Steve, since you've done a bunch of sailing down there, I'm wondering what your thoughts are about the possibility of a trip from the Norfolk area, down the ICW, into Currituck Sound down to Albemarle Sound and then down into Pamlico down to Ocracoke?
I would love to make that trip - maybe next year; maybe the year after that. I know those sounds tend to be quite shallow, but my boat has a shoal draft keel with a centerboard. It draws 3'6" with the centerboard up; 6'9" with the board down.
My impression from just a little bit of research is that the northern part of that trip requires a lot of motoring, since the channel is narrow and you pretty much can't go out of it, since it's so shallow in either side. Looks like mostly motoring for the first 1/3 or half of the trip, which makes it less appealing.
Bill sailboats, big sailboats, make that trip all of the time. Sure, you motor the Albemarle/Chesapeake canal. Once you come out of the canal onto the North River you've got, for the most part, good water across Albemarle Sound, Croatan Sound and Pamlico Sound.
The other thought would be to take the Dismal Swamp canal from the Elizabeth River to Elizabeth City, NC. I've made that trip on a 34' sailboat and it was great. Then from Eliz City you've got the Pasquotank River, Albemarle Sound, Croatan and Pamlico Sounds.
Yes, there is some motoring but possibly not as much as you think. The trip to Ocracoke would be a lot of fun.
Steve, since you've done a bunch of sailing down there, I'm wondering what your thoughts are about the possibility of a trip from the Norfolk area, down the ICW, into Currituck Sound down to Albemarle Sound and then down into Pamlico down to Ocracoke?
ReplyDeleteI would love to make that trip - maybe next year; maybe the year after that. I know those sounds tend to be quite shallow, but my boat has a shoal draft keel with a centerboard. It draws 3'6" with the centerboard up; 6'9" with the board down.
My impression from just a little bit of research is that the northern part of that trip requires a lot of motoring, since the channel is narrow and you pretty much can't go out of it, since it's so shallow in either side. Looks like mostly motoring for the first 1/3 or half of the trip, which makes it less appealing.
Bill
ReplyDeletesailboats, big sailboats, make that trip all of the time. Sure, you motor the Albemarle/Chesapeake canal. Once you come out of the canal onto the North River you've got, for the most part, good water across Albemarle Sound, Croatan Sound and Pamlico Sound.
The other thought would be to take the Dismal Swamp canal from the Elizabeth River to Elizabeth City, NC. I've made that trip on a 34' sailboat and it was great. Then from Eliz City you've got the Pasquotank River, Albemarle Sound, Croatan and Pamlico Sounds.
Yes, there is some motoring but possibly not as much as you think. The trip to Ocracoke would be a lot of fun.
steve
steve
Cool!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it would be a really neat trip.
Here's hoping I can make it happen before I'm too decrepit to enjoy it.