Boating Information
The Dismal Swamp Canal is an alternate route along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW), connecting the Chesapeake Bay with the Albemarle Sound. The AIWW provides pleasure boats with a protected inland channel between Norfolk, Virginia, all the way to Miami, Florida. The Canal is on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic Landmark, noted as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and has received the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Designation. The Welcome Center is home to a 150’ face dock that provides a rest stop to nearly 2,000 boaters yearly.
Dismal Swamp Canal Boating Tips
Know before you go!
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Slow and Steady - NO WAKE ZONE
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Don't follow boats closely - maintain distance between boats when traveling to help minimize taps and bumps
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Lookout above and below - Stay center of the channel for clearance and depth
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Inform - note coordinates of any concerns and share with lockmaster, USACE, or DSWC staff
