Morehead City to Norfolk - where to stop overnight?

[ZZ13]

We’ve switched from winters in FL to summers going north, since we now raise an 8 year old. This June we are going from our home port of Beaufort, SC to Annapolis for a month. I’ve only done the North Carolina leg of the ICW once and it was on plane knocking off 150 miles a day. This time I’ll be going slow at 75 miles a day. So do you regulars have recommended places to stay overnight (either anchorage or marina, between Morehead City and Norfolk based on 75 miles a day? It looks like slim pickings on the charts.

 

[Skybolt]

If your going inside stay at Coinjock, a short ride to Norfolk the next day up the canal.

Be sure to call ahead for their Prime Rib, it's worth it!

Coinjock Marina | The Best Marina to Tie Up & Chow Down

coinjockmarina.com

 

[rlynch03]

We are running a similar path back up North this spring. See our current itinerary below...

From	To	Miles
Shelter Cove Hilton Cove / Broad Creek	Lady's Island	26.9
Lady's Island	Charlestown Ashley Marina	53
Charlestown Ashley Marina	Wacca Wache Marina	74
Wacca Wache Marina	Anchor TBD	60
Anchor TBD	Seapath Marina Wilmington NC	30
Seapath Marina Wimnington	Morehead City Anchor Sugar Loaf Island	68.7
Morehead City Anchor Sugar Loaf Island	Anchor Upper Dowry Creek	63.1
Anchor Upper Dowry Creek	Coinjock NC / Great Bridge (free dock) / Anchor Phoebus	72.5
Coinjock NC / Great Bridge (free dock) / Anchor Phoebus	Cape Charles Town Harbor	75
Cape Charles Town Harbor	Sumers Cove Marina	48
Sumers Cove Marina	Annapolis	70

 

[ranger58sb]

Likely choices northbound from Beaufort are:

- Oriental or River Dunes
- Belhaven or Dowry Creek (not the latter, if storms from S or SE)
- Alligator River Marina
- Coinjock
- Waterside (Norfolk), Tidewater (Portsmouth) or Bluewater (Hampton)
- Deltaville, maybe (haven't stopped there), or Tides Inn
- or Solomons (100 NM from Tidewater)
- or all the way to Annapolis (~140 NM from Bluewater)

Don't remember distances, but we just did the trip last week, notes still on the boat. Check weather forecasts for Albemarle Sound, and either cross when you can or stage at ARM. We came from Hampton/Bluewater to our marina ~12 NM south of Annapolis in one leap, 125 NM.

-Chris

 

[ZZ13]

We are running a similar path back up North this spring. See our current ternary below...

From	To	Miles
Shelter Cove Hilton Cove / Broad Creek	Lady's Island	26.9
Lady's Island	Charlestown Ashley Marina	53
Charlestown Ashley Marina	Wacca Wache Marina	74
Wacca Wache Marina	Anchor TBD	60
Anchor TBD	Seapath Marina Wilmington NC	30
Seapath Marina Wimnington	Morehead City Anchor Sugar Loaf Island	68.7
Morehead City Anchor Sugar Loaf Island	Anchor Upper Dowry Creek	63.1
Anchor Upper Dowry Creek	Coinjock NC / Great Bridge (free dock) / Anchor Phoebus	72.5
Coinjock NC / Great Bridge (free dock) / Anchor Phoebus	Cape Charles Town Harbor	75
Cape Charles Town Harbor	Sumers Cove Marina	48
Sumers Cove Marina	Annapolis	70

Well thank you!

 

[FootballFan]

Second the comment on Albemarle Sound. Roughest segment of water we have ever been on in all of our boating.

Big time mistake on my part, not taking into consideration what wind would do to that Sound. I am thinking we are on a 60ft boat, we can handle some wind waves.

Big mistake. Shaken, but no damage or injury. But was a lesson learned.

