The basics of a coastal overnight trip - opinions please

[baddog]

Back to the beers...  Which one's freeze well and which ones don't?  I've never been able wait for the core to really melt:(

[deepmud]

Good Freeze the Beer thread - lol "mountainbuzz"(kayakers) has a beer thread
http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/freeze-beers-21940.html

I found some d-rings on Amazon for much less than the usual $$$$ ($10 to $20 or more apiece is common) .
These were $10 a set of 4 and appear decently built:

http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-D-ring-Inflatable-Dinghy/dp/B00XFXPYQO

for those isup'rs who don't good tie-downs or need more - I need more tie downs I got a soft kayak seat and a 4 piece kayak paddle to bring for the sudden headwinds.

[peterwSUPr]

I'm not sure exactly where you're paddling, but if you're in Pamlico Sound near the main windsurfing and kiting area like Waves, Avon Buxton Frisco then tides are really not an issue.  Are you headed to Gull island NW of Avon?  The water is so shallow that the wind moves the water around far more than the current.  I have not seen much correlation between predicted tides and water levels in the sound.  When there is a west component in the wind the water level is up on the outer banks side, and if there is east the water is down.  The stronger it is and the more directly east or west it is the bigger the effect.  Even near the inlets, the water flowing in and out is also probably affected as much by this sloshing effect as by the actual tides. 

I think you can expect a fair bit of sand, and you're not going to find any rocky shores!  Check your wind forecast.  Winds in the summer are usually SSW or SW, but the other next most common direction is NE.  The wind there will be 10 times as big a factor as actual tides or currents if you are in the area that I'm familiar with.  Maybe 1000 times more of a factor since the tide barely actually exists there and is hidden by the sloshing effect.  Just don't leave your gear at the water's edge in case a wind shift changes the water level overnight.  I've seen someone do that.

If going to Gull Island, choose a time like early morning with no wind for heading out, and paddle there from Salvo, then on the return if you get some nice afternoon SW winds you can have the wind at your back on the return.  Or, if you have lots of SW wind and 2 cars are going, start from Avon and finish in Salvo to minimize battling the SW wind.  Sounds like fun!

Peter

[iceboxsteve]

Peter, see my rough sketch of a map.  Basically the plan is to launch from the NPS visitor center on the eastern tip Hawkers Island and head to Shackleford Banks.  From there I may take a day trip along the bay side of Cape Lookout National Seashore.  The second star indicates where the Cape Lookout lighthouse is, so I may get over there to see it.  Or I may play along the bay side of Shackleford.  This is all south of Pamlico Sound in what I believe is technically Back Sound.

Thanks for the tips on wind versus tides.  I'll be sure to keep checking the weather forecast until I launch, I'm hoping to do this the end of August.

And thank you all for beer tips!

[Off-Shore]

IBS, that looks like a great place to paddle, and similar geographically to where I am on vacation in Long Island. My experience paddling last week  (http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,27682.0.html) was currents / tides had a much bigger effect than I thought, and looking at your map, it would seem you will be in an area where tides /currents could affect progress. I was real surprised 1/2 way through my trip I could not paddle against the current going over shallow water past the end of a sand spit, and had to walk my board through it, which without any gear on it, was relatively easy.

[More_Cowbell]

I've done a lot of multiday trips in the Pacific Northwest. I can't speak to your specific trip plan, but on this type of open ocean crossing trip I suggest:
-plan to travel at slack tide to avoid any potentials issues with currents
-carry a VHF with DSC GPS location capability (here in Canada you need a license requiring a course). This is the most important piece of safety equipment IMO.
-nautical maps, highest detail you can get. I laminate them double sided so they are waterproof and strap them to the deck. Printed screenshots of google earth maps can also be very useful, but perhaps not for your trip, since it is pretty obvious where you are going.
-spare paddle. A kayak paddle works great as a backup. I have a 3-piece sup that I take now.
Assuming you are putting everything into a dry bag and rigging it down. This is what I do and it works great. The bag should have enough air to float, hence its not a disaster if you flip out there. Just make sure everything is tied to the bag very well.