Pamlico Sail

Near Roanoke Island
N 35 52.63 W 075 37.43

The passage from Ocracoke to Manteo is about 60 miles long. The first 40 miles traverse open water on Pamlico Sound. We did this part in a very fast passage. The wind was behind us, about 15 knots. We flew only the spinnaker and it worked great. Speed was greater than 6 knots almost all the time. We didn't see any other vessels the whole time.

The last 20 miles of the passage involve moving through narrow dredged channels with shallow water all around us. It is, not unlike the ICW in Florida. As we entered the channels, we dropped the spinnaker. Soon, the wind died, then it started blowing again softly from the north. No problem. We'll just motor on ahead.

I almost ran us aground where the channel markers shifted from green-right red-left, to red-right green-left. I did it despite the fact that I knew we were approaching such a switch. I got confused because there were a lot of markers that weren't on my chart at all. While I was contemplating that, I went on the wrong side of a green. Fortunately, the depth sounder alarm alerted me and I turned back in to the channel.

The Coast Guard is calling PAN PAN EMERGENCY on the radio looking for a 25 foot motor boat with 3 people on board. They say that the people have an electronic failure and that they are lost. They think that they are 25 miles out to sea, either off Ocracoke, of off Hatteras. Tsk tsk, shame on them. I like to think that if we lost all GPS, we would know better where we are. Perhaps some day Libby will pull a surprise drill on me, pulling the plug on all electronics.

Our intention is to tie up at the public dock in Manteo. We'll stay there Friday, and weather permitting, we'll depart on Saturday for Elizabeth City.

It's fun seeing parts of the coast that we never saw before moving up and down the ICW. Our fear of getting blocked by shoal waters was allied by assurances from friends here in North Carolina. There's nothing like local knowledge to build confidence. We talked about using the alternate ICW route to Norfolk after Manteo. That route bypasses Elizabeth City and the Great Dismal Swamp. However, we may be able to meet Ken (a blog fan) in Elizabeth City. We also plan to try out the new nature park
and trail near the visitor's center on the Dismal Swamp Canal.