Harkers Island, NC / Cape Lookout 8/3-8/5

[veedubtek]

Anyone familiar with a good launch with secure overnight parking in the area? Planning on launching there and camping on Cape Lookout 8/3-8/5.

Sidebar - 3 skis and a prop boat going already. A mini gathering of sorts with more than enough beach space if anyone else is interested in tagging along.

 

[veedubtek]

[USERGROUP=19]@NC_Mid_Atlantic[/USERGROUP]

 

[bronze_10]

@Neutron

 

[Joshua Miller]

Anyone familiar with a good launch with secure overnight parking in the area? Planning on launching there and camping on Cape Lookout 8/3-8/5.

Sidebar - 3 skis and a prop boat going already. A mini gathering of sorts with more than enough beach space if anyone else is interested in tagging along.

You can get a slip at Beaufort Yacht basin and launch from the free ramp on the other side of the cove. That’s what I did when we stayed out there over Mothers Day weekend. Slip is cheap, like $2 /ft. I made it out to Shakleford banks, saw lots of horses but didn’t make it to the lighthouse.

 

[Andy S]

@veedubtek is this replacing the lake gathering that folks have talked about for this weekend?

 

[bronze_10]

I am hoping my boat will be back in and running on the 21st on falls. I have a police exporers group cook pit that day. I usually bring my boat and let them tube but this year that will only be if my boat engine check out ok once I can install the borrowed ecu.

 

[veedubtek]

@veedubtek is this replacing the lake gathering that folks have talked about for this weekend?

No sir. We've actually had this planned for awhile, Karie's birthday weekend. I'll just have to miss the gathering if it's that weekend.

 

[robert843]

I’m confused I called yesterday and rented a floating house for the same weekend on Fontana lake from Prince Dock was this not the plan I’m lost

 

[Julian]

I am hoping my boat will be back in and running on the 21st on falls. I have a police exporers group cook pit that day. I usually bring my boat and let them tube but this year that will only be if my boat engine check out ok once I can install the borrowed ecu.

I should be able to bring my boat to provide rides/tubing.....but I do have an Israel trip in the brewing stage.

 

[veedubtek]

I’m confused I called yesterday and rented a floating house for the same weekend on Fontana lake from Prince Dock was this not the plan I’m lost

I called Friday and they had nothing available. The pricier one we typically stay at on vrbo was booked also. That's the only 3 options I know of for Fontana to be on the water.

 

[justason]

I boated this place a couple times. On harkers island I've stayed at and launched from Harkers island fishing center. did it with my kids on a ski' not sure I'd ask my wife to stay there with me. (dated cinder block motel style). they do have showers outside of the rooms, fuel, store and launch. not sure what they charge for launch only, but they have parking avail back near the entrance I have used and trusted.

for a longer journey, I've launched at core creek marina intersection of 101/core creek. they had a fire last year but I would hope they recovered by now. good parking there and an easy launch. easy run to beaufort (watch the channel markers thru that big open area)

if you haven't boated this area before the biggest threat to grounding out (besides everywhere) is the southeast corner of harkers where the channel markers turn 90 degrees towards the lighthouse. I had some TVXLs meet there demise there.

 

[Joshua Miller]

Put me down as a maybe for this--need to check with the wife to see if she's up for a camping trip. When I went I wasn't too confident in making the trip to the lighthouse by myself with all the shallow water, but would feel better in a group. Are you looking at launching on the 3rd and spending two days camping or just one?

 

[justason]

just a PSA or to share information. My wife found this years ago, we never pursued it due to water depth and I don't really care to boat this area. but....

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/...oundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72362

 

[justason]

I’m confused I called yesterday and rented a floating house for the same weekend on Fontana lake from Prince Dock was this not the plan I’m lost

Is this in lieu of the talk on Lake Norman that was brought up shortly after Bimini ? Our Aug 4/5 weekend is booked with a per-existing schedule.

 

[robert843]

Is this in lieu of the talk on Lake Norman that was brought up shortly after Bimini ? Our Aug 4/5 weekend is booked with a per-existing schedule.

I left that Norman weekend open for you NC guys to pick a lake and date as everyone was still recovering so not sure where that stands last I saw it was back to Falls Lake with no date selected though.

 

[Neutron]

if you haven't boated this area before the biggest threat to grounding out (besides everywhere) is the southeast corner of harkers where the channel markers turn 90 degrees towards the lighthouse. I had some TVXLs meet there demise there.
View attachment 79123

I boat with a lot of locals that know that passage and they usually stay away because the sand shifts fast and the whole area changes rapidly. One day you can get through, then the following day with the same tide you cant

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

Another option is use the ramp in Beaufort off of hwy 70. Then can go out into ocean between Fort Macon and Shackleford Banks and get to Cape Lookout that way. Little longer boat ride but probably easier.

I agree that the navigation between Harkers Island and Cape Lookout is tough and ever changing. And unless you live on the water there i would avoid it. I was on a guided fishing boat few years back out of the Harkers Island Fisher Center and I would have thought the guide was drunk as much zigzagging they were doing to stay in the channel. Some places the channel was no wider than the boat. Guide was saying it can sometimes be only a foot deep outside the channel. She (yes she) almost grounded it at one point and she is out there EVERY day as a fishing guide. This was not a huge boat, was a 23ft Jones Brothers Bateau.

 

[veedubtek]

Hmm. Certainly not opposed to more boating, I was kinda thinking Beaufort anyway (or maybe even New Bern).

@Joshua Miller - launching on the 3rd, camping 2 nights, and returning on the 5th is our plan.

 

[justason]

Another option is use the ramp in Beaufort off of hwy 70. Then can go out into ocean between Fort Macon and Shackleford Banks and get to Cape Lookout that way. Little longer boat ride but probably easier.

I agree that the navigation between Harkers Island and Cape Lookout is tough and ever changing. And unless you live on the water there i would avoid it. I was on a guided fishing boat few years back out of the Harkers Island Fisher Center and I would have thought the guide was drunk as much zigzagging they were doing to stay in the channel. Some places the channel was no wider than the boat. Guide was saying it can sometimes be only a foot deep outside the channel. She (yes she) almost grounded it at one point and she is out there EVERY day as a fishing guide. This was not a huge boat, was a 23ft Jones Brothers Bateau.

that's a nice run from Beaufort inlet to Lookout bight on the outside. Watch the tides, I've seen some good haystacks where the currents meet. They were a ball on the waverunner, a challenge on the 212x. I'll add another detail. the stretch along the Beaufort waterfront is a LOOOOONG no wake zone.....if its a hot day you'll cook yourself. there's some nice houses on the east half, a marina for fuel/snacks. but I found the the western 1/3 was where most of the interest was.
the inside of the shackelford banks has beautiful beaches and are protected for a nice anchor drop

 

[Eric Ballard]

Beaufort City docks is a great place to put your boat in the water. They have good gas prices. Kind of a long no-wake to get to the inlet. But it's a good safe place. You could also try Beaufort City docks for overnight slip. The inlet Inn hotel is right next to Beaufort City docks restaurants so it's perfect if you need a hotel. Beaufort City Marina let me put my trailer locked up in their yard for something like $10 a night probably let you put your truck and trailer together for something similar.