OCRACOKE, N.C. ‘” The Coast Guard responded to a boat collision in the ferry channel in Ocracoke, Saturday night. Scroll down to article and picture below.

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a radio call from a crewmember aboard the ferry Carteret, which travels from Cedar Island to Ocracoke, at 8:30 p.m. stating that there had been a collision between the ferry and a 35-foot motor yacht.
The ferry had eight passengers, one car and the crew aboard. The yacht, Tony C, had two crewmembers and two dogs aboard.
A 25-foot Response Boat – Small crew from Coast Guard Station Ocracoke responded and transferred two crewmembers and the dogs to Station Ocracoke to awaiting Coast Guard emergency medical technicians. The two individuals were cleared with no severe injuries.
No one aboard the Carteret was injured. Coast Guard personnel inspected the ferry and found no major damage. The Carteret was brought back to Ocracoke.
The yacht was damaged and has a hole from slightly above the waterline to the deck.
A 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Hatters Inlet was deployed to tow the yacht to shallow water.
The cause of the collision is under Coast Guard investigation.

Click Here To View Capt. Ben’s Report and Photo

Be careful out there folks, especially on holiday weekends and especially around larger vessels in close quarters!

One more concern, evidently a 36-foot Albin trawler was struck by another boat Saturday night Sept 4th somewhere near Ocracoke. We saw the wrecked boat docked over by the channel entrance. Can’t say and don’t know what hit it, but was strong enough to dislodge the bridge structure halfway off the pilothouse and crack the hull. Heard the crew got off safely. Still afloat as of morning Sept 5th.
Good luck to the crew and with all the challenges that will inevitably follow!
I obscured the name and hailing port to protect the owner’s privacy, but this is what happens when Trawler meets Ferry. Saw this in Ocracoke Sunday. Was told by a few locals, the ferries have an awfully hard time in the channels maneuvering or slowing down, and that the ferry captain was in full reverse trying to avoid the trawler. Good luck to the unfortunate owner.
Capt. Ben Matthews

Click Here To View an Earlier Posting on Ocracoke, NC

We love to visit Manteo. It can accurately be described as a “charming” port of call. And, the city marina here is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Downtown Manteo, within an easy step of the city docks, has a host of good restaurants (don’t miss Tranquil House Inn), a convenience store, and quite a collection of interesting shops (Manteo Booksellers, for one).
A word of caution, one of the two approaches for vessels northbound on Pamlico Sound, and the far shorter of the two, is by way of the Old House Channel from the Pamlico, to southern Roanoke Sound, and then north on the Roanoke Sound channel. There is NOTHING easy about this passage, and I do not recommend it for vessels drawing 5 feet or more.
The other, far deeper and navigationally easier route is by way of Croatoan Sound, and then a southerly cruise through northern Roanoke Sound. The caveat for this route is that you must pass under a fixed bridge with 45 feet of vertical clearance, plenty for almost all powercraft, but not enough for many sailboats.
The safest and easiest route to Manteo is by way of the AICW to Alemarle Sound. Then, a turn to the east will lead to northern Roanoke Sound, and then a quick trip to Shallowbag Bay and Manteo.
However, you get there, Manteo is worth the effort!

Greetings from Manteo, NC,
If you are still headed north and are not past Oriental yet one should consider heading from the Oriental/River Dunes Marina area out to Ocracoke and then up the Outer Banks to Manteo.
Manteo, NC is also a nice stop, complete with a free city dock to tie up to. The town is very quaint with lots of little shops and eateries, omelettes at the Magnolia Grill should not be missed!
Life’s2Short has really fallen in love with the state of NC and all the wonderful cruising it has to offer. Don’t be in a rush to get north, slow down and enjoy all the Outer Banks area has to offer. Gads, it sounds like I’m a poster boy for the NC travel & tourism council……
Hope everyone is enjoying the water under their keel!
Todd & Brenda Lanning
Life’s2Short

Someone told me once, that cruising NC today is like cruising the Chesapeake 20 – 30 years ago. Definitely a place to linger during the Fall and Spring seasons.
Jim

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Manteo Waterfront Marina