Has anyone done this run in a boat about 33 feet ? Looking for advise and watchouts - going inside vs the ICW, etc.
Jim
Jim
Advise - Chesapeake Bay to Oriental, NC
- Thread starter spadaforaj
- Start date
- Status
I did it in my 34 a year ago.
Took the Albemarle/Chesapeake ICW route (I've heard there's been some depth problems in the Dismal Swamp Canal). We did Norfolk to Oriental in 2.5 summertime days (Sat AM to Monday noon). Could have arrived Sunday night but stopped sailing at sunset each day (a smart idea since there's a lot of nighttime barge traffic - they figure we're out of the way by then).
The trick is to time the locks. There's lots of info on the web. We had a book of maps that had pretty useful notes.
The other trick is to have a very reliable engine. You're going to motor the majority of the miles from Norfolk to the Neuse in fairly narrow canals. You don't want to get stuck in these places (I'm looking at you, Allegator-Pungo).
Fenders and ropes are also important.
My speed aside, I recommend taking it slow. It's a beautiful trip - lots of very quiet, wild places to anchor. Lots of neat watering holes as well. But if you're in a hurry, it can be done pretty quickly in the right conditions.
As for inside, outside, ICW: The ICW is a safe, proven route. I wouldn't go outside this time of year (there's been a news story about a lost sailboat outside Morehead City every week for the past month or so, and lots of Coast Guard activity). Inside (Currituck/Croatan) there are still some low bridges and other issues.
Took the Albemarle/Chesapeake ICW route (I've heard there's been some depth problems in the Dismal Swamp Canal). We did Norfolk to Oriental in 2.5 summertime days (Sat AM to Monday noon). Could have arrived Sunday night but stopped sailing at sunset each day (a smart idea since there's a lot of nighttime barge traffic - they figure we're out of the way by then).
The trick is to time the locks. There's lots of info on the web. We had a book of maps that had pretty useful notes.
The other trick is to have a very reliable engine. You're going to motor the majority of the miles from Norfolk to the Neuse in fairly narrow canals. You don't want to get stuck in these places (I'm looking at you, Allegator-Pungo).
Fenders and ropes are also important.
My speed aside, I recommend taking it slow. It's a beautiful trip - lots of very quiet, wild places to anchor. Lots of neat watering holes as well. But if you're in a hurry, it can be done pretty quickly in the right conditions.
As for inside, outside, ICW: The ICW is a safe, proven route. I wouldn't go outside this time of year (there's been a news story about a lost sailboat outside Morehead City every week for the past month or so, and lots of Coast Guard activity). Inside (Currituck/Croatan) there are still some low bridges and other issues.
Dismal swamp
Don't dismiss the Dismal Swamp too quickly. I have only gone that way. But knowing many who have gone both ways I highly recommend the swamp. All the big cruisers go the other way, lots of wakes and rockin' and rollin' I hear. We were with them from Norfolk and were happy to turn right at the fork in the ICW.
There are locks at each end. You need to know the schedule. If you make the morning opening on the north end then you will have time to get out the south end. We had to wait for the 1500 north opening and then tied to the wall at the south end. Went out in the morning. That leads you into a nice stop for breakfast, Elizabeth City. There is a visitor center about mid-point. There were a few boats tied there for an overnight. First pic is us waiting for the lock to open. We dinked to shore and walked into town(Deep Creek I think) for some supplies.
Good luck, a fun trip to a neat place.
Don't dismiss the Dismal Swamp too quickly. I have only gone that way. But knowing many who have gone both ways I highly recommend the swamp. All the big cruisers go the other way, lots of wakes and rockin' and rollin' I hear. We were with them from Norfolk and were happy to turn right at the fork in the ICW.
There are locks at each end. You need to know the schedule. If you make the morning opening on the north end then you will have time to get out the south end. We had to wait for the 1500 north opening and then tied to the wall at the south end. Went out in the morning. That leads you into a nice stop for breakfast, Elizabeth City. There is a visitor center about mid-point. There were a few boats tied there for an overnight. First pic is us waiting for the lock to open. We dinked to shore and walked into town(Deep Creek I think) for some supplies.
Good luck, a fun trip to a neat place.
Attachments
Second vote for dismal swamp. We did the trip in 2005 on my Catalina 320. No problem with the depths. We stopped midway in the canal. Dock is part of the rest stop area for the local highway. Fun talking to people who were driving and did not expect to meet a boat at the rest stop. Elizabeth City had a fun dinner/movie theater. You get a simple meal served at a table in the movie theater and you have the best seats for the movie as well. I would be happy to e-mail you copies of our ship's log if you are interested. The first picture is a view of the Dismal Swamp Canal. The second is the mileage at the lock.
Attachments
Re: Dismal swamp
Chuck - I'd love to see your log to help start planning the trip - A good use of time int he winter !
Chuck - I'd love to see your log to help start planning the trip - A good use of time int he winter !
Love the sign Chuck. I stole it and saved it in my picture log. When we passed the visitor center it was full. A cruiser capt said "no problem mon, just raft up". In my third pic above that was a C-34 following us. They stopped. We went on to the closed south lock. A crewmate fashioned a rope ladder so that we could get up on the wall. There was a gas station, not much else.
- Status