Barrier Islands & paddle-in camping

[Guest]

The mentions of Hammocks Beach in another thread got me to search for one particular photo (found bunches more). One of the most intriguing things I’ve ever witnessed at Hammocks Beach, or elsewhere.

I was quietly resting in, yes, a hammock, shady strung below a live oak, when I heard a crashing and splashing accompanied by loud, oddly variant birdcalls, and got up to see what the raucous ruckus was about.

It was a mixed flock of shorebirds, soaring in from all over, working together beating wings, driving a school of small fry into the shallows at low tide. The various calls and water slap of wings was amazing.

PA301471 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I’ve seen that action before, but not as instantaneously developed, and never with a half dozen different species intermixed on a single mission to feast. A bizarre, privileged-to-see-it barrier island memory that stayed with me

I love barrier islands. I enjoy walking the shoreline of tidal bays and marshes. Eastern shore watermen call that activity “progging”, just walking the shoreline looking for interesting stuff. The birding is always rewarding, and there is usually other interesting stuff.

Like this; Diamondback shells deposited in an old Osprey nest built atop the ruins of a duck blind. Probably Eagle predation according to an ornithologist friend.

IMG011 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Given the choice between walking the ocean beachfront - looks just the boring same walking up as walking back – or progging the marsh edge at low tide I’ll take the marsh edge every time.

Even better, day paddle a few miles away from camp to some little visited peninsula or cove and wander about from there. Bring some creature comforts; sit, watch and listen.

IMG009 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Or even bring a friend, if you can keep him out of your chair.

IMG006 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

If you paddle off for a daytrip explore I recommend doing so close to low tide, so that after puttering about for a few hours you’ll have enough water to paddle back to camp. “Do we have any beer left?”

IMG024 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

If you have never tripped behind a barrier island I highly recommend it. Very different from the usual lake/river trips, with new challenges; tides, wind, shade, potable water. Did I mention wind?

IMG015 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr


Camp just behind the dunes, or back in the piney woods

IMG024 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Even back in the woods it is occasionally time to batten down the hatches, including a side panel wind block on the dropped edge tarp as the front passes through.

IMG013 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Off-season at any barrier island beach can be windswept chilly.

IMG005 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Or, rarely, calm enough even for friends who pack more gear that even me.

IMG012 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I believe there was an entire (still frozen) turkey and a Webber grill under that load. And maybe a few beers. BTW, don’t follow him, he will overshoot the campsite by five freaking miles before noticing that he’s gone too far. Isn’t that so Doug?

But the shallow sandy beaches are a visitor’s daytrip delight.

IMG012 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Obviously I enjoy the oddities and challenges of coastal tripping, and would love to find new venues. There are rocky island opportunities in Maine, and plenty of stuff in Florida, but along mid-Atlantic coast I only know of a few paddle-in barrier island venues.

Chincoteague Bay behind Assateague Nat’l Seashore in MD/VA, Hammock Beach State Park in NC, False Cape State Park in VA (never been, heard kinda “meh”), maybe (not exactly “mid-Atlantic”) Cumberland Island Nat’l Seashore on the GA/FL border. That one perhaps better for can’t-bring-your-car take the passenger ferry over camping (or backpacking northwards up the island).

Any other publically-owned coastal canoe-in possibilities?

 

[LanceR]

"....I enjoy the oddities...." What you and oddities? Who knew!

So when do you want to hit Hammocks Beach?

Best regards to all,


Lance

 

[Guest]

Maybe Hammocks Beach next fall, when the Covid-19 issues have (hopefully) lessened.

While I love the Assateague backcountry paddle-in sites there are trips there when I never walk over to the beach front, and if so hit the surf’s edge only briefly before retreating back behind the dunes. The inner-dune area isn’t as interesting as the marsh edge, but is far more interesting than the beach.

If the wind hasn’t covered the critter prints that inner dune area is a great place to follow animal tracks.

I flee the beach in part because Assateague allows over sand vehicles on the Maryland portion of the island. I have no desire to see 4x4’s cruising the beach, or even to stumble my way out to the ocean’s edge across their furrows in the sand.

Tire tracks all across my back.

