Oregon Inlet (Outer Banks)

[thomm225]

Can someone tell me about it? Is it well marked? Would you only come in on the incoming tide etc? The Active Captain Website says the current can get as high as 8 knots .........

[lorenzo b]

Don't even think about it.

[Jim Woodall]

Don't try it, it is a challenging inlet for those who cross it regularly. It is a dangerous inlet for all others, especially sailboats with small auxiliary engines.

[thomm225]

Okay, thanks. I have a 5hp Merc pushing 6600 lbs. I won't be trying it then. I was hoping to come in under sail on the incoming tide but I guess I won't be trying that either.....

[cheoah]

Nope. Come on down the inside - dismal preferably - then sail via the albemarle to manteo. Or since your mast is short enough (I think) you make it through the Croatan sound under the 64 bridge, which opens up the entire pamlico to you. Take the offshore route back home if weather is good. You can go out ocracoke in good weather with local knowledge, or around cape lookout and take the Gulf Stream back to Chesapeake. Going out ocracoke at slack current with some local help will put you last hatteras in short order, but if course only in the fairest of weather. South to Oregon inlet only looks good on paper.

If you take the dismal, you can sail from Elizabeth city south to the sounds on the pasquatank.

[tropicalescape]

I was the assistant manager of the Oregon Inlet fishing center in the mid 80s and I have never seen a "deep keel" boat coming in thru or out of the inlet...As a matter of fact that whole area s**ks when it comes to sailing!! Skinny waters,bad, bad shoals.. wicked N E winds, fast changing weather,William Bonner bridge is falling into the sound!! It sure is a beautiful ,historical and wonderful part of the world if the things mention ed above dont bother you!!The Bill fishing used to be second to none,even has the Atlantic blue Marlin world record....If you put a call into the fishing center the manager(Minna) will help with all the info about the place, and they have a new CG station right beside the tackel shop and charter center ...good luck

[tropicalescape]

If your in the area ,You might like Manteo or Wanchese on Roanoke Island..The water front in Manteo is quite unique and you can get a slip right across from The S/V Elizabeth II,a re-creation scale working model of the original ship that brought John White and the first english settlers to the new world,Virgina Dare was born of these "first" people,resulting in the first child born here also..The town runs the docks and the courthouse is adjacent to the docks (in a matter of speaking)..There are real nice shops and resturants and the oldest outdoor drama in america "The Lost Colony" is in easy walking distance..There used to be boat builders(large sport fishing boats of the Hatteras type built by men named Midgett,Tate,Tillet,Canaday and the like,Legends in the right company) that lived in the downtown area ,but they all may have passed own ,as they were older gentleman when I first met them..You can look and maybe sail across the sound and see Kitty Hawk,Nags Head(named because the pirates such as Blackbeard etc would tie a lantern around the head of an "old nag" and walk it up and down the shore,trying to "lure in" unsuspecting ships,therefore running them a'ground and then start doing what pirates do best!(I know this is just one of several versions,but I like it best ..Anyway it is ,and I contradict myself here, a very nice place to sail if you have the right boat , good,good, charts and equitment that will keep you in the right places at the right time..(experienced capt'n comes to mind!)Over in Wanches, a short sail away there are boat building and fishing boat work shops,most if not all are for commerical fishing vessels but sailboats can get a modacum of service.. Ok, I will stop now,as my objective was to strike the bad things I wrote in the earlier message,good luck and welcome to North Carolina...

[thomm225]

Okay, thanks for the info. I've been down that way several times Kitty Hawk, Lost Colony etc (and to ride the ferries when I was on vacation back in the day) but like the guy said Oregon Inlet looks good on paper but ........

I used to fish out of Morehead City also over at Cape Lookout............small sharks mainly. I was stationed over at Bogue Field which is pretty much heaven if you are in the Marines and enjoy the water and are not especially fond of cities.

[rourkeh]

I got struck by lightning off the inlet and had the coast guard come out and offer to lead me in at night. They ran us both aground as soon as we were inside. Tricky at best and changes daily. I have been in and out a few times myself and never had a problem.