NC ICW question

When going north last month, we followed the ICW across North Carolina.

I understand that the waterways and sounds are not so much affected by tide, rather wind.

Does that hold true all the way to VA?

Specific area my question is about.

Leaving Coinjock going north. After a couple of miles the channels opens into a larger body of water. Several shoaling warnings on Active Captain, some areas where water gets pretty skinny.

Looking at the shore line and vegetation - it sure looks like there is a tide. More regular than different wind directions. If I was basing it off the shore - I would guess a 2 foot tide.

Is this area affected by tide?

If yes, what tide reporting station would you use (didn't find anything within 15 miles) ?

Thanks in advance.

Very little astronomic tide up there, maybe six inches (???). But it is sensitive to wind.

North of Coinjock it is almost all wind tides. However, with the shallow waters of the sounds the wind can push the water around, and pile it up on the windward shore. There are many shoal areas to watch out for, so stay in the marked channel.

Stayed in marked channel. Got through it. But there were some places that were very skinny.


Was hoping for some tidal help going back.


I don't see any openings to the Atlantic from Coinjock to the lock at Chesapeake VA.

The NC portion of the ICW tidal events split the state about halfway around Morehead City (well, up to the mid-point of Adams Creek anyway). Everything south is astro tides. Everything north is all wind-driven clear up to the VA line.



I haven't been north of Coinjock, so I will leave that to experts (and not AC), but there is tons of shoaling, marked and unmarked, all the way from Morehead to Little River.

I don't see any openings to the Atlantic from Coinjock to the lock at Chesapeake VA.

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Aren't any. Oregon Inlet is the last one and that can be very sketchy without local knowledge, which is readily available.

caltexflanc said:

Aren't any. Oregon Inlet is the last one and that can be very sketchy without local knowledge, which is readily available.

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And it doesn’t affect the ICW.

Depends on what you mean by "skinny". Last fall went from Norfolk to Coinjock and back and never saw less that 9 feet in the channel. Outside the channel it can get pretty shallow in Currituck Sound.

Tom.B said:

And it doesn’t affect the ICW.

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It's an alternative to having the ICW affect you.