IMG005 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

No vehicles on Hammocks Beach; the only way to get there is to paddle over, or take the passenger ferry across in summer

 

[Gdwelker]

For barrier island paddle in camping add Core and Shacklford Banks in NC. National seashore, with wild horses, maritime forests, live oaks, dunes, and beaches, and interesting shallows. Safe and easy vehicle parking st the Ranger's visitor center where you get the permit (like assateague).

 

[Guest]

For barrier island paddle in camping add Core and Shacklford Banks in NC.

Greg, thanks, I did not know about the paddle-in opportunities at Cape Lookout Nat’l Seashore. Sounds promising.

https://www.nps.gov/calo/index.htm

Couple questions.

I see it is only a couple or three mile paddle over. All open water or some marsh protection along the route? I know Outer Banks winds are often challenging.

Is either destination appropriate for open canoes, or more a kayak-in destination? I would use a decked canoe in any case, but other folks may be curious.

Is the camping solely on the beachfront, or is there a possibility to camp behind the dunes, or even back under some shady cover?

https://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/paddling.htm

 

[Gdwelker]

The paddle to either Core or Shackleford is open, but shallow, water. Use the tides to help take you where you want when launching from the Park service visitor center. As in any open water situation, allow yourself some weather days, I have used sea kayaks and my Sea Wind, an experienced open canoe paddler on an appropriate weather day would be fine. Camping is anywhere you want minus a certain distance from established buildings. On Shackleford, and the southern end of Core there are maritime forests of pine or live oak to camp in. Or camping at the edge of the beach/forest/scrub. I don't think I have ever seen anyone camp on the beach itself. Too exposed. Middle and north ends of core are camping in small dunes and brush. Land on bayside, and poke around a bit to find good sites. Camping on the ocean beach front means hauling gear across the islands, as surf break is often not good for small boat landings.

 

[LanceR]

Mike, which campsite is that back in the trees? Looking at the reservation pages of the three paddle in only sites (12-14) 14 has no pictures, 13 shows wide open spaces and 12 shows trees. Do you know if there are trees back of all three sites? And since they take reservations 11 months out is it too early to begin to rough out a trip plan?

Best regards,


Lance

 

[LanceR]

The paddle to either Core or Shackleford is open, but shallow, water.

Thanks for the info. The only web page I found that should have had a water trail map was a dead link. Do you know of one that can be downloaded? And by "shollow water" do you mean paddle digging stand up and pole shallow? Or just take advantage of the tidal surge to help you along shallow?

Best regards,


Lance

 

[Gdwelker]

Hmmm. I rarely like "water trails". I think they tend to be the brainstorm of Tourist and Visitor bureaus. I have been involved with many meetings to help develop maps (CHARTS!) for them and spend much time telling people that you can't just draw a line on the paper, because the water is not like ground topography - the difficulty of the trip can be "beginner" one day and "not even for experts" the next for the same route. The next big issue with "water trails" is convincing them that a day paddle does not really count as a water trail. A string of campsites count as a water trail...End of rant.

So, for Core and Shackleford: Use nautical charts. You can now get them free at https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/noaa-raster-charts.html#full-size-nautical-charts. The booklet charts in particular are nice. Your first part of the trip is to get across from Harker's Island to Core or Shackleford. Two ways to do that. One. I always leave from the NPS visitor center on Harkers, since that is where you have to go for the permit (and be sure to check back in - they WILL track you down if you are overdue) plus it is free and generally secure parking. From there it is about 2.1 NM directly across to Shackleford. Two - take a private ferry (read landing craft kind of boat) across from the mainland to Core. Some people do this with their kayaks if they are uncomfortable with open crossings. I have always paddled or sailed from the NPS site. The waters between Harkers and Shackleford and Core vary in depth from 1-maybe 8 ft at low tide, with grass beds and sandbars. I wouldn't count on a pole hitting bottom all the time, particularly not if the wind is up as it can get choppy with short whitecaps. An option is to get your permit on one day, then head over that evening if the wind is predicted to drop, or stay local and paddle over early the next morning. Or double reef and go for it. Once at Shackleford or Core, scoot along the shoreline, in and out of the bars and guts, till you find a suitable and legal place to camp (see the NPS website for legal camping requirements - https://www.nps.gov/calo/index.htm. You can spend days doing this. We have done trips as figure eights - out from the NPS, to Shacklford or Core as the winds dictate, work our way along the one then back to the NPS to resupply, then out to the other and eventually back. Shacklford is the easiest to camp on - easy to find nice sand beaches and live oak clumps to camp in. Core, other than down by the lighthouse and the "hook" is mostly grassed and duned. You can camp down by the hook in the pines, but it is fun and more remote to work your way north along the sound shore grass edge exploring the guts. You can find some that go far enough in to reach sand overwashes (more now than there used to be) which you can use to walk over to the dunes and camp. If you go far enough up Core, you come to Drum cut, which changes shape and size dramatically depending on the last hurricane. Nice camping there, though you will share it with surf fisherman. North of Drum, is Portsmouth Island, which is campable in much the same way.

