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While I've run powerboats in more places than I would like to recall, I've only sailed the East Coast of the U.S. from the Chesapeake's upper reaches south to Marathon, Florida. Some of those places along the way were pretty neat, even in marginal weather, while others were just plain nasty. Of them, the worst I can recall, both headed south and north, were Charleston Harbor, the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound. Charleston Harbor has a tidal current that screams in both directions, and often conflicts with the wind, thus creating stacking, or standing waves that can be brutal when encountered. The winds got to 35 to 40 MPH while I was crossing Charleston Harbor last November, and the tide was screaming in the opposite direction. The best speed I could make under power was 1.5 MPH. There was a lot of time that the boat was at a 45-degree angle bow up and bow down. Man that was a nasty 9 hour ride to the south end of the harbor.
The Neuse River was not much different, but not quite as bad. I was able to manage 3 MPH on that leg of the trip.
Pamlico sound is not the place to be when the wind is whipping along from the north at 30 to 35 MPH, but that's where I was - right in the middle of the sound when the wind came up. No turning back - just a nasty, wet, cold, bumpy ride for 8 solid hours.
I'm confident there are worse place to sail, but fortunately, I have not encountered them as yet.
I screwed the poll up so you can forget that part and just post the worst places you've sailed.
Thanks,
Gary
The Neuse River was not much different, but not quite as bad. I was able to manage 3 MPH on that leg of the trip.
Pamlico sound is not the place to be when the wind is whipping along from the north at 30 to 35 MPH, but that's where I was - right in the middle of the sound when the wind came up. No turning back - just a nasty, wet, cold, bumpy ride for 8 solid hours.
I'm confident there are worse place to sail, but fortunately, I have not encountered them as yet.
I screwed the poll up so you can forget that part and just post the worst places you've sailed.
Thanks,
Gary