Stuck sorta off

We left Atlantic Yacht Basin in VA yesterday intending to anchor in Broad Ck, a creek off the North River about 11 miles south of Coinjock N.C. The forecast was a rainy day with seas in Albermarle Sound at 2 ft. All went well until we hit the North River. We are here in Broad Ck but I've never buried the bow or had water come over the deck in 2 ft seas. It was a rough hour and a half. So rough we really couldn't get up on plane without getting water over the fly bridge.

We got into the creek about 1530 yesterday and after 3 tries got the anchor to set. The creek is fairly deep to the shore which is fortunate because it's fairly narrow.

Winds are forecast 25 gust to 30 today with seas 2-3 ft. We're not going anywhere!

It's a beautiful day with temps in the low 60's but will fall into the upper 40's tonight. Windy in this anchorage but not like the forecast for the sound.

So we'll stay here today, watch the wild life a little TV and Debbie will get to do some sewing.

Tomorrow forecast is for 1 ft in the sound but windy in the morning diminshing to light winds in early after noon. We'll be headed to Manteo across the sound. We'll batten down the hatches for those forecast 1 ft seas.

Sounds like one of those situations in which the conditions defy the measurements. The key is though you could just stop and now you can enjoy life aboard while you wait.

Love love Manteo! If you have bikes on board definitely take the greenway up to the Elizabethian Gardens and the Aquarium!

Tim, sounds similar to our return from sunken Mildred Island (inside California Delta) earlier this year when entering the eastern/down-wind end of Suisun Bay with steep, closely-spaced, five-foot waves. Bow-shattered spray came over the pilothouse and tops of waves washed over the bow-hung anchor. Needed to slow down from six to five knots.

Besslb said:

Love love Manteo! If you have bikes on board definitely take the greenway up to the Elizabethian Gardens and the Aquarium!

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There may still be bikes for rent there by the town docks if they don't have them, worth a call to the friendly town marina, it is indeed a great bike and walking path. Or go catch a flick at the old fashioned movie theater downtown, it "The Hunger Games" series is your thing.

We used to anchor just outside of Broad Creek in W or NW winds in very good holding.

You call that stuck? I wish I was stuck like that!!

Wifey B:

Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
And I'm wondering what it is I should do,
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face,
Losing control, yeah, I'm all over the place,
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please, please

Trying to make some sense of it all,
But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please, please

Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you,
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
Stuck in the middle with you, here I am stuck in the middle with you

Ok Wifey B, now we want you to record that song, and put it up here as a U-tube video. Who knows, you might be the next Adele..? Seriously...

Peter B said:

Ok Wifey B, now we want you to record that song, and put it up here as a U-tube video. Who knows, you might be the next Adele..? Seriously...

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Wifey B: Well, thank you kindly, Sir.

We did just find it's available on Karaoke so have the background.

French teenager sings Adele

Those shallow NC sounds can get really nasty short sharp steep chop. Never been as miserable as I have in one run on the Pamlico. Offshore the seas spread out as they build. Not so in the shallow sounds.

Ski in NC said:

Those shallow NC sounds can get really nasty short sharp steep chop. Never been as miserable as I have in one run on the Pamlico. Offshore the seas spread out as they build. Not so in the shallow sounds.

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Well today is going to be Timjet's weather window.

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AM/135.html

At least he will be in a following sea. Having to hole up for a few days in Manteo is a treat, IMO. Might as well rent a car (the local Ford dealer, or if they are out, Enterprise over in Kill Devil Hills will come get you). Then can explore the outer banks: go left for dense civilization, right for scenery and a ride over the notorious Oregon Inlet.. very pretty. Go down to Wanchese on the south side of Roanoke Island see all the custom boat yards and commercial fleet. Have a meal if they are open at Fisherman's Wharf.

