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Start: 5:50 AM - Core Creek, NC
Finish: 2:30 PM - Hobucken, NC
Time: 8:40
Daily dist: 32 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy with wind from the ESE at 10-15mph
Notes: Calm start and finish with some fun water in between
Well after a day of paddling like today there is no reason to have doubts or regrets for deciding to take the ICW rather than the Outer Banks. Thomas the shrimper had told me that this area is beautiful and he was right. As I paddled early this morning the pine trees along the shore reflected in the flat calm water which was disrupted by only my boat and paddle and an occasional dolphin surfacing for a breath. All the while the sound of owls calling their last hoot of the day could be heard echoing in the distance.
This tranquil calm start to the day was not a clue to what was to come once I left the confines of the narrow river channel I started out in. After about two hours of calm paddling I entered the Neuse River on which a building East wind was blowing against an out going tide. The combined forces working against one another stacked the water up into steep two foot waves. For an hour and a half I bounced across these waves with several washing completely over my deck and soaking me from my head down. I had considered putting my paddling jacket on earlier but unfortunately had decided not to. By the time I reached the far shore of the river I was plenty wet and a bit cold so I landed in order to re-group before starting a ten mile run into the even more open Pamlico Sound. During the break on shore I donned my TecTour paddling jacket and instantly felt warmer and ready to take on whatever was to come. Because I was out of the tidal flow of the Neuse River, the next three hours of open water were not as bad and I made great time toward the sheltered water of Gale Creek near the town of Hobucken.
Start: 5:50 AM - Core Creek, NC
Finish: 2:30 PM - Hobucken, NC
Time: 8:40
Daily dist: 32 miles
Total dist: 3000+ miles
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy with wind from the ESE at 10-15mph
Notes: Calm start and finish with some fun water in between
Well after a day of paddling like today there is no reason to have doubts or regrets for deciding to take the ICW rather than the Outer Banks. Thomas the shrimper had told me that this area is beautiful and he was right. As I paddled early this morning the pine trees along the shore reflected in the flat calm water which was disrupted by only my boat and paddle and an occasional dolphin surfacing for a breath. All the while the sound of owls calling their last hoot of the day could be heard echoing in the distance.
This tranquil calm start to the day was not a clue to what was to come once I left the confines of the narrow river channel I started out in. After about two hours of calm paddling I entered the Neuse River on which a building East wind was blowing against an out going tide. The combined forces working against one another stacked the water up into steep two foot waves. For an hour and a half I bounced across these waves with several washing completely over my deck and soaking me from my head down. I had considered putting my paddling jacket on earlier but unfortunately had decided not to. By the time I reached the far shore of the river I was plenty wet and a bit cold so I landed in order to re-group before starting a ten mile run into the even more open Pamlico Sound. During the break on shore I donned my TecTour paddling jacket and instantly felt warmer and ready to take on whatever was to come. Because I was out of the tidal flow of the Neuse River, the next three hours of open water were not as bad and I made great time toward the sheltered water of Gale Creek near the town of Hobucken.
To say that this area is fairly remote is a bit of an understatement. When I reviewed my maps last night I realized that there are going to be very few chances to get water until Friday. For that reason when I passed a Coast Guard station this afternoon I figured it couldn’t hurt to see if I could top off my water bags there. I landed on the concrete boat launch at the facility grabbed my water bags and started walking up to the building that looked most likely to have a hose or sink where I could have filled up. As I neared the building I was met by a man with a “what are you doing here?” look on his face accompanied by two very large German Shepards wearing the same expression. I quickly explained who I was and what I was doing and all three of them let down their guard. Apparently it’s smart to radio or phone in to a station before just wandering in off the water. The Coast Guardsman showed me to the kitchen where I filled my two bags while telling him all about my trip. As we walked back to the water he warned me about bears and water moccasins both of which are found in great numbers in this area. After grabbing a quick snap shot I was on my way with enough water to make it to the next water stop three days away.
As far as kayak camping goes the shores south of Hobucken offer numerous campable beaches. In fact I was rarely out of sight of a potential camp spot all morning. Things changed, however, when I reached the narrow ICW canal at Hobucken. Here the nice sand beaches I had seen all morning gave way to marsh grass and pines with dense undergrowth right to the water’s edge. It was by shear luck that I noticed a gap in the foliage and discovered the concrete reinforced dike that I’m camped on tonight. It’s not the same as a nice sand beach surrounded by pine trees but it’s actually pretty nice. The concrete bank actually made a nice warm surface on which to dry my gear. The drying of gear was necessary because a small leak around a screw on my front hatch rim had allowed a few cups of water into my front hatch. Undoubtedly the water got in there when my bow was repeatedly awash in the rough water this morning. Because everything I have is in dry bags having a bit of water get into a hatch is not the end of the world. Even so my map cases did get a little wet as well as my sleeping mat. As soon as I reach Norfolk I’ll be replacing a couple of those dry bags.
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