I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer. I am
aware that the channel at Ocracoke Inlet is subject to constant
shoaling and pretty strong tidal currents, though, and wondered if
anyone who has made this passage might have some thoughts on the
advisability of going this way rather than back up through the ICW and
across the sound into Big Slough channel. Thanks.

Capt. Mike wrote:
I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer. I am
aware that the channel at Ocracoke Inlet is subject to constant
shoaling and pretty strong tidal currents, though, and wondered if
anyone who has made this passage might have some thoughts on the
advisability of going this way rather than back up through the ICW and
across the sound into Big Slough channel. Thanks.


Going outside you have less worries about running aground
but far more worries about weather, and you have to go
pretty far out to get around Diamond Shoals.

If you arrive off Ocracoke Inlet and are unsure of the
channel, you can always call Sea Tow and ask for their
advice on piloting it. They usually have the latest info and
are very helpful. At one inlet (not Ocracoke) they have even
offered to come out and let boats follow them in.

Another option is to take the ferry boat out there & vist
the USCG station and ask them directly; maybe take a charter
boat out the channel & back. Then drive back to your boat &
get underway. That's kind of like cheating though

BTW why do you want to go to Ocracoke in summer? It's all
packed with tourists.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Thanks for the advice. I don't have my charts here at home but am
aware of Diamond Shoals. I will be sure to look to see just how far
out I'll need to go to pass them. I was in the harbor one year when a
boat came in that had sailed up from Cape Lookout that same day, and I
didn't get a chance to ask them about the trip. I've also come through
that sandy channel a few times in charter boats, and it looks pretty
challenging, but doable with a slow, cautious approach and a reliable
engine.

I like Ocracoke in summer--the tourists are much fewer in number than
most other places on the banks, and I just like the town. The beaches
can't be beat for the East Coast.

DSK wrote:
Capt. Mike wrote:
I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer. I am
aware that the channel at Ocracoke Inlet is subject to constant
shoaling and pretty strong tidal currents, though, and wondered if
anyone who has made this passage might have some thoughts on the
advisability of going this way rather than back up through the ICW and
across the sound into Big Slough channel. Thanks.


Going outside you have less worries about running aground
but far more worries about weather, and you have to go
pretty far out to get around Diamond Shoals.

If you arrive off Ocracoke Inlet and are unsure of the
channel, you can always call Sea Tow and ask for their
advice on piloting it. They usually have the latest info and
are very helpful. At one inlet (not Ocracoke) they have even
offered to come out and let boats follow them in.

Another option is to take the ferry boat out there & vist
the USCG station and ask them directly; maybe take a charter
boat out the channel & back. Then drive back to your boat &
get underway. That's kind of like cheating though

BTW why do you want to go to Ocracoke in summer? It's all
packed with tourists.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

The beaches
can't be beat for the East Coast.

SHHHHHHH!!!!

No - they suck.

Usually covered with gobs of oil, and the ever present danger of getting
a rusty nail in your bare foot from all the shipwrecks over the years.

Plus that, the prices - gawd is that island expensive! And the food is
terrible. All comes out of cans.


(need crew?)

We did just that a few years ago. We anchored for the day (and overnight)
inside Cape Lookout and had a very nice day there. Very protected. Played on
the beach and spoke to a family who had been camping there many times over
the years. My wife wanted to stay longer, but we left, and as Doug says, it
is a long way around the shoals.
As far as entering Ocracoke Inlet, we called the Coast Guard for advice, and
had no problems. It's rather impressive, entering and seeing waves breaking
especially to the south of the inlet, IIRC.
Do it.

"Capt. Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer. I am
aware that the channel at Ocracoke Inlet is subject to constant
shoaling and pretty strong tidal currents, though, and wondered if
anyone who has made this passage might have some thoughts on the
advisability of going this way rather than back up through the ICW and
across the sound into Big Slough channel. Thanks.

On 24 Jan 2006 07:32:59 -0800, "Capt. Mike"
wrote:

I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer. I am
aware that the channel at Ocracoke Inlet is subject to constant
shoaling and pretty strong tidal currents, though, and wondered if
anyone who has made this passage might have some thoughts on the
advisability of going this way rather than back up through the ICW and
across the sound into Big Slough channel. Thanks.

Capt. Mike,

I have made that trip twice and I draw 6 feet. As has been suggested
by another poster, anchor in Lookout Bight before your trip. It is a
delightful anchorage. Dinghy over to the Cape Lookout lighthouse.
There is a small museum, nice sand beaches on the Bight side and the
ocean side. Very popular, but plenty of room to anchor. I don't
recommend taking your cruiser in close to the lighthouse; anchor out
and dinghy in.

Diamond Shoals are the shallows off of Cape Hatteras, not the ones off
of Cape Lookout. You really do not have to go out very far. There is
a bouy to round. In normal weather these shoals are not dangerous as
long as you have a current chart and do not rely exclusively on GPS.

The trip up to Ocracoke is a straight shot without any unusual dangers
or problems. Of course you will want to go when the wind is anywhere
other than from the north.

Ocracoke Inlet is another story. First of all, it is critical that
you pass through it at slack tide. My first passage from ocean to
sound was attempted at night with the tide ebbing, and I was
singlehanding. The current was very strong. Most important, and
dangerous, the tide does NOT follow the channel. It often runs across
sandbars and cuts straight across the channels. I overlooked an
unlighted bouy and got too close to the edge of the channel and the
tidal current swept me right out of the channel and pinned me up
against a sandbar. I could not move the boat and the current was
pushing me more and more up on the bank. I eventually had to call
TowBOAT/US.