When the forecast on the sound calls for 20+ winds 2-3 foot seas look out, that means fast moving 2-3 foot brick walls very inconsistently spaced, about 50-100 feet apart. Even if you get your speed right if the seas are following (as they will be for Tim) it can be a rough go.

Yes we'll leave today about 1300 for Manteo. Wx turns bad again tonight and will be rough in Abermarle sound until Tuesday. We'll leave Manteo Tues for the Alligator River and Oriental.
Looking forwad to renting a car and going to Kitty Hawk and doing the other things mentioned above.

timjet said:

Yes we'll leave today about 1300 for Manteo. Wx turns bad again tonight and will be rough in Abermarle sound until Tuesday. We'll leave Manteo Tues for the Alligator River and Oriental.
Looking forwad to renting a car and going to Kitty Hawk and doing the other things mentioned above.

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Growing up in NC I took the outer banks and especially Kitty Hawk area for granted. Only as we've started cruising and heard from others have they gained out attention. We haven't yet boated to Manteo but definitely on our places to go list.

You're going to love Kitty Hawk. Hallowed ground IMO. What the Wright brothers accomplished there in the conditions that existed is truly incredible.

I will definitely return there next time I'm in the area.

We'll leave Manteo Tues for the Alligator River and Oriental

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Just curious, why would you circle back and take that beating, followed by the desolation and boredom of the Alligator/Pungo , when one of the very best cruiser destinations on the east coast awaits you at Ocracoke? We used to take the Hatt there every Thanksgiving after we stopped cruising full time, great anchorage and town and beaches.

caltexflanc said:

Just curious, why would you circle back and take that beating, followed by the desolation and boredom of the Alligator/Pungo , when one of the very best cruiser destinations on the east coast awaits you at Ocracoke? We used to take the Hatt there every Thanksgiving after we stopped cruising full time, great anchorage and town and beaches.

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Great idea!! Love love Ocracoke too! ?

I'll third that, Ocracoke is well worth the cruise across the Sound.

Yea, hydrostatically close waves are annoying. Nice to wait for weather change and explore a near port. That is how I have found favorites. Enjoy your trip.

OK, had a great day yesterday. Absolutely beautiful day. Forecast for the North River and Albermarle Sound was for 1 ft and I don't think it was even that.

Manteo seems very nice. Approach in the channel is kind of skinny, we saw 6.5 ft. The Manteo Waterfront Marina is verry nice. However today the wx is not so nice. Currently rainiing and forecast to rain most of the day. We'll get the bikes out between showers.

Tomorrow should be much better but windy. Will rent a car and see the sights, the first being Kitty Hawk.

Picture: Yahoo, on the way to Manteo

I'm looking at Oracoke. The Tuesday forecast for Pamlico Sound is for 1-2 ft and I know what 2 ft is like - never again. Lots of open water. Abermarle is forecast for 1 ft.

timjet said:

I'm looking at Oracoke. The Tuesday forecast for Pamlico Sound is for 1-2 ft and I know what 2 ft is like - never again. Lots of open water. Abermarle is forecast for 1 ft.

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But check wind direction and see if you.can hug a shore till the 2 ft is on the butt or quarter....ie North to Northwest winds.

There is a bombing range there I have been through....that can be an issue hugging the shore though.

Nice wake and nice weather!!

Looks like this rain should blow out soon, then going clear and cold with pretty stiff NW for a day or so.

Ski in NC said:

Nice wake and nice weather!!

Looks like this rain should blow out soon, then going clear and cold with pretty stiff NW for a day or so.

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Yea... While Ocracoke is a magical place, if it were me, I would stay inside, hustle through the Alligator/Pungo canal, and go ahead and get further south. It's beyond the prime season for a lot of these places and I don't think you will find much open in Ocracoke this late in the year. Besides, the Pamlico can be an stinky place in just about any wind. Still, your boat is pretty quick and you could make the trip in short order. I wouldn't want to get stuck there having to wait out COLD weather though. Ocracoke is a much better mid-summer destination... IMHO... YMMV

Get yourself on down to Georgetown or Charleston, SC.

