Oriental- the sailing capital of North Carolina.

On the sleepy shores of the Neuse River there is a small little village with more sailboats than residents. It is the perfect habitat for sailors.

Far enough North to avoid most hurricanes

(and to qualify for lower premiums for boat owner’s insurance)

Hurricane season runs from June 1st - November 30th. If you plan on insuring your sailboat or motor yacht most insurance companies increase your premium if you do not agree to move your boat out of the hurricane zone during the hurricane season. You essentially have to chose to move it north to at least Oriental, NC, or south of the Caribbean. Since Oriental is essentially the first sailing town north of the required latitude for insurance purposes, many people decide to spend some time over hurricane season in the Oriental area.

Deep enough water for sailing

Many of the inland protected waters on the East coast are not suitable for learning how to sail. The main reason they are not is due to either being too deep or too shallow.
The Chesapeake Bay is rather deep over all and with any amount of wind can be treacherous for the new sailor who just bought their boat and are trying to learn how to safely operate it.
If the water area is too shallow then you run the risk of running aground and damaging your boat or needing to be towed off of the bottom.
The shores of the Neuse River where Oriental is located are the perfect depth for learning to sail. No risk of running aground, but still shallow enough to not be too rough on a very windy day.

Close to a major inlet for passage out to sea

For many aspiring live-aboard sailors the dream is to head out to sea. A lot of people on the east coast see traveling to the Bahamas just across the Gulf Stream as an attractive beginners trip across the blue water. Many of the institutions that instruct new live aboard sailors suggest that you spend some time heading out an inlet and out to sea to get accustomed to sailing off shore, before committing to longer trip. In Oriental, you have a great opportunity just a short distance away to go offshore via the Beaufort Inlet.
A great idea for your first trip offshore and overnight is to go to Cape Lookout for the night.

Located on the intercostal waterway

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway runs from Boston Mass to Key West Florida and is a manmade, inland protected route by water. It was originally intended for a shipping route and while there is still a lot of commerce along the water way, it is a popular attraction for travel by live-aboard boaters not wanting the excitement of traveling offshore.

Consistent winds

The Orientation of the Neuse River lines up with the predominant wind direction in the over all weather patterns for the area. The predominant wind is SW or NE and the River creates a nice long fetch in both of these directions producing a consistent wind for sailing.