Hey Sean,
You are about to run through one of the tighter spots on the
ICW. There are a lot of little cross currents and confused waters in the stretch behind Camp Legune. Couple years ago I was making the trip and we ran aground in the channel and had to go out side a red buoy to find deep
water. Plenty of blasts running through little cuts that will heel the boat over when the tide is running. Keep your eyes peeled for changes in the color of the water. I suggest ya run through at high tide... and keep your eyes peeled for points extending towards ya!
Bock
Marine Builders
233
Core Creek Rd
Beaufort, NC 28516
Get Directions(252) 728-6855
Kenny Bock runs the place, and is a good fellow to talk with.
Sailcraft in Oriental
The New Sailcraft Service Your Full Service Boatyard Oriental, NC
Deatons in Oriental
Deaton Yacht Service in Oriental NC - Marina, Boat Repair, Yacht Brokerage, Towboat Services
Theres also
Core Creek in the same complex as Jarret Bay, but they are in the middle of nowhere if you haven't a car.
Welcome to Core Creek Marine, LLC
There is a boat yard on the
Morehead city waterfront before you get to the turning basin for the port. Its off of Shepard Street, but I forget the name... and haven't dealt with them. (The turning basin is NO wake, the coasties mean it...) The
Morehead city waterfront is behind a little island, the
current runs pretty quick through this cut when the tides are changing according to Mel at Ace Marine (Walking distance from that boat yard.)
Theres also a yard on
Radio Island, within a
dinghy ride from the Beaufort waterfront. I've ridden around, but haven't really investigated. They have the gorgeous
hull of an ancient
wood sailboat out front that calls my name from time to time... (Place looks pretty dilapidated.)
Also, go under the bridge to Atlantic beach at high tide, they had a 50 foot
power boat go aground in the channel of the
ICW right there a few weeks ago, and had to drag it off at high tide. I'm not sure what they were drafting, but at low tide its one big sand bar around the bridge.
There are two channels that go around an island north of the highway 70 bridge that crosses the port. One is the ICW, the other runs off to Beaufort to the
airport. The channel that cuts off to starboard is shoaling, and has a sand bar across it at the south end by the bridge. Put the island with the brick chimney on your starboard... even the local shrimp boats run aground over there, favor the spoil areas to port till you get up into
Adams creek, the stuff to starboard is shallow. Once you pass Jarret Bay your home clear. If you want to get to Gallants channel, and the anchorage by the
airport and you are heading north... you either go under the beaufort bridge or have to you have to go out past island with the chimney on the ICW and
head north till gallants channel meets the ICW. Otherwise you'll find bottom....
Oh... and if you
anchor in Taylors creek along Beaufort's waterfront, I'd suggest you not go all the way out behind Carrot island at the east end of the channel. Ran aground between the markers in a 22 foot walk around a couple months ago, not a lot of water. Beautiful though!
Do NOT cut the corner of
radio island if you are heading toward Beaufort from the south, theres a
navy seal
training ramp at the end, give wide berth... there is a massive rock jetty off its point that has claimed a lot of props by folks taking a short cut. Go out towards the inlet and follow the channel. It makes a pretty good jog off to port towards the new condos almost as soon as you are in it. At low tide the eastern side has a decent sandbar that folks will toss some beach chairs out on... give the island to starboard some room at low tide. Your back in a no wake zone once you round the Condos...
Theres another anchorage on the other side of the Beaufort Bascule Bridge by the airport. Personally I run back out around radio island unless I'm in a small powerboat to get there if I'm in Beaufort, its a little tight to hang around for 20 minutes...
Oh... and to get to the boat yards in Oriental you will be going into Whittaker Creek. Watch your markers.
Head towards the rocks and run parallel to them for a bit, then aim for the new docks... You have to cut over toward the
dock to starboard, do a little kinky turn towards the face
dock at Whittaker creek marina... Its almost a sport to watch folks cut between the two markers off the end of the
fuel dock. "Say... How'd ya get in here anyway?"