Beaufort Inlet NC

[mcerdos]

Looking at charts for Beaufort Inlet, NC (coming from the North Atlantic), the charts for this area are very confusing.

On the most current Raster charts the markers G 1BH, R2 and G3 take a route over a 7' shoal.

On HOs -s-57 the R2 marker appears in a different location and the entry route appears to go over a submerged jetty.

Does anyone have local knowledge of this area? If so, is this area accessible with a 7' draft at MLT.

Any help would be much appreciated

[DrivinSteve]

Beaufort is accessible with a 7' draft boat.
Leave 1BH to Port and head directly to G3 leaving it also to Port.
There are some small movables as you go in so try not to do it at night.
The channel winds around a bit and gets narrow in some spots. Give the sticks a least a 1/2 boatlength. Current can run pretty strong.

Depending on your timing, there is often lots of traffic through there to help you pick up cues on the route.

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by mcerdos

Looking at charts for Beaufort Inlet, NC (coming from the North Atlantic), the charts for this area are very confusing.

On the most current Raster charts the markers G 1BH, R2 and G3 take a route over a 7' shoal.

On HOs -s-57 the R2 marker appears in a different location and the entry route appears to go over a submerged jetty.

Does anyone have local knowledge of this area? If so, is this area accessible with a 7' draft at MLT.

Any help would be much appreciated

Was last thru there a couple of weeks ago...

There is a major dredging project ongoing for awhile, now, they were having serious shoaling issues last year on the Shackleford Banks side of the inlet... There is currently a significant dogleg to the W around the dredging operation, but that may have changed since I was last there...

Several temporary buoys in place marking the channel, some of them quite small and difficult to distinguish red from green at a distance...

At least for the time being, I would strongly suggest you plan on transiting the inlet IN DAYLIGHT ONLY...

I didn't feel the need to contact the dredge at the time, but if you really wanted further clarification of the current status of the channel, the Morehead City Pilot station is the one I'd be inclined to contact...

As far as the channel up into Beaufort proper, E of Radio Island, that was pretty straightforward as of about 5 weeks ago... Wasn't paying that close attention to the depth, but I took 6.5' of draft thru there, no problem...

If you're leaving Beaufort and headed N via the Gallant Channel/Russel Slough route, take care near the W end of the Beaufort waterfront, approaching the turn into the basin S of the highway bridge... There's been a pretty broad area of shoaling that's built up there, could be a problem for your draft at LW... I've done OK by hugging the shore, and there's probably also plenty of water on the Pivers Island side, as well... Might want to check with Jeb at Beaufort Docks for his advice on that one...

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by DrivinSteve

Beaufort is accessible with a 7' draft boat.
Leave 1BH to Port and head directly to G3 leaving it also to Port.
There are some small movables as you go in so try not to do it at night.
The channel winds around a bit and gets narrow in some spots. Give the sticks a least a 1/2 boatlength. Current can run pretty strong.

Depending on your timing, there is often lots of traffic through there to help you pick up cues on the route.

Thanks! We plan to do this in daylight.

[mcerdos]

Originally Posted by Jon Eisberg

Was last thru there a couple of weeks ago...

There is a major dredging project ongoing for awhile, now, they were having serious shoaling issues last year on the Shackleford Banks side of the inlet... There is currently a significant dogleg to the W around the dredging operation, but that may have changed since I was last there...

Several temporary buoys in place marking the channel, some of them quite small and difficult to distinguish red from green at a distance...

At least for the time being, I would strongly suggest you plan on transiting the inlet IN DAYLIGHT ONLY...

I didn't feel the need to contact the dredge at the time, but if you really wanted further clarification of the current status of the channel, the Morehead City Pilot station is the one I'd be inclined to contact...

As far as the channel up into Beaufort proper, E of Radio Island, that was pretty straightforward as of about 5 weeks ago... Wasn't paying that close attention to the depth, but I took 6.5' of draft thru there, no problem...

If you're leaving Beaufort and headed N via the Gallant Channel/Russel Slough route, take care near the W end of the Beaufort waterfront, approaching the turn into the basin S of the highway bridge... There's been a pretty broad area of shoaling that's built up there, could be a problem for your draft at LW... I've done OK by hugging the shore, and there's probably also plenty of water on the Pivers Island side, as well... Might want to check with Jeb at Beaufort Docks for his advice on that one...

Hi. We did contact Jeb as this is where we'll be staying. It seems the dredging is done, for now. We are headed back out a few days later to round Cape Hatteras. We'll be here looking for a good window. It will be daylight both in and out. Thank you for the note.

[dennisjay]

I concur about only going through in daylight. We just went through at night and it was confusing as hell with the big dredge operation. The dredge is well lit, but it’s so big it blocks the lights and marks on the inside of the channel. Good luck.