 

[Guest]

Greg, appreciate that detail. On my go-there-someday list.

Hmmm. I rarely like "water trails". I think they tend to be the brainstorm of Tourist and Visitor bureaus. I have been involved with many meetings to help develop maps (CHARTS!) for them and spend much time telling people that you can't just draw a line on the paper, because the water is not like ground topography - the difficulty of the trip can be "beginner" one day and "not even for experts" the next for the same route. The next big issue with "water trails" is convincing them that a day paddle does not really count as a water trail. A string of campsites count as a water trail...End of rant.

I can read charts and maps, but predicting the effects of wind and tide and passable water depth is still largely beyond my ken without having been there a time or two. Especially with marsh protected routes; a big marsh is like a big sponge; it takes a while after “high tide” to sponge up, and a while after “low tide” to wring out.

I have no issue with marked “water trails”, even on short easy-peezy paddle in trips. Not everyone can find their way through an everything-looks-the-same marsh, or even select the correct gut to string together a route.

I won’t even claim the markers have been helpful a time of two. I mentioned Merchants Millpond SP as another North Carolina State Park paddle-in “gems”. The millpond isn’t all that dang big, and a simple compass heading would lead to the paddle-in sites, but I have encountered some lost souls, even with point-to-point visible buoys to follow.

https://www.ncparks.gov/merchants-mi...tate-park/home

If it takes colored stake or buoys to help guide in novice visitors I’m good with that. I don’t have to follow or even see the buoys, I’d kinda rather not. I can swing aside and paddle a more intimate route through the marsh or cypress swamp. Or - oops, that gut don’t go through - not. I enjoy being slightly befuddled.

If those marked trails are what it takes to create easy paddle-in camping opportunities I see that only as helping build the novice base, and welcome additional voices in support of canoe camping, access, clean water and a wee bit of “wild” held in public.

North Carolina had done an outstanding Tourist and Visitor Bureau job of establishing and maintaining paddle-in State Parks; Merchants, Hammocks, Lumber River, etc.

NC’s Wildlife Boating Access points at every-other bridge along even small waterways is something every State should endeavor to do.

I know that paddlers can be an economic engine in less touristed areas. More power to us.

 

[bark-eater]

I just found this "Tides" web site that has scrolling NOAA charts for all US waters. It also shifts to satellite imagery when you zoom in. Pretty fun for "scouting"
https://www.usharbors.com/harbor/maryland-chesapeake-bay-east/

 

[Guest]

1970’s Assateague trip. Monkey Wards Sea King aluminum canoe, jeans, no water shoes, horsecollar PFD’s used as backrests, gear in garbage bags.

EK_0018 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

So much has changed, but I still own that leather hat, and still paddle Chincoteague Bay.

 

[TrailBlaser]

Very cool Mike! In those days so many of us paddled aluminum.

 

[LanceR]

Heck, working at a scout camp we still get to paddle aluminum regularly. Until a bit over three years ago when we downsized and moved from Upstate New York to North Carolina I had a heavy duty Grumman with the shoe keel, rowing rig, partial sailing rig, 1.5 HP Johnson motor etc. That canoe got loaded with something resembling the "dump truck load-plan" by the scout troop to haul everything including the kitchen sink into some campsites. I sold that with a trailer that had locking storage thinking that I'd never need either again and now wish I had them back......

Best regards to all,


Lance

 

[DaveO]

Loved those carefree, crazy '70s! Kids today don't know what they missed.