Oregon Inlet Navigation

[cab]

Is there any local knowledge that anyone can share with a guy looking to leave Edenton, run the inlet and head north. I've run Oregon Inlet on Charters, but never on my own.

Any sound, sage and seasoned advice would be appreciated....

CAB

[Robja]

Cab,

On Fryingpantower.com there is a section in their forum that deals with NC inlets. I don't know how up to date the info is but you might want to check it out.

[fishskipper]

Just stay in the channel .... You shouldn't have any trouble... I haven't been out since feb. myself , but several of us will be out next week if this wind will ever break... The short cut we call the crack has changed so I wouldn't use it at this time... When are you planning on going through? Inshore boats will be on channel 19 and I'm sure anyone will help you.

[szoobie]

Don't short cut the buoys and follow another boat out. I've run it several times and it can be easy or it can be a monster. That's bad when you went out in the morning and it was fine but when I came back, the waves in the inlet we about 6-7' and I could not even see the buoys from the ocean. Its really nuts the last mile on the bay side. Take it from a novice, follow another boat until you get used to the place. Theres a red channel buoy out from Wanchese that if you go 15' on the wrong side you are in 12" of water. Unfortunately, I know exactly how deep that water is.

[cab]

I'm looking at running over from Edenton this before it gets dark tonight and then out in the morning, weather permitting. I imagine there are some commercial boats running.

[fishskipper]

Where you tying up tonite and whats the length.

[Russell A. Jost]

Cab Go to http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/nav/OREGON.htm Ranges 1 thru 6A will show you the most recent marked channel from Old house channel to the inlet bridge.

[offshore]

You wont have any problems running from Pirates Cove or Wanchese. Once you get down to where you can either turn to the port to take the crack or vear starboard to go through hells gate the run can be a little tricky. Personaly I like taking the Crack. When you make the left into the crack you split the two markers entering the run towards OI Fishing center make sure you stay between the channel markers it is very shallow on both sides of the channel. You will see OI fishing center straight ahead and when you make the starboard turn near the channel markers to OI fishing center hang tight to the barrels keeping them on the starboard side of the boat. It was a little shallow at the end of the barrels where you go through the round port and starboard markers but you should be fine. After the two round red and grens you should be ok from there to the inlet. You might want to make a run down there the evening before you run it and put down a track....Mark

[cab]

Thanks for all the feedback. I chickened out and ran up the ICW...too foggy for gettin' nutty through an inlet I'm not familiar with. After a courteous safety check by the Coasties in Norfolk (little trick - keep your old inspection copy. The inspection from 1/06 saved a lot of time), we ran outside...more fog and the only vessel we passed, another Coast Guard patrol of Chincoteague. Someone's workin.

The water sure was cold, but we saw a lot of life. Porpoise, large schools of bait and gannets. I imagine the stripers are in the coastal water pretty thick. That offshore image of the warm eddie is still in my mind and being ready from O.C. makes life a little more interesting when the weather breaks again.

Thanks again for the thoughts. If anyone finds themselves running out of O.C., let me know. I sure would like to keep tabs on the catch now that the season is near.

CAB