Oriental North Carolina Free Dock

We were up early at Towne Creek Marina planning to fill up on fuel before leaving. The dock master let us know the fuel dock was full but said he would call us on the VHF when there was room for us to move there. We used the waiting time to catch up on projects. The sun awning was torn when one of the poles ripped through the Sunbrella fabric. I patched the hole and Dave trimmed the pole hoping that it would sit in the slot better. There were other sewing projects that needed tending to. I took care of them as well.

While we were fueling, the dock master confirmed that we could get through Towne Creek Slough, a shallow shortcut back to the ICW. We went through there on S/V Veritas last summer but Mystic's draft is about a foot deeper Veritas. In addition, it was low tide so we were unsure of taking the same course. We decided to take a chance and very cautiously followed Bob's blue line through the slough hoping that if Bob could get through, we could too! We were relieved to find 8 feet or more of water all along the 2.7 mile stretch.

We spent the rest of the day on Adams Creek which is more like a river. It was easy going except for occasional low spots that always cause us stress. The area must have been hit hard by the storms last year. There were a lot of signs of storm damage.

Destroyed Docks

Miss Melissa has seen better days

Cabin along Adam's Creek

So many sad endings

We made it to the Neuse River with big winds racing to catch us. All hell broke loose once we got out into the middle of the river. Mystic was rocking and rolling in waves that attempted to swamp her. We hadn't stowed everything below before leaving the dock, and we could hear things flying around the cabin. There was a huge mess to clean; coffee grounds that sprayed over our carpet and damp rid that soared across the counter then spilled all over our cabin floors was the worst. As a rule, we make sure everything is put away or set in the sink before we leave the dock. It was a first for us to forget and we paid dearly for the oversight. It won't happen again!

We finally made it to Oriental, a tiny town with a population of around 900. There are two free docks in the small harbor. One was full but the other had tons of room. We maneuvered Mystic into an open slip and settled her in, then walked into town to explore. Oriental has an area of 1.4 square miles so our walk was short. The Marina and Inn Toucan Tiki Bar is right behind the docks. We grabbed a seat on the patio and enjoyed a cold beer while using their WIFI to check our email. Mystic was visible from the patio. 

Historic little building next to free docks

Mystic tucked into Oriental free dock

The Inland Waterway Treasure Company

Toucan Grill

Good Morning Oriental

 

Someone added this line a LONG time ago

Mystic at Oriental Free Dock

Oriental is a sleepy little town, known as the Sailing Capital of North Carolina. The harbor is full of BIG fishing boats that leave their running lights on all night. The harbor is lit up like a Christmas tree. As we sat in the cockpit admiring the lights, a sailboat took the last slip at the dock. On board was a family of six including a mom and dad with three little ones, plus grandpa. It appeared to be tight quarters but they were a happy bunch. 

After dinner, we relaxed in the cockpit, and took in our peaceful surroundings. Out of nowhere, a fledgling bird crash landed on our gunnel. We were as surprised as the clumsy bird was. The mama called to the baby and he cried back, but seemed afraid to attempt the leap from the boat to the dock above. We encouraged him in singsong voices and he finally went for it, but crashed into one of the pilings and fell back onto Mystic. The wind was too much for the inexperienced little adventurer. He shook off each crash then took a deep breath and readied himself to try again. It took two more attempts before he was finally successful and joined his mama in a tree nearby. Every species has moments of fear that require determination and courage. We witness and experience this often.

We enjoyed our stop at the Oriental free dock, finding it comfortable and safe with air conditioned bathrooms near the docks for boaters to use. The people are warm and friendly. Many of the small towns we go through offer free dockage to transient cruisers. The thought is that boaters will bring money to spend in the community if they have a place to stay overnight. It works for everyone; a win/win opportunity.

We settled in for the night, hoping that the wind would lessen while we slept. We'll head for Belhaven in the morning. There is a free dock there as well. Who knows what we'll find there!