Oriental to Ocracoke NC

[trishdavis]

Hi…
We are relatively new to sailing (one year) and we are about to venture out on our first trip to Ocracoke. Our only other trip was to Cape Lookout from Oriental. I read a thread from a couple years ago about sailing this course, but would love any updated advice… on navigating, docking etc. We have a 32' Beneteau. Thanks!

[skipmac]

Hi Trish and welcome to the forum.

I have been through Oriental but I don't have personal experience with the Ocracoke end of the trip. Around Oriental it's pretty straight forward but looking at the charts there are a lot of shallows around Ocracoke so you will have to pay attention to navigation.

A handy, online tool for planning a trip like this is https://activecaptain.com/X.php You can see the charts for the area and on the charts:
- marinas (the red marks)
- local knowledge of the area like channels and inlets (blue marks)
- hazards like areas where there might be shoaling so could be less water than shown on the chart (yellow marks)
- anchoring spots (green)

Active captain only shows two places to dock on Ocracoke, both in the small harbor on the SW end of the island.

[Waterway Guide]

Welcome aboard, Trish! Watch the weather and winds...it can get quite ugly in the Pamlico sound due to its shallowness, plus the water can be feet lower or higher due to the wind stacking it up.

There are docking opportunities plus anchoring in Silver Lake, including the NPS docks which reopened on July 6. One of the channels connecting Pamlico Sound and Ocracoke Island (Big Foot Slough Channel) has shoaling near Red 10A. Ferries are taking a wide turn to avoid the central part of the channel, favoring the green, according to one of our cruising contributors who just missed grounding there a couple weeks ago. The hurricane may have shifted the channel further; however, we haven't had a chance to get someone out there since. See Waterway Guide | waterwayguide.com a great time...happy cruising!

[PamlicoTraveler]

It's a great trip and a world class destination. Hopefully the cheap town docks are back open now, but you can anchor In the harbor if not.

Find the right wind or don't go. You will be miserable if you have easterly winds. The prevailing SW is great for going. Coming back of course you'd prefer something else.

I'm sure you have the right charts or plotter, but don't dare try to cross Brantley Shoals which juts out from the North side of the sound into the straight line path from Ocracoke. It's not smart to try to squeeze through the little parts that show depth on the chart. Stay south of the Brantley Shoals marker.

Other advice.....have an Oyster Shooter at Howard's Pub when you get there. It's a must visit restaurant anyway, and is about 1/2 mile walk from the town docks. Have fun!