Morehead City

[drysuit2]

Hey does anyone have any useful info on the Morehead City, Baufort, Cape Lookout windsurfing scene? I may be relocating to that area. It sure looks promising. I am assuming you need to take a ferry and then 4X4 to Cape Lookout. But I am more interested in the sailing and surfing right across the causeway in Fort Macon State Park. It looks like the “after work/dawn patrol” site.

There is no info on iwindsurf; so anything would be helpful. I hope to take a detour on my way home from Hatteras this spring.

Thanks.

Frank

http://drysuit2.blogspot.com/

[PeconicPuffin]

But you just discovered the joys of Tiana? And where would you sail your sailboat...in the "Graveyard of the Atlantic"?

[mickeboone]

I haven't sailed around there since the mid '80s, so I don't know what the current access issues are. Here's where I used to sail:

Radio Island
Bogue Sound at Salter Path
Bogue Inlet
East end of Harker's Island
Nuese River (Oriental and also a launch across from there at South River)

Ocean sailing is not great around there. Swells at Bogue Inlet. Beach breaks along Bogue Island (Emerald Isle area). Boats for hire can take you to the barrier island. See Windsurfer Will in Oriental about that.

[Wind-NC.com]

Check with these guys:

http://www.ibscc.org/



these guys, too:

http://triangleboardsailing.com/




And search for WindsurferWil who occasionally posts on this forum!

[d0uglass]

I spent a mid-summer month in Morehead city a couple years ago. Right in town the tidal currents are strong and the Bogue Sound launches are sketchy - i.e. boat launches, people's yards, bulkheads, rip-rap, oyster piles, etc. But a little west of town the sound is wider and less current-y, and you can scrounge a few launch spots either from the island or from the mainland. Ocean sailing is OK if you can find a parking spot and don't mind shlepping your gear a ways. The water is warm and often beautiful tropical blue.

[drysuit2]

[geohaye]

Be sure to keep an eye on iWindsurf's alternative website, WindAlert. Deeper coverage in the Morehead City area. Including a new weather station right at Ford Macon.

Here's a profile for Cape Lookout:
http://windalert.com/en-us/Favorites/ViewFavorites.aspx?pid=117968

[Windnc]

I lived and windsurfed extensively in and around the Morehead City/Beaufort North Carolina area from 1989 - 1993 and again from 1997 through 2000. There were a whole bunch of good spots to sail depending on wind direction and type of sailing you wanted to do.

My favorite for SW was Radio Island/Beaufort Inlet. This place rocks in strong SW with outgoing tide offering a mix of wave sailing, B&J, flat water speed zones over by the Shackleford Bank north side of the inlet, and big standing tidal current waves which can be ridden on the Fort Macon side. Access was by parking in the public parking lot on Radio island, carrying rig and board a short distance down to the channel coming into Beaufort. You then would sail upwind across the channel and walk your board and rig a short distance up the channel on the other side. Then relaunch out into the open bay.

Bogue Sound offers lots of great SW and NE B&J and flat water sailing too. Watch out for shallow areas especially near the south end of Emerald Isle. We used to launch at the windsurfing shop "Island Riggs" in Salterpath but the shop has been closed for a long time now. Still, I am sure there are some other good area launches near by there. YOu can also sail the ocean off Emerald Isle from the public beach access parking lots but parking can be a hard to find during the summer tourist season.

For NE winds the best spot in my opinion was Harkers Island north of Beaufort. Launch at the east end in an incoming tide. Some great B&J sailing to be had. The more adventurous can sail across the sound there to the Core Banks, carry over a short distance and then wave sail. In a NE you can find some of the best NE side shore conditions in N.C.

If you want what I think is the best NW spot in all NC, then go to Cedar Island north of Harkers. Launch immediately east of the Cedar Island to Ocracoke Ferry terminal jetty. The fetch across the Pamlico sound in a NW is very far at this spot which tends to smooth out the typically gusty NW winds more than other spots. Plus due to the long fetch and deeper water of the Pamlico, some really big swells and waves can build up making for exciting sailing and wave riding. Plus the Ferry jetty smooths out the water at launch making getting out through the shore break much easier.

The Neuse River can also offer up some great NE and NW wind sailing. SW too! I used to launch at either the north side or south side near the Cherry Branch to Minnesott Beach Ferry terminals. Here the river changes direction from NE to SW coming in from the Pamlico, to SE to NW heading up river towards New Bern. Plus the river narrows at this point causing increased wind accelleration. In a strong NE or NW big river swells build up and you can get some really big jumps and rides. You can also catch good sessions at Oriental in NE and SW winds too.

Finally, Bogue inlet on the south end of Emerald Isle can be alot of fun with waves, flat water and everything in between.

Another great spot if Cape Lookout. If you have a boat or a friend that does, and you can get out there to camp for a few days, sailing inside the Cape Lookout bay is good in just about any wind direction. A beautiful location too.

Anyway, as someone already suggested check out the windsurfing club up by Raleigh for latest access and other info for the Morehead City Area.

Good winds,

Chuck R

[drysuit2]

Is it possible to 4X4 at the cape lookout Natl sea shore? That looks like my best shot at waves. If not I guess you just sail across and hump it over to the ocean.

We have similar Barrier islands on LI but they are not legally accessible by 4X4 for surfing so we end up walking 2 miles in the sand to surf or sail about 1/2 mile in open ocean across an inlet to get to the point Break.

This is why I am so thankful for the advice. If you try to sail to our point break under the wrong tide you’re a tasty treat for the men in grey suits.

[PeconicPuffin]