Worst Inlets

[Water_Rat]

What gets your vote for the worst inlet? Not counting west coast bar crossings, just east coast of the good ol' US. One time while sitting in a bar in Montauk,I overheard other boaters commenting on how dangerous the inlets were in Connecticut of all places. This is a coastline protected by Long Island from the Atlantic Ocean. Being from CT, I was amused to say the least. The most dangerous thing in CT is hitting a rock in some harbor entrances. My vote goes to Sebatian, even though it has jetties, the outgoing tide just Rips there. I've seen standing 6 footers in govt's cut, St Lucie always looks like combers clear across, and there is even some good spin outs on the Cape Fear river in Southport. Carolina Beach Inlet is bad when the wind blows from the NE. I've read the only two safe inlets in NJ is Absecon & Cape May. Absecon can be fun at times, too. Anyhow, I haven't spun out yet, just counting the days, I guess, but I usually go thru hammers down tabs up. So, fellas, lets see what gets your vote!

[scattered_grass]

this should be a great thread! I've seen Hatteras Inlet a bit unpleasant from time to time. I'm sure some of these guys have some good stories.

[bigfish4me]

Any given inlet can stack up and do you in......We run Townsends inlet in sea isle /avalon....if you cant get out of the inlet....you dont want to be out there and thats a fact.....but a good inlet for sure....the ones that will get you down this way are the unmarked ones....which leave you hanging out to dry on many insurance policies....Herefords and Corsons....I know corsons was dredged....but coming from the south once you pass the dueville and the bridge......its different after every storm and running a straight inboard we have no desire to introduce mr prop to mr bottom!

[gottaflylee]

The 2 safest in NC are Masonboro at Wrightsville Beach and Bardons at Cape Lookout.

Hatteras and Ocracoke are bad but you can get in more trouble in Oregon Inlet than the other 2. Oregon Inlet can crush you with side to and is one thst the CG will report as closed out.

The main thing that Cape Fear has is very deep water. It and Beaufort (Morehead City) are a lot a like. They both can "Stack" up but are very doable.

Sebatian is not all that bad even though it stacks up. At least you don't have much side to, mostly head on.

[Deep C]

Ooooh! Bad inlets! Wow, so many to choose from... I have about peed my pants shooting Hatt or OI. OI slinging you at bad places and breakers crossing the channel just outside Hatt. Squan out going tide with a big east swell can be interesting. They seem to pitchpole a scallop boat there almoste every year. Then I think about the ones down here.
Sebastian? Bitchy but not like some others...I'm pretty sure my nod would have to go to Jupiter. Boynton and Boca run close behind. Boynton is not really an inlet, more of a drainage ditch that boats can get through. Boca shoals so bad that it effectively closes to boat traffic now and then.
That being said, Jupiter is so bad that CG says not to use it. On an east windthe shizzle breaks out in front of it over a bar. If you run around the bar they still roll past there and then you have it on your beam. The south half of the hole itself often shoals to the point of being dry ground at mid to low tide... I don't know of an inlet that has claimed more boats than it.

[N2theBlue]

Oregon Inlet is probably the worst...even on a good day it can be hairy.

All the NC inlets south of Cape Fear are shallow with a very narrow channel, and are real nasty with an outgoing tide and a SW wind, can run up on a bar real quick. Had one of my hairiest times going in Cape Fear river on a hard outgoing with a hard SW wind.....but that was mainly driver error (not mine, I had to grab the wheel cause he just turned loose).

Had fun going in Lockwood Folly in October at night running by radar, not really dangerous just really nervous boat owners made it almost funny.

[Water_Rat]

Yeah, I know Jupiter can be bad and Hillsboro, I've seen large CC's turned turtle in West Palm and Miami. They think they can go out, then panic and turn back, in the middle of the inlet! lol I would have to say OI has the worst rap, but I've never been thru it, so can't say. Heck, St Augustine & Ponce can be harry too. Sure feels good getting thru at the end of a rough day, tho!

[blckbart]

This inlet can be brutal cause of tides and traffic. Not too uncommon on the outgoing tide to have 4-6 ft breakers at the mouth stacked up.

If that wasn't bad enough its narrow with boats all drifting - then there's the bridge....

Not the worst, but up there.....

[TunaTeaser1]

Oregon inlet. Catch the tide and your looking at breaking waves all the way across even though it's slick cam/ zero wind in the stream...

[Tunaman40]

Barnegat inlet NJ.