The second time I made the passage was also at night. But this time
was at slack tide and I had two crewmates. In addition, I now knew
that there was a mix of lighted and unlighted bouys. One crewman
stayed on the bow with a spotlight locating the bouys. The other
crewman helped me keep track of the depth while I concentrated on
steering. We took it VERY slowly. Sometimes we only had a few INCHES
of water below the keel. It took us about two hours to just get
through the inlet. The next day while we were walking around Ocracoke
two locals sitting on the country store front porch declared that we
were crazy for coming it at night.

The inlet is very serpentine. You go in, then turn, then turn back,
then head back out, etc. If you try it during daylight, at slack
tide, in settled weather, you should be able to do it. Just take it
very slowly and be ready to stop and back up and try a different path.

There are no charts that I am aware of since the channel changes often
during a storm. Also, talking to the locals is not very helpful
either because it is pretty hard to describe all the turns and twists.
Past knowing what I have just shared with you, you are going to have
to do it yourself. Would recommend that you get the BOAT/US or SEA
TOW unlimited towing coverage before you do, however. :-)

Ocracoke is a delightful island community and well worth the trip.
There are National Park Service docks to which you can tie up just as
you come into Silver Lake, the protected body of water that the town
partially surrounds. There are marinas; the Anchor Inn, a hotel, has
a nice marina facility for transients. And you can anchor in Silver
Lake. I have been there at the height of the vacation season and had
no problem finding room to anchor. The bottom is mud so use your best
mud anchor and good scope. There is an official dinghy dock on one
side of the NPS docks.

The trip through Pamlico Sound is not quite as challenging and you can
stop almost anywhere along the way, get out of the channel, and anchor
for the night. And, there are lots of coves and bays etc. to visit in
and around the Sound. I would recommend exploring the Sound after you
have visited Ocracoke rather than taking that route to Ocracoke.

Have fun and a safe trip.

Lee Huddleston
s/v Truelove
on the hard at Bock Marine
Beaufort, NC

I'm considering sailing outside, around Cape Lookout, North Carolina
and offshore to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, this summer.



Lee Huddleston wrote:
I have made that trip twice and I draw 6 feet. As has been suggested
by another poster, anchor in Lookout Bight before your trip. It is a
delightful anchorage.

Sure is. It can also get crowded in the summer, plus there
are patches of grass. My wife & I love Lookout Bight.

Back Sound is also a great anchorage, you can watch the
ponies on Shackleford.


Diamond Shoals are the shallows off of Cape Hatteras, not the ones off
of Cape Lookout.

Oops, you're right... I had a mental picture of the
lighthouse itself, which has a big diamond pattern on it.

... In normal weather these shoals are not dangerous as
long as you have a current chart

Agreed, but it's not like navigating thru shallows in
sheltered water. There is often a 'heave' effect in the sea
and current that sets towards the shoal... I like to cross
it with at least 15' under the keel, whereas most other
places I'm comfortable with far less.


... and do not rely exclusively on GPS.


Good advice anywhere IMHO.



The trip up to Ocracoke is a straight shot without any unusual dangers
or problems. Of course you will want to go when the wind is anywhere
other than from the north.


More good advice


Ocracoke Inlet is another story. First of all, it is critical that
you pass through it at slack tide. My first passage from ocean to
sound was attempted at night with the tide ebbing, and I was
singlehanding. The current was very strong. Most important, and
dangerous, the tide does NOT follow the channel. It often runs across
sandbars and cuts straight across the channels. I overlooked an
unlighted bouy and got too close to the edge of the channel and the
tidal current swept me right out of the channel and pinned me up
against a sandbar. I could not move the boat and the current was
pushing me more and more up on the bank. I eventually had to call
TowBOAT/US.


You were lucky the current didn't pile up sand around your
keel. I've known a couple of boats trapped that way.

The second time I made the passage was also at night. But this time
was at slack tide and I had two crewmates. In addition, I now knew
that there was a mix of lighted and unlighted bouys. One crewman
stayed on the bow with a spotlight locating the bouys. The other
crewman helped me keep track of the depth while I concentrated on
steering. We took it VERY slowly. Sometimes we only had a few INCHES
of water below the keel. It took us about two hours to just get
through the inlet. The next day while we were walking around Ocracoke
two locals sitting on the country store front porch declared that we
were crazy for coming it at night.


I've done some crazy stuff but I'd rather sail back & forth
all night outside than run almost *any* unfamiliar inlet at
night. There have been a lot of boats lost on those
sandbars, and the tidal current sweeping across the channel
is every bit as big a problem as you say here. One thing I'd
recommend... go in when the tide is approaching low, slow
current, but don't go in if it's going to start running
strong behind you. You do not want the current shoving you
forward at 3 knots when you're trying to slow down!



Ocracoke is a delightful island community and well worth the trip.

No no no! It's horrible, very hot, lots of mosquitoes, and
the natives keep trying to feed you this dead pig stuff they
call "barbeque." In fact don't even come to North Carolina
at all.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Wow! Tides setting you against the side of the channel, serpentine,
uncharted inlet . . . the idea of coming in through the inlet is
starting to fail my "work to fun" ratio. Makes you wonder why they
don't just build a jetty out there so it's not such a contest to get in
and out of Ocracoke.