Motoring northbound along the scenic Adams Creek section of the ICW between Beaufort and the Neuse River—on our way to our short stop in Oriental.
The harbor at Oriental, “the Sailing Capital of North Carolina,” provides all the amenities a cruising sailor may require. This was our last stop for a bottle of wine for our last night out.
the weekend. The thought of spending our last night anchored without any wine prompts a quick provisioning stop in Oriental. Famous as the “Sailing Capital of North Carolina,” the waterfront town sits along the northern bank of the Neuse River just off the ICW. Raising Oriental Harbor Marina on VHF, we talk to Tom, the dockmaster, who directs us to a convenient tie-up along the face dock for our quick stop. We’re soon off the boat for a short stroll down Broad Street before ducking into Nautical Wheelers in search of “trinkets, baubles and wine,” all of which were wellstocked. Proprietors Jim and Rainy greet us kindly and are most helpful, even offering the use of their car to zip down to the local grocery if needed. They are kind, friendly folks who helped make our quick stop memorable and left us wishing we could linger longer. With provisions in hand, we dash back to the boat and are soon out the short channel and back into the wide, deep Neuse River—happy to find that the afternoon breeze has built nicely. In Concert’s electric winches make easy work of setting sail, and in no time, we’re enjoying a lively beam reach. Sailing around Maw Point Shoal to head up Bay River, it becomes evident that the southwest breeze—blowing over a fetch of more than 15 miles—has made the exposed coves a bit rolly for an overnight anchorage. Nearby Bonner Bay presents a good alternative, and, as the setting sun touches the tops of the tall pines, we drop anchor at the confluence of Long and Spring creeks. The hum of salt marsh mosquitoes soon drives us below, and luckily, they do not follow as we cork the red and enjoy our last evening afloat. Morning brings a cool, gray overcast with a dampness that hangs about the boat as we navigate north along the ICW, first entering Gale Creek, next up the Hobucken Cut, and then out into Goose Creek. A steady breeze fills in dead on the nose, delaying our entering the Pamlico River for the last leg to Washington. By mid-day, it gives way to a light breeze, and we barely ghost along past Indian Island. A building rain drops the visibility enough to turn on the running lights. It’s time to motor. Warm and dry in spite of the weather, we sat and reflected on our first coastal North Carolina charter. During trip planning, I found that all the cruising guides contained frequent cautions about shallow water, shifting shoals, and
wind tides. At one point in the planning, I almost threw in the towel and headed for the skipper-friendly BVIs. In the end, the lure of exploring new waters won out—and we’re so very glad it did! We may not have found the gold that Blackbeard left behind, but we certainly found other treasures that are the Outer Banks today: pristine beaches, friendly folks, a wealth of history, and gorgeous anchorages all connected by beautiful sailing water that requires only basic nautical sense to navigate completely at ease. There’s so much to enjoy that for my money, coastal North Carolina may well be the best cruising grounds anywhere along the East Coast—gold or no gold!
News & Views for Southern Sailors
Next month: A mini-cruising guide to cruising/bareboating North Carolina. The article will present cruising guide information with a detailed and accurate list of bareboat charter companies in the area: basically, how to get there, what companies service the area, what you will find there, what conditions will be like, what activities are available, and useful local area knowledge. Mike and Cindy Alyea sail their Hunter 30 ‘Bout Time on Lake Allatoona, GA, and charter whenever schedules allow. They’ve sailed the Chesapeake, Puget Sound, Florida, Southern California, the BVI, offshore and North Carolina. They’re available for questions, comment and discussion at mikealyea@hotmail.com.
SOUTHWINDS
February 2013
61