Moorings in Beaufort, NC

[Aqua Vitae]

Hi everybody. I wanted the forum's opinion on a topic that is often argued around here.

Beaufort, NC is a national hurricane hole and, as such, cannot license moorings in Taylor's Creek (the waterfront for Beaufort). So, technically the numerous moorings here are unlicensed and perhaps illegal. This also implies that anything can be thrown down and called a mooring, then left for ten years before it is ever thought to be checked.

Here is the irritating part: You come in, find a space in an overcrowded mooring field, and drop the hook. A day, a week, a month later some guy shows up saying you need to move because you are too close to his mooring. If you move, you are being nice, but supporting the ridiculous idea that this guy owns the space around his mooring. If you don't move, then you face possible vandalism, theft, or some guy's boat bumping yours. I have heard both camps on this, but wanted to field it to a less-than-local group of sailors.


BTW: I will be going home today to move my boat for the seocnd time in a week for this reason.