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Sailing the outer banks

bayhoss

Member III
Just got in last nite from a 14 day sail of the outer banks of North Carolina. I'll post pictures and descriptions if anyone is interested. Two things that I can say for sailing the area, First, if you ever get a chance to sail the outer banks take it! The fresh ocean breeze and unspoiled beauty of the area are intoxicating. Second, don't let is fool you. the Albermarle and Pamlico Sounds can get ugly and do it quick. You can go from 13 knts and waves of 1 to 2 feet to 25+ knts and 4 to 5 foot waves (spaced very close together) in a matter of moments. The water is shallow, 20' average and the waves become very vertical. Hitting one will almost knock the fillings out of your teeth. But my friends, it is worth it!

Best Always,
Frank
 

jkenan

Member III
Amen to that!

My wife and I sailed our new (to us) E29 from Rock Hall MD down to Oriental in late April/early May of 2005. Crossed the Palmico (perhaps foolishly) from Engelhard to Ocracoke the day before a nor'easter hit. The wind was already pushing 25-30 knots, but out of the north so we surfed the whole way. Tied up in Ocracoke, and stayed for three days while winds over 100mph were clocked at the ferry dock. Most of the island was a foot underwater (a little disconcerting when you've just come off the water seeking land for shelter from the storm). Pelican Bar and the Ocrocoke Coffee shop stayed open, which made the the stay enjoyable!

So yes, it can and does get quite nasty here. But there is so much to explore - much like the Chesapeake with all the gunkholing opportunities, coastal towns, etc at your disposal. The tributary rivers are accessible, and provide marvelous anchorages with beautiful views of marshes and distant pines...

After that trip, my wife and have no problem going out in 20 knots and getting doused with spray. Fun! NC is awesome.

Couple of photos attached from the storm, just so you know what can happen here. Note the boat's angle of heel at the dock(!!), and also the water on the bar floor....
 

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sailingdeacon

Member III
I've sailed the area for almost 20 years and while it is a great place to sail, always be very cautious. The chop can be truly nasty. If you go to Ocracoke - a fantastic island with a fed park dock facility built in WWII - always allow extra days to return. I've been there for days waiting for the winds to abate. And how about Englehard... not the end of the world but you can see it from there. Bayhoss, if you didnt do the circumnavigation, next time do it.. from Ocracoke to Manteo to the ALbemarle down the Alligator River to Belhaven and back to the Pamlico. By the way the Albemarle Sound can be even nastier than the Pamlico. The entire area is never over 23 feet or so.
 

bayhoss

Member III
Sailingdeacon,
We did the entire round trip. We started by going across the Albermarle Sound and then to Manteo and out of Old House Channel to the Pamlico.
Then down the Pamlico to Silver Lake @ Ocracoke. We came back by crossing the Pamlico in a Noreaster - talk about challenging sailing!!!! Waves 4-5 feet and the wind crying in the rigging. Then went into the Pungo river to the Alligator river. At Belhaven Marina (great place!) the owner came out and said "you be darned careful of that Albermarle Sound, its dangerous". No joking there. On the way down we got into one heck of a storm on the Currituck Sound and at Green 115 in the dark with wind and waves I promptly got a crab pot hung in the prop. Sounded like I hit a mine when the thing hit the hull. Brought the engine to a dead stop - in a storm, at night, with dangerous vertical lightning. Got up the next morning to an early swim, freed the prop and went into Midway Marina to find out that one of the local fisherman was missing as result of the storm. CG was warning of overturned hull in the water. Never heard the outcome. Beautiful area. A tiger is a beautiful cat.

Best Always,
Frank
 

sailingdeacon

Member III
Currituck at night! wow.. impressive. Great adventure you had... we try for that loop annually but take lots of time and caution.
 

jkenan

Member III
And how about Englehard... not the end of the world but you can see it from there.

Yeah, that was why we decided to cross the Palmico the day before the storm hit - it felt like the twilight zone there. Nary a soul around, no other boats at the dock, no stores open, and a dead seagull on the dock. We knew that if we were stuck there for three days, we'd eat each other. And then we knew we were in for a ride when we got into the channel in 20 knots - the wind current and waves pretty quickly tried to set us on the bar outside the channel (which can be true even in 'normal' conditions - Ocracoke inlet for instance), but we recognized that in time to turn and motor aggressively to the other side. From there, we set two reefs in the main, rigged a jibe preventer, and surfed 6-8 foot waves (steep and sometimes breaking) all the way to Ocracoke as the wind picked up to 30 knots at times. It was a hairraising ride, but I must say the boat handled beautifully. I'll never forget the feeling of sailing off the wind on a wave and feeling it give way underneath. Never took any water on the deck or lost control of the boat, and we made it there lickety-split. The E29 IS a stout boat, and loves sailing the Palmico...
 
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