn't even see a mosquito!

[@juliancrooks3031]

Lots to see going south but don't lose sight of the prize. That umbrella drink on a sandy warm beach in the Caribbean

[@AcornToArabella]

Yes indeed. Warmth is a high priority right now.

[@sailingarista]

You really should try out a Waffle House. Great to see you in Oriental and looking forward to that episode. 😊Happy New Year

[@MrOj53]

I like your sticker.😀

[@alecbrenner3125]

If you're still in that area, you might try heading over to the Aurora Fossil Museum. Learn about the 50 foot sharks with 7 inch teeth that swam in the area just a few million years ago!

[@hoyteq]

I know you guys are already in Morehead, but as for this video welcome to NC

[@martin_mue]

The Great Dismal also gave author William Gibson his social media handle.

[@markdesjardins3153]

The sailor who's never been aground has never been anywhere.

[@cyborg555]

Did you guys change your tracking number? The maps still show you in the ICW at your location on December 19.

[@billlippincott3937]

Crazy name for the area but a beautiful area.

[@bawrytr]

I was wondering last week, how much does Arabella draw?

[@nathanchalecki4842]

Has no fingers mate, she can't hold a pencil

[@Tomhohenadel]

She draws 6’

[@curtyoung3153]

@@Tomhohenadel Closer to 7'.

[@harrishbucklin401]

In Elizabeth City, I bet that’s Steve Early sailing Spartina……we will see

[@brianpalmer3334]

Sure looks like him.

[@richardwhite3711]

@ 22:50 do you worry any about the wear & tear on the tender pulling behind as opposed to on board, and the risk of losing it, which you did have one episode already ?

[@ZigZagMarquis]

... and @ 21:59 Akiva does his own stunts!

[@montesilvers7596]

So the locks works like a water level.. water seeks it's own level.. ... Level.. or horizontal 🎉🎉🎉

[@tomnewsom9124]

This is probably as close as you can get to the UK narrowboat canal experience in the US :)

[@markbrooks1111]

Good background music for this episode would be On the Road Again by Canned Heat. 😊

[@jondhuse1549]

Does being in fresh water for a short time bother anything about the boat?

[@AcornToArabella]

For a short time it would be ok. But freshwater is a recipe for rot in a wooden boat. Arabella definitely needs some bottom paint at this point too, so we’d like keep it salty.

[@myfavoritemartian1]

The canal was not exactly "Dug by hand". They used horses, buck blades and harrows to scrape down the bulk. By hand means no machines. Everything was dug by hand before the invention of the steam engine. The horse was king.

[@Rainmaker60LM]

Ohhhh you are so wrong. Go out and tie one on and get some late night Waffle House. You will be glad you did.

[@garylukoski5136]

I recommend a good read for your trip down the ICW. The Boy, Me and the Cat by Henry Plummer. Published in 1912. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

[@adambell2068]

Ben, you playing drums?

[@AcornToArabella]

yep! 🥁

[@adambell2068]

@ nice, I love it!

[@robertbosman5398]

Just wachout for swamp crocodile we don't want to see Robin get eaten

[@geo3802]

Let's be clear, the tragedy is that the canal was dug by slaves not that it was dug. Digging ditches is hard work but it is good work even today. Even with all our mechanized diggers, someone has to pull out the shovel and dig quite often.

[@randolphfriend8260]

🎉 💜 🎉

[@moejaime2654]

Waffle house the best breakfast place for hangovers !!!

[@schwabrichard9829]

You did not mention beautiful South Mills, N.C.? Stick to the channel markers! At least Black Beard did not attack you. Now you can start looking for Gators and you thought bears were bad?

[@stephenlaw1202]

two types of sailor, those who have got stuck on something, and the liars;)

[@geo3802]

You two are very much Northerners. At some point, you need to eat in a Waffle House. Not because it is great food; it isn't. It is, however, a Southern tradition.

[@AcornToArabella]

as a kid of the south, i concur with this statement. (ben)

[@ZigZagMarquis]

@ 3:19 All y'all didn't go to The Waffle House!!???!!! 🤤 🤨🤥😪

[@AcornToArabella]

i’ll make sure they make it at some point. and krystal’s too for good measure.

[@BackseatGamingJesus]

I hate the ICW. Soon you'll be free of it 😜

[@Sman7290]

You absolutely need to go to a Waffle House! Just don't go after midnight if you value peace.