Channel to the east of Roanoke Island

[Jeannius]

So this morning we lost our vhf antenna going under the supposedly 65 ft road bridge over the southern end of the Dismal Swamp. Think we must have caught one of the lights hanging down below the parapet.

As a result we don't much like the idea of going under the 64 ft Wilkerson bridge on the ICW. Looks like the channel to the east of Roanake Island might be our best bet.

Does anyone know the real depth in that channel? Looks like there is enough water for our 4.5 ft draft as long as we go through on a rising tide.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

So this morning we lost our vhf antenna going under the supposedly 65 ft road bridge over the southern end of the Dismal Swamp. Think we must have caught one of the lights hanging down below the parapet.

As a result we don't much like the idea of going under the 64 ft Wilkerson bridge on the ICW. Looks like the channel to the east of Roanake Island might be our best bet.

Does anyone know the real depth in that channel? Looks like there is enough water for our 4.5 ft draft as long as we go through on a rising tide.

If you stay east of Manteo and Wanchese you will come out at Oregon Inlet, and the water depth is good all the way to the inlet,if you stay in the middle of the channel you can get out into the Atlantic with no problems..Is that what you want to do? Or are you staying in the ICW and trying to get past the bridge at Manns Harbor(new bridge)?...

[Jeannius]

Want to come down under the Washington Baum Bridge and then stay inside Pamlico Sound maybe as far as Morehead City.

The latest charts of the channel in the area just north of the bridge are showing as little as 1.2 meters ( just about 4ft ) charted depth.

A further complication is the tide tables... some of the online predictors say the range for the next couple of days is only about 8 inches and others show more like 2 ft. Which is correct?

[Captain Bill]

I don't think at 4.5 feet you have any chance of staying in the Pamlico as far as Morehead city. You will have to rejoin the ICW at the Neuse river and then head for Morehead city through the ICW. By staying in the Pamlico Sound I am assuming you mean to pass east of Cedar Island and into Core Sound to avoid fixed bridges. The water in the area of the town of Atlantic is very shallow and shoals a lot. I can't get through there drawing 4 feet. You may have the option of going out Ocracoke inlet, but you'll have to check for local knowlege there first. I've been out it a couple of times but not for more than a year. Last time I was out there I saw 5 feet at one point at high tide. The inlet shoals so much the don't even chart the markers. The last time I went out was before Irene so I would not even take a guess at what the depths are now.

The tide levels on the ICW at core creek are pretty dependable. If your worried about clearance time your arrival for low tide, it will buy you another foot or two. After going through the core creek bridge you can always take the channel into Beaufort rather than Morehead City and go through the bascule bridge though again at low tide you should have plenty of room on the Morehead City side.

With regards to the tide at Manteo I would go with the 8 inch number. The tides in the Pamlico system are mostly wind driven as opposed to lunar because compared to the size of th sound the inlets are very small. My guess would be that the two foot number is very close to Oregon inlet and not at Manteo. I would probably use that number for planning my transit near the inlet rather than the 4 foot area charted north of the bridge. If you have good S-SW wind for a couple of days it can put an extra couple of feet in that area. Conversely a couple of days of N-NE winds can take a couple of feet out of it. I just looked at the wind predictions for the next couple of days and it doesn't look like they are going to move a lot of water around so again I would go with the 8 inch number.

Good luck

[Waterway Guide]

Sorry to hear about your crunchy antenna. Yes, you won't get much help from tidal range to get under the Wilkerson, but you can follow the Outer Banks to the Pamilico and then up the Neuse to rejoin the ICW. Walter Slough Channel is being dredged currently...use caution in the sections of channel near that elbow...go slow on a rising tide, preferably in calm conditions. A strong north to east wind can blow a lot of the water out, as Cpt. Bill explains very clearly. Have a fun and safe voyage!

[Jeannius]

Thanks very much Bill and Mike.

[Tia Bu]

You can make it through the channel to the east of Roanoke with 4.5'. It will get hairy at the north end of the channel (near Manteo) and where the (uncharted and shifting) Ocracoke Inlet channel joins your channel on the south end.

Go slow, so you can back off when you bump.

[Tia Bu]

I'm sorry, that's the OREGON Inlet channel.

By the way, Ocracoke is a nice stop if you're taking the route you're talking about down the Pamlico Sound. But it has a tricky and shifty channel, too, so going slowly is a good idea there, also. That's a nice trip, really.

[cheoah]

You're taking the best route in my opinion, and your draft should not cause you problems if you are in the channel approaching Manteo, or where it re-joins the sound. Manteo and Ocracoke are both good stops and will give you a sense of the Outer Banks of NC. Cape Lookout is also a place you should drop the hook if you are headed to Morehead. Crossing for there to Wrightsville Beach, then out the Cape Fear is a good way to get south.

You got good advice on the tides, the tidal range is mostly influenced by wind with water being blown out of the portion of the sound whence the wind blows.

[Jeannius]

We made it into Manteo with no problem. Got some local advice on the channel into Manteo and found the latest channel surveys on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website Wilmington District Navigation Branch Home Page and we were good to go. Never saw less than 7ft of water all the way in.

In the excellent Shallowbag Bay Marina waiting for this northerly to blow through before continuing south, probably tomorrow.

[Jeannius]

Made it all the way through the Roanoke Sound Channel. Never saw less than 7ft depth despite the latest NOAA charts saying 1.2 meter ( 4 ft ) at places.

Now in lovely Ocracoke.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Made it all the way through the Roanoke Sound Channel. Never saw less than 7ft depth despite the latest NOAA charts saying 1.2 meter ( 4 ft ) at places.

Now in lovely Ocracoke.

Spent my honeymoon in Ocracoke ,great place to do nothing ,except maybe fish or go crabbing or vist the British Navy graveyard or watch the wild horses or vist the lighthouse...Im pretty sure thats about it!...

[Waterway Guide]

Great to hear you made it and the channel is good...hope they're not still sandblasting or whatever in there!