Trish and I launched our kayaks at the Harker’s Island Bridge this morning. Our hope was to get a bit of exercise, do some recon of the NCOBS OBX course area, and take in some Americana as the masses converge on Shackleford Banks for Labor Day Weekend. We were successful on all accounts.
Our first stop, Whale Creek, required crossing back sound between Harker’s Island and Shackleford Banks. NCOBS uses the Whale Creek area as a course start campsite. We wanted to check out the area to ensure that the water depth and shoaling would still allow egress for skiffs hauling gear and students. The recon was fruitful.
After a brief walkabout at Whale Creek, we reentered the kayaks and paddled our way westward along the banks. The further west we traveled, towards Beaufort Inlet, the more rich the Americana became…
Upon reaching the western end of the banks, we made landfall to check out the inlet and stretch our legs. The residual swell from Earl’s recent passage dissuaded us from crossing the inlet. Instead we rode the flooding tide and swells northward and used the high tide to slip across the flooded tidal flats of Carrot Island. The final push of day trip came as we fought the rising tide westward up Taylor’s Creek to C’est la Vie’s anchorage.
We arrived to find an empty vessel. Anne had already made her way into town for some porch time with friends at Handscapes Gallery. Trish and I hastily packed up gear, showered, and joined the gang on the porch. A fine end to a day on the water in sea kayaks.
