Orcacoke from the outside

[Moontide]

Looking for experience info from people who have gone in Orcacoke Inlet from the outside. Thinking about ducking inside to anchor overnight and avoid doing an overnighter going around Hatteras.



I'm presuming charts might not show buoy locations accurately due to moving buoys for shifting sandbars, etc. so would only do in daylight.



Boat draws 4' and no problem anchoring pretty much anywhere. Not interested in moving around inside, just inside enough to anchor and out in the morning.


Thanks for any relevant info.


Bill

[Moontide]

Oops, forgot how spread out the members are on here. Talking about Orcacoke Inlet by Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, US.

[jibstay]

It’s been a few years, but if I remember correctly, you can’t come straight in, there’s a jetty that parallels the beach, so you have to enter from the north, then make a turn to the west.

Back then, once inside, the channel made a sharp turn north, and had a few more turns before you got to the marina.

There’s a Coast Guard station there and they used to do a good job keeping the markers in the right places.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Moontide

Oops, forgot how spread out the members are on here. Talking about Orcacoke Inlet by Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, US.

No kidding. I was looking at the title thinking it was a sort of paint or something. Ha ha ha.

[ggray]

It's been even longer for me, but I called the Coast Guard and they advised me.

[contrail]

It's actually Ocracoke not Orcacoke! Been years for me, too. There used to be a very good guide to all the ICW inlets and it was kept current. I don't remember it being particularly available, however.

[Dsanduril]

You can grab this spring’s Army Corps hydrographic surveys for recent information.

[kmacdonald]

Shouldn't be a problem with 4' draft, or even 7 or 8' draft. Do it in daylight. The markers aren't charted since they are moved frequently. Silver Lake is a great anchorage. Lots of restaurants and a grocery store nearby. Recent hurricanes may have changed some of that so check first. The Atlantic side beaches are rated in the top 10 in the world by some.

Lookout Bight at Cape Lookout is another great option. There is a lighthouse there that you can tour. It's a great anchorage.

[sailasia]

Calm weather only

[jewt]

Daylight ONLY! Good weather. I have touch bottom several times with my previous Morgan K/CB with a 4' draft before I decided it wasn't worth it.

Look at an anchorage inside Cape Lookout, deep water well marked and good protection. Easily done anytime day or night !

jewt S/V Bifrost
44'Morgan CC New Bern, NC

[Moontide]

Jibstay, I think you're talking about going into the marina/city. I'm just looking at sticking my nose into the opening and anchoring overnight. On a cat so rolling at anchor is almost never an issue.



To others, have stayed at Lookout Bight several times. Very good anchorage although I have never done the lighthouse tour. Problem is that still leaves an overnight run to Virginia Beach which is where I usually pull in to.



I found a NOAA site that has soundings that were taken in May of this year so pretty current. Can download a KMZ file with waypoints so gives me a pretty good idea of the current bottom. Its actually a very precise plotting of the bottom coming in the channel. Don't think there have been any major weather events there so the sandbars should not have moved too much, I hope.