# North from Charleston



## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

Hi There,
I have been reading for a long time but this is actually my first post. I am very close to purchasing an Endeavour 42 in Charleston and will need to bring it back to Nova Scotia. I won't be able to start the trip until it warms up enough in the spring.

Any advice from the experienced on the trip. Inside versus outside? How early is pratical based on temperatue and weather. All advice is welcome


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

You need to add a bit more info about your plans. For instance, will you have crew, your time frame for the trip, your level of experience? Is your only interest in moving the boat, or is it to be pleasure as well as business?


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## Yorksailor (Oct 11, 2009)

There are three option after you have reached Beaufort:

In the ICW to the Chesapeake 
Sneak around Hatteras inshore on the red markers 5 miles off-shore 
Go off-shore out to the Gulf Stream and ride it on north to Halifax

The first two options then allow a lovely tour of the East Coast...New York, Boston, Baltimore Annapolis and Maine.

It all depends on the boat, mast height, skipper, crew, time available and the weather. I have done all three without problems.


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## MarioG (Sep 6, 2009)

Congrats on the new boat. I also bought an Endeavour in Charleston 3 yrs back. Hope you enjoy yours as much as we have ours. 
I would say look to the end of March early April and you will see a lot of boats making their migration north as well, me included. Traveling the ICW up will give you the chance to learn your boat. You will be in both channels and open water to sail along the way. There is also a lot of nice places to stop and check out, and many places to drop anchor when you get tired.


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks for your thoughts. I did look at annual average temperatures and perhaps late March/early April makes more sense. I'd like to do some of the ICW as I've not seen it before. 
Any recommendations on which sections would be more interesting versus long hours of nothingness


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Not sure why you didn't add the extra info, but here's a recommendation for a leisurely trip north.

Leave Charleston on the ICW (as said above mid-March to April) to Wrightsville Beach (4 days). This includes the Wacamaw River (most beautiful) and Myrtle Beach (ugliest) sections. Weather permitting and you want to try an overnight, go out the Little River Inlet (just north of Myrtle Beach) up to the Beaufort Inlet. Otherwise ...

Go out the Masonboro Inlet for a long day (weather permitting) to Beaufort Inlet (alternate, anchor in the Cape Lookout Bight)

Back to the ICW through NC. You can be to the Chesapeake Bay in 6 days. Dismal Canal route is more scenic and fewer power boats, with two locks to go through, or the Virginia Cut with only one lock but skinnier water in first part, north out of NC.

From the bottom of the Chesapeake, you can either head outside, or go up the Bay and then outside. Lots of places to visit on the Bay, and you can sail (as in most of NC), so how long it takes (you can also overnight on the Bay) is up to you.

I haven't been north of Annapolis, so can't really make any further recommendation based on experience.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

We (2 of us) have done 3 and are working on our 4th migration with our E 42. We made the inside run OK but it gets worse every year from shoaling. So we wait for good conditions and do one overnight to Beaufort. Last time we left Charleston at 5am to beat the incoming tide and made it all the way to Oriental in one overnight.
We then run inside Hatteras to Norfolk and up the Chesapeake tbru the C n D canal and out the Delaware bay.
lots of options depending on your level of skill and comfort. The boat should handle it just fine. You bought a good cruising boat


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks all for your advice. Exactly the type of information I was hoping to get.
I have plenty of experience and a good crew. All options are viable for us. Time may be the limiting factor. I will be anxious to get the boat home but defintitely want to take advantage of some fo the cruising opportunity this trip offers.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Oh, and be sure you have unlimited towing insurance.


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## FirstCandC (Mar 26, 2013)

Nice boat! Will your mast height work through the NC bridges? The fixed bridges claim 65 feet of clearance.
If you do come in and up through Beaufort, the Cape Lookout Bight would be a good place to anchor. Beautiful beach, and there is also Shackleford Banks and Carrot Island with their beaches and wild horses. There is also dockage in Beaufort and Morehead City. Beaufort is a nice older town, that is well worth walking and shopping through.
If you have a lot of extra time (although you said that you didn't), New Bern and Edenton are each a few hours off the ICW by sail. Beautiful old towns. New Bern has a free day dock, but I don't know the depth there. There are marinas with transient dockage close to the historical district. Edenton has free 48 hour dockage protected by a seawall, also right in the historical district. Oriental and Elizabeth City are also cruiser friendly, and are not out of the way.
You should only have to run the motor for three stretches on the NC ICW, if you hit the weather right. 
Lots of good info on the ICW on Cruiser's Net


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

Mast height is 62 feet. Might be wise to watch the tides


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## jslade8581 (Aug 3, 2009)

I just did a similar trip this past year, also in April. We went ICW from Charleston (left nice and early from Patriot's Point around 0530) and up to Georgetown in one day. We enjoyed two days there before we left up to Little River (Myrtle Beach) - also took a day of motoring.

We went outside at Myrtle Beach, and cut through Frying Pan Shoals through the 12NM Frying Pan Shoals Slue - no issues there, its well marked - and kept on through the night to Morehead City in the morning. We watched beautiful thunderstorms track out to sea while we stayed nice and dry. After a few days there, we kept on going.

I'd recommend going outside as much as possible - the ICW wasn't the most entertaining part of the trip, especially since a sailboat is just a slow powerboat then. There were a few places heading up to Georgetown and on the Waccamaw River where we were able to use our jib to motorsail for a little bit.

I don't recommend heading around Cape Hatteras without knowing your level of experience. Going around NC on the outside can become dangerous quick - the type of storm that would drive you inside on short notice will close all of the inlets anyway.

Have fun!


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks again for your advice and recommendations. I think I will enjoy developing my passage plan in the dark cold of a Canadian winter.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Air draft has not been a problem with our E42. Depths can be an issue as there is a lot of shoaling.
Cruisersnet.net has good up to date reports from reliable sources.

We always try to do the straight run from Charleston to Beaufort.
The next area that poses issues is running down Delaware bay. Northbound you cannot beat the tide no matter your timing. And you will have to go outside at Cape May. Often you have winds blowing in from the east making it a nasty ride. If that happens consider ducking in at Cape Henlopen and then crossing the mouth of the bay the next day. The NJ coast is not great either.
Good luck. Send pm if I can help with the trip or with the E42


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

xort,

Thanks for the kind offer. I wouldn't mind getting some feedback on your experience and thoughts on the E42. I can't PM as I am a rookie here.


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## FirstCandC (Mar 26, 2013)

Xort, 
How long does it usually take to make the Charleston to Beaufort run?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

He's made it in one overnight (all the way up to Oriental). I've also done it in one overnight, though I stopped at Beaufort.


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

So back to PBzeer's point about towing insurance. Not something we deal with in Nova Scotia but sounds like a necessary investment when the ICW is in play.

Is one better that another or are they all pretty much the same? Any idea how much this would cost me?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

All it takes is one call, and without the insurance you are probably talking around $500 minimum. Plus, with the TowBoatUS, the membership gets you fuel, dockage, and parts discounts at many places.

I'm not currently active, but I'm pretty sure you're looking at under $150 for the unlimited, which is the only one worth the money.


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## courish (Sep 16, 2010)

My "new to me" Endeavour 42 is now at home in Halifax. Had a great trip up from Charleston. Outside to Beaufort, inside behind Hatteras to Norfolk and then a straight shot up the coast. Refueled in Cape Cod and then a straight shot across the Gulf of Maine to Halifax.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Congrats on reaching "home".


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## johnnyquest37 (Feb 16, 2012)

Well done!


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