Yea, Okracoke might be a little dead right now. Beaufort would be similar, but both good stops. My fave is Georgetown, SC, that town has stuff going on with or without boat based business. Charleston to me is a bit of a PITA, nothing really close to dockage so you have to bike or Uber a good distance from the boat. I just bypass Chas unless I need fuel, which I normally do not at that point. Georgetown is completely walkable.

Ocracoke was always still alive and going well all the Thanksgivings we've been there as of two years ago. Thanksgiving weekend is pretty much the end of their season; all the stores and restaurants we loved were still open; we liked to do Amex's "Small Business Saturday" there.

Going back up and over to the Alligator River is hardly "staying inside" and that whole route is the most ugly and boring stretch of the ICW. I think I'd rather get my poked with a stick than do that. Heading south on northern half the Pamlico in 1-2 with wind out of the north in a boat that can keep pace with the waves is not so bad; the . The ride from Manteo south and out through Old House channel is a pretty one too.

Ski in NC said:

Yea, Okracoke might be a little dead right now. Beaufort would be similar, but both good stops. My fave is Georgetown, SC, that town has stuff going on with or without boat based business. Charleston to me is a bit of a PITA, nothing really close to dockage so you have to bike or Uber a good distance from the boat. I just bypass Chas unless I need fuel, which I normally do not at that point. Georgetown is completely walkable.

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When in Charleston, we stay at the Maritime Center on the north side of town. Can be rolly poly in Northeast winds and from commercial traffic. BUT....walking distance to downtown and the touristy things on that side of town. Only a couple blocks from a great grocery store, harware store, and a host of small businesses like bakeries, liquor stores, etc..... plus it has free laundry, is reasonable and makes for a good logistics stop with a stroll downtown even if only for one night but for me it's usually 2 for the chores and resupply.

Plus the last 2 years there is a free trolley for much of around town. Hope it is still running. It does come over near the City Marina but not right there. Of course the marinas on that side of town usually have limited shuttle service.

Either going back around through the Punto or continuing down for much of the Pamlico could be a coin toss once in Manteo. As I mentioned...in NW winds you may find some protection for much of the trip....especially if you run hard for a bit here and there.

I was in that neighborhood in September, spent the night in Coinjock headed south. Forecast was not good but I was in a 52' Maritimo known as a good Australian offshore boat. Called the Alligator swing bridge to make sure it would open, because when winds are over 30 knots they will not open, it was OK at 7 AM, called again as I got to Albemarle sound, bridge would open, but the bridge tender said the wind was picking up.
Ran across the sound at 20 knots with a following sea, boat handled nicely. When I called on the VHF to the bridge, he said wind was now 33 knots with higher gusts and would not open. So a quick turn to the west and ran into Alligator River Marina which is next to the road that leads to the bridge. Waited about two and a half hours and the wind died down, the bridge tender called me and said come on through.
I have not done too much traveling in a boat with an enclosed flybridge, it was very comfortable for this trip with lots of rain, especially the record floods in South Carolina.

OK, we're going to Ocracoke via Pamlico sound. Forecast is for winds 10 kts out of the North. We should be partially shaded by the western shore on a direct route bypassing the shoals. Seas now down to 1ft.

We'll plan on staying at the National Park Service Marina or the Anchorage Marina which ever someone suggests.

Oriental and New Bern next then Beaufort and Moorehead City.

As mentioned some places are closed here in Manteo but with the wx turning we'll find things to do. Never left the boat yesterday the wx was so rotten.

timjet said:

We'll plan on staying at the National Park Service Marina or the Anchorage Marina which ever someone suggests.

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If you qualify for a Senior Park Pass, buy one (for $10) when you arrive and dockage will be 1/2 price at the Park Service Docks. The Pass is lifetime and has privileges all over the country..