Outer Banks Distances

We are thinking of doing the outer Banks route after leaving Coinjack next Thursday if the weather holds.

Looking at the charts there are a couple of skinny parts but should be doable. Unlike the ICW it Is hard to gauge distance using the charts. I will jump on the GPS before then and use that as well as an app I have.

In the meantime a couple of questions for those of you that know the area.

We are looking to run around 50 to 60 KM per day. What would be good anchorages using those distances starting at Coinjack?

How suitable is the Ocracoke Inlet for a vessel my size.

First off you can get out of Ocracoke Inlet as long as you get to Ocracoke and Silver Lake. It is a bit tricky to get to the inlet even though it is marked. The ferry from the mainland comes across Pamlico Sound to the north of the island and goes back south thru a marked channel. But this area gets a wind tide. Out of the north there is plenty of water. If it blows from the south, the water can be less in that channel. But this time of your it should not be that bad.

But I see no real advantage unless you plan on heading to Wrightsville Beach on a long run going around the Knuckle Buoy off of Cape Lookout with your boat.

There are some areas that you MAY be able to pick your way across Cape Shoals, if you are into running between breaking lumps though, depending on your experiences of reading water. But I would not recommend it as a first timer.

You can expand this chart and see the route and sound better.

https://cruisersnet.net/cruisersnet-marine-map/?ll=35.90581667,-76.0289&z=14&highlight=1

What’s your draft? If it were me I’d go ICW Norfolk to the Albemalre Sound then through the Croatan and Pamlico Sounds to get to Ocracoke. It’s a shorter distance and a lot safer than trying to come in the inlet.

John

johnrupp said:

What’s your draft? If it were me I’d go ICW Norfolk to the Albemalre Sound then through the Croatan and Pamlico Sounds to get to Ocracoke. It’s a shorter distance and a lot safer than trying to come in the inlet.

John

Click to expand...

I think he is talking about staying inside since he is talking about leaving Coinjock and headed south through the sound route instead of the ICW and the Pungo-Alligator River route to Belhaven and points south.

Ocracoke Inlet to the ocean is a no go for your vessel unless at mid tide rising and guided by a local. And as noted, it is useless for going south as it is a big detour.

You can anchor off the Manteo docks theoretically, but this time of year its more than likely too tight. There is a free dock, but also tends to be busy. The two marinas in Shallowbag Bay are very nice, we used the town marina. Call the dockmaster for latest navigation into and through the bay, there is little room for error but big boats get in there all the time (we were 5 foot draft, 61' LOA). Manteo is a delightful visit.

Silverlake Harbor at Ocracoke is a great anchorage with good holding We anchored out there many times, including our tradition of having Thanksgiving on the boat there once we weren't cruising full time. You want to follow the markers carefully, or one of the ferries. Do not anchor within a 150yards or so of the ferry docks. It is shallow there and they come back a ways when departing.

Here is a link to the latest surveys of the various harbors and inlets, it has them all for NC.

Wilmington District > Missions > Navigation > Hydrographic Surveys

After Ocracoke there are great anchorages at West Bay, and one of our very favorites, beautiful South River.

I used to use Active Captain for planning these trips as it had a great distance measuring feature. Alas no more. Google Maps has a measuring feature. Or maybe your chartplotter has one.

But 50 km is short. It is roughly 30 NM from Coinjock to Manteo which is a bit more. There really aren't any nice anchorages in between. I have only stopped at the free dock once and it was almost empty, but others have said it gets busy. But you could anchor outside the harbor or get a marina slip.

The channel coming in to Manteo and particularly south of Manteo is narrow but plenty deep if you stay in it.

Coinjock to Ocracoke is even farther and no particularly nice anchorages along the way.

Ocracoke is a nice stop. Either anchor in Sunset Lake, take a side tie up at the low cost NPS dock or get a marina slip. There are lots of restaurants and bars withing walking distance of the NPS docks.

I would stay away from the Ocracoke inlet. If you want to go outside, head down to Moorehead City after Ocracoke.

David

Manteo to Ocracoke is a bit longer than 50 miles. It is easy to do but there are a couple of areas where people get into trouble along that route.

The channel south of Manteo is narrow, as long as you can stay in the channel no problem.

If the winds are from the SW and higher than 15 knots, I wouldn't recommend it. The waves square up in the sound and will be on the nose with hours of pounding into it. There are two channels into Ocracoke, Big Foot and Nine Foot Slough. Big Foot is the ferry channel and it has just been dredged. Look up the ferry schedules so you won't meet a ferry in the channel. Nine foot is six foot depth now but well marked and is a couple of miles south of Big Foot. As you get close (1/2 mile or less) to Ocracoke, there is a temptation to ignore the chart plotter marks and head straight for the Silver Lake entrance. That short cut will take a boat across very shallow water and they will run aground. The marks colors switch sides near the turn into Ocracoke. I would not suggest running Ocracoke inlet. I know people that have successfully done it and know those that bounced through and have heard stories of many boats towed off. Occasionally someone will drive a boat hard on the shoals and it ends up being salvaged for parts.

Manteo and Ocracoke are well worth the visit. Ocracoke has a set of National Parks Docks that are 1/2 price if you buy a National Parks Senior Pass. Restrooms, water, power but no shower.

Dale

djmarchand said:

I used to use Active Captain for planning these trips as it had a great distance measuring feature. Alas no more. Google Maps has a measuring feature. Or maybe your chartplotter has one.

But 50 km is short. It is roughly 30 NM from Coinjock to Manteo which is a bit more. There really aren't any nice anchorages in between. I have only stopped at the free dock once and it was almost empty, but others have said it gets busy. But you could anchor outside the harbor or get a marina slip.

The channel coming in to Manteo and particularly south of Manteo is narrow but plenty deep if you stay in it.