 

[ranger58sb]

Yeah, we got beat up crossing the Albemarle last week. Beam seas, wave splash over the hardtop, mostly couldn't see squat through the enclosure... Even tried tacking, limited success but that puts the boat out of the "channel" and into the crab pots.

Somehow the top fridge drawer came loose, must have been banging around back and forth for a while... but I think I just need to repair the extra (Sea Ray) latch mechanism, which got a bit bent up.

Looking back on that "75 miles/day" idea... think I'd look first at Beaufort to Belhaven, Belhaven to Coinjock*, Coinjock* to Norfolk/Portsmouth, N/P to Solomons, then into Annapolis.

*Or Alligator River Marina, to stage for crossing the Albemarle. At least they have decent fried chicken there.

The passage from Coinjock to N/P isn't long, but there are some bridge openings to time (North Landing, Centerville, Great Bridge) and the lock to negotiate... and then there's actually stuff to see/do in N/P.

The run from N/P to Solomons would be a bit longer, but then there's stuff to do in town.

We do the trip at a more leisurely pace (see my original list above), partly 'cause we can, partly 'cause we've developed some favorites over the years...

-Chris

 

[FootballFan]

There is a marina (sorta) immediately south of Great Bridge (a mile or so). Almost more of a boat yard, but they do have fuel and some nice docks you can side tie to.

We have run Kent Narrows to just inside the ICW entrance to Norfolk in a day (wasn't bad) then overnight at a marina to the north. Forget the name of it, someone will know. That was a nice stopping place.

OP, so many nice places not far from Annapolis, hope that you have some time to explore a bit. St. Michaels, Cambridge, up the Chester River, etc.

Great place to spend some summer months.

 

[Jaybeaux]

The run from Coinjock, NC to Portsmouth, VA is 50 miles. A real treat is to stay at Tidewater Yacht Marina. There is a pool, restaurant, short walk to a ferry that will take you over to Waterside. The Nauticus Museum is worth the trip. Of course, don't pass up the USS Wisconsin. You can even take a boat tour down the Elizabeth River to the Naval Base and they give you a pretty good description of what everything is. Norfolk/Portsmouth is WAY COOL. Oh, there is even the Douglas MacArthur Museum. All walkable.

Have your head on a swivel down there. An AIS system will come in very handy.

Two good places to get fuel in Norfolk area: Portsmouth Boating Center and Bluewater Yachting Center in Hampton.

If you go to Cape Charles, respect the channel. It doglegs around some very skinny water.

Sounds like a great trip!

Jaybeaux

 

[ZZ13]

The run from Coinjock, NC to Portsmouth, VA is 50 miles. A real treat is to stay at Tidewater Yacht Marina. There is a pool, restaurant, short walk to a ferry that will take you over to Waterside. The Nauticus Museum is worth the trip. Of course, don't pass up the USS Wisconsin. You can even take a boat tour down the Elizabeth River to the Naval Base and they give you a pretty good description of what everything is. Norfolk/Portsmouth is WAY COOL. Oh, there is even the Douglas MacArthur Museum. All walkable.

Have your head on a swivel down there. An AIS system will come in very handy.

Two good places to get fuel in Norfolk area: Portsmouth Boating Center and Bluewater Yachting Center in Hampton.

If you go to Cape Charles, respect the channel. It doglegs around some very skinny water.

Sounds like a great trip!

Jaybeaux

Thanks. I’ll go on plane as needed to get through tough spots are make extra distances. So I’m not locked at 75mi a day max.

 

[Bill Curtis]

Albemarle Sound can get nasty, but is usually OK in the early AM. When I run down the Chowan (live way up river), we usually stop the trip at the Edenton bridge as the water gets pretty angry around there.

 

[bahamabreisus]

Do Beaufort NC not Morehead, great waterfront town with lots of places to eat and shop. Short trip to Oriental, Oriental Inn and Marina is pretty cool, swimming pool and tiki bar, very laid back.