Ocracoke, NC – Click for Chartview

Ocracoke Island, mentioned in this article from the AGLCA forum, is part of the North Carolina Outer Banks and lies on the eastern edge of Pamlico Sound. The National Park Service Docks lie on the northern shores of Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Harbor, just east of its entrance.

The “outside” route to the ICW is definitely through Pamlico Sound, not the ocean, where you have to go way around Cape Lookout then around Diamond Shoals.
The Pamlico Sound and adjacent waters are subject to very nasty conditions due to its very steep, close chop. You don’t see many boats out when strong winds are forecast with 2-3 foot waves… each wave is like running through a 3 foot brick wall. This is why they built the ICW. When calm, it is a fun cruise, especially if you stop and enjoy Ocracoke, a GREAT cruising destination, and Manteo, another fun little town and area to explore.
This has been our home cruising grounds for a few years now, and we used it a lot when doing our cruising up and down the entire east coast and adjacent waters.
George

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Ocracoke National Park Service Docks

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ocracoke National Park Service Docks