Coinjock to Ocracoke is even farther and no particularly nice anchorages along the way.

Ocracoke is a nice stop. Either anchor in Sunset Lake, take a side tie up at the low cost NPS dock or get a marina slip. There are lots of restaurants and bars withing walking distance of the NPS docks.

I would stay away from the Ocracoke inlet. If you want to go outside, head down to Moorehead City after Ocracoke.

David

Click to expand...

It's Silver Lake

I would not count on being able to anchor a big boat at Manteo. The town harbormaster/dockmaster is friendly and can usually tell you if the free dock has space.

We always skipped Coinjock and were very happy anchoring off Broad Creek or Lutz Creek, weather depending on North River. Some go into Broad Creek but we never saw the need, and it's very very tight.

caltexflanc said:

We always skipped Coinjock and were very happy anchoring off Broad Creek or Lutz Creek, weather depending on North River. Some go into Broad Creek but we never saw the need, and it's very very tight.

Click to expand...

Coinjock is 50 miles from the marina in Norfolk, and the trip includes the lock and timed bridges. So meets our needs for short days. On the way up we anchored to one side off the Alligator River and another night on the south bank on the Pamlico.

If we decide to stay on the ICW and repeat that will get us through Beaufort and into Wrightsville.

menzies said:

Coinjock is 50 miles from the marina in Norfolk, and the trip includes the lock and timed bridges. So meets our needs for short days. On the way up we anchored to one side off the Alligator River and another night on the south bank on the Pamlico.

If we decide to stay on the ICW and repeat that will get us through Beaufort and into Wrightsville.

Click to expand...

Just speaking as someone who made the Norfolk to Pamlico trip coming and going many times at about 8 knots average. Never needed to stop at Coinjock.
Of course, you can take a more leisurely route and go through the lock in the afternoon, and use one of the free docks on either side of the bridge, or refuel and stay at Atlantic Yacht Basin. There is a good supermarket within walking distance, as well as other shops and restaurants. We've never done it, but some people like to stay at Top Rack Marina before the lock, and refuel there. We always tried to patronize AYB for at least fuel because they did us a great favor one time.

You will be doing yourself a great disservice if you go back the Alligatot/Pungo route instead of visiting Manteo and the OBS, and then Ocracoke.

menzies said:

Coinjock is 50 miles from the marina in Norfolk, and the trip includes the lock and timed bridges. So meets our needs for short days. On the way up we anchored to one side off the Alligator River and another night on the south bank on the Pamlico.

If we decide to stay on the ICW and repeat that will get us through Beaufort and into Wrightsville.

Click to expand...

Wifey B: Now you're talking 50 miles. Earlier you were talking 50 km. Huge diff.

BandB said:

Wifey B: Now you're talking 50 miles. Earlier you were talking 50 km. Huge diff.

Click to expand...

Only 15%!

menzies said:

Only 15%!

Click to expand...

Fifteen percent difference between statute and nautical miles. 40% difference between km and statute miles, 46% difference between km and nautical miles.


David

djmarchand said:

Fifteen percent difference between statute and nautical miles. 40% difference between km and statute miles, 46% difference between km and nautical miles.


David

Click to expand...

Wifey B: As David said, 50 nm = 57.5 statute miles., 50 km = 31 statute miles. 50 km = 27 nm.

Anyway... distance measurements aside, are you heading back South already? You're getting an early start! We would always wrap up the summers on the bay and get the hurricane season behind us too.

BandB said:

Wifey B: As David said, 50 nm = 57.5 statute miles., 50 km = 31 statute miles. 50 km = 27 nm.

Click to expand...

Not often have I seen kilometers used to describe distance in a boating conversation.but if that's the way you guys do it, good for you.

boomerang said:

Anyway... distance measurements aside, are you heading back South already? You're getting an early start! We would always wrap up the summers on the bay and get the hurricane season behind us too.

Click to expand...

Got to get back for the next trip.

Leaving early October for a month on an African safari, gorilla trek, and a few days in England.

menzies said:

Not often have I seen kilometers used to describe distance in a boating conversation.but if that's the way you guys do it, good for you.

Click to expand...

Wifey B: You're the one who first used them, with:

We are looking to run around 50 to 60 KM per day. What would be good anchorages using those distances starting at Coinjack?​

I am now assuming you meant nautical miles instead?

menzies said:

We are looking to run around 50 to 60 KM per day. What would be good anchorages using those distances starting at Coinjack?

How suitable is the Ocracoke Inlet for a vessel my size.

Click to expand...

menzies said:

Not often have I seen kilometers used to describe distance in a boating conversation.but if that's the way you guys do it, good for you.

Click to expand...

You're the one that started it.

Todd727 said:

You're the one that started it.

Click to expand...

Yes Todd, that was pointed out a week ago.

menzies said:

Yes Todd, that was pointed out a week ago.

Click to expand...

Outer Banks

I notice no one has mentioned a stop at Hatteras. Any particular reasons not to go there too?

Don’t know about Hatteras, but plan on Ocracoke and Manteo.

Menzies, any input as to what your experience was with Navigation?

Went to Hatteras in the off season and without a car and an extra day.....not a great stop based on things to do and see...but it was OK. But that is true of many popular stops too.

Finding 3 days of calm weather to be in those big sounds can be difficult.

Sealife said:

Don’t know about Hatteras, but plan on Ocracoke and Manteo.

Menzies, any input as to what your experience was with Navigation?

Click to expand...

Sealife, we came back the way we went, through the A&P, and did not go to the outer Banks.

The final decision was based on some if the things posted here and what we read. The OB has nice beaches and beach towns etc. We have hundreds of those in Florida and the islands, and wasn't what we were looking for on this trip