Detailed Navigational Notes on Cruise From Albemarle Sound to Manteo, NC, Then On to Ocracoke, NC, Via Roanoke Sound, Old House Channel and Pamlico Sound
Below, Captains Peg and Jim Healy give a wonderfully detailed account of their cruise from Albemarle Sound to Manteo, NC, a totally charming port of call, and then onto one of very favorite stops anywhere, Ocracoke, NC. This later 1/2 of their voyage was by way of Roanoke Sound – Old House Channel – Pamlico Sound – Big Foot Slough Channel. The portion of this passage between Manteo and the western tip of Old House Channel is, we believe, one of the most navigationally challenging routes on the North Carolina coastline.
While there is SUPERB detail provided by Jim and Peg’s account below, DO NOTE THAT THIS LOG IS THE RESULT OF A 2010 VOYAGE, as our two intrepid cruisers note in their introductory remarks. Some things have certainly changed since then, particularly the noted markers on the Old House Channel, where aids to navigation for moved, deleted and added to with dizzying speed.
Still, there is MUCH here to interest year round NC cruisers, and/or Snow Birds who wisely decide to take some extra time to explore the Tar Heel coastline.
Finally, note Peg and Jim’s good words concerning Manteo Waterfront Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!!
Here’s a report I posted on our trip to Manteo and Ocracoke in 2010. Definitely, worthwhile. My report is based on travel North-to-South, so you’ll have to read backwards if you’re traveling South-to-North. Manteo in particular is a neat stop. Great historical museum (plantation) there, and the Homeport of Elizabeth II. If she’s in port, she’ll be open for tours. If not, you may see her two masts on Albemarle Sound. There will be tall ships on the Chesapeake in June this year.
Sanctuary and crew made our first transit between Manteo and Ocracoke across Pamlico Sound yesterday, Monday, 10/25/2010. This route is 20 miles shorter than the ICW route from Coinjock to Oriental, but it is more exposed to open water. The portion of the Pamlico Sound crossing that is in truly “open water” is about 35 StM, so pay particular attention to the marine forecast when you do go. That said, Manteo and Ocracoke are neat little towns, and we learned things here that we never knew. This is a really excellent “side-trip,” and also a refreshing alternative to the same-o Alligator River, Alligator River Swing Bridge, and Alligator-Pungo Canal!!!!!!!
We got to Manteo by crossing the Albemarle Sound from Elizabeth City to Croatan Sound. No problems; unremarkable navigation except for the trillions of crab pots in the Albemarle. From the Albemarle, we took the Croatan Sound Channel to the north end of Roanoke Island, and then the marked traverse across the north of Roanoke Island through Roanoke Sound to the Roanoke Channel. We stayed at Manteo at the Waterfront Marina, an excellent facility and staff.
We departed from Waterfront Marina in Manteo, turned south into the Roanoke Channel through Roanoke Sound, joined the Old House Channel into Pamlico Sound, southwest across the sound to the Big Foot Slough Channel into Ocracoke Island’s Silver Lake, and to the National Park Service docks. This is a transit of 67.1 StM which we did in 8.26 hours (so an average speed of 8.12 Stm/hr).
Here’s a synopsis of the navigation between Manteo and Ocracoke. The Roanoke Channel, from it’s beginnings north of Manteo, carries as little as 7ft to it’s intersection with the Manteo Village entrance channel. South of the Manteo entrance channel, the Roanoke Channel carries ***at least*** 9 ft for it’s entire length; in most areas, 11ft to 14ft. There are no draft-related problem areas (at this time). In fact, the Elizabeth II, which draws 8 ft, regularly uses this channel. So, no draft problems, but the channel is quite narrow, probably 100 ft. And, it is not a “No Wake” area. Thus, our plan was to “take our half out of the middle,” which was OK at 07h00 on a Monday morning.
There were, however, two areas that caused some confusion for me. A couple of miles south of Manteo is the US64/US264, 65 ft fixed bridge. Southbound, as you emerge from under that bridge, there is a square “No Wake” sign on a post just on the east side of the channel. With the sun low on the morning horizon, I nearly mistook that sign, by shape, for a green marker. It’s not.
The second area of confusion was another 2 – 3 miles south of the bridge, where there is a side-channel that runs off to the west, into the village of Wanchese (pronounced: WAN-cheese). In that area, the Roanoke Channel takes a small dog-leg left, and then another, back to the right. It took me a minute looking through the binoculars to actually realize there was a side-channel intersection there, and it was confusing; and narrow. Carefully pick out the markers for the Roanoke Channel.
At it’s south end, the Roanoke Channel turns sharply west. In another mile, it intersects with the Old House Channel where the Oregon Inlet Channel comes in from the ocean. There are several new markers there that are not mentioned in the cruising guides and are only reflected on electronic charts that have recent LNMs incorporated. On the Roanoke channel, the new markers include 37A, 37, 36A, 36, 34A and 34. At the entrance of the Old House Channel (which is just a continuation of the route from the Roanoke Channel into Pamlico Sound) there is a new green-over-red marker, “OH.” The rest of the Old House route into Pamlico Sound is well marked and unremarkable.
The route across Pamlico Sound is, likewise, unremarkable. Follow it to the Big Foot Slough Channel from the sound into Ocracoke. Note here that the North Carolina State Ferry System uses this channel. Draft for pleasure craft is not a problem, but if you encounter a ferry in that channel, watch the prop wash! The prop wash is very, very strong, and definitely enough to set you out of the channel. There is a red-over-green junction marker just beyond R3 and G4. Watch for the correctly charted shoal there, and turn 120 degrees or so to port, into the entrance channel into Ocracoke harbor, called “Sliver Lake” on the charts. In the harbor, inexpensive dockage with water and electric is available at the National Park Service docks adjacent to the ferry docks. In this harbor, there is also plenty of room to anchor; 20 boats or more. The harbor is very well protected from the strong periodic winds that frequent this island 20 miles into the Atlantic.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Manteo Waterfront Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ocracoke and Silver Lake Harbor
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