Neighboring Town: Oriental, North Carolina
Sailing is what brought many residents to town, keeps them here, attracts more, and entices many cruising and competitive sailors to visit us. Our tiny harbor welcomes cruisers wending their way around the Inner Banks of North Carolina, those transiting the Intracoastal Waterway, and some who have voyaged here from all over the world.
You can sail here at any level. You can test your skills in one of the many local small-boat regattas that have hosted both world and national champions competing in a variety of vessels. If you're not ready for higher-level competition, Orienal is also great place to learn to sail. We have sailing, boating and navigation courses plus our local licenced captains can coach and assit you to any level of sailing ability you need.
If you're trailering a boat, you can launch at our Wildlife Ramp on Midyette Street, park your vehicle and trailer for a few days while you explore the waters around Oriental.
If you're a sailor and want to do some sailing but don't have a boat, consider chartering. The Inner Banks are protected waters and rarely offer the chalenges that offshore sailing can present.
If your dream is to sail towards the horizon, one popular activity in Oriental is shopping for the perfect boat. There are a number of yacht brokers in the area and a wide range of new and used vessels, many kept in the water already for sea-trials, that are available for purchase.
We have full-service boat yards, sailmakers, and all manner of marine suppliers. If maintaing, repairing or outfitting your sailing vessel is something you need, you'll find lots of resources here.
For competitive or organized sailing there are a number of sailing clubs in the area including the Sailing Club of Oriental (SCOO), the Neuse Sailing Association (NSA), Neuse Yacht Racing Association (NYRA), and the Oriental Dinghy Club (ODC). The ODC and NYRA have a very active calendar of regattas for Sunfish, Lasers, Etchells, and one-design throughout the sailing season in both Oriental and the New Bern area.
Oriental was designated as the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina" in the 1980's when so many residents of the Raleigh/Durham area commuted to the area each weekend to enjoy sailing on the Neuse River. The Inner Banks are protected waters and rarely offer the chalenges that offshore sailing can present so most of the time it's sailing weather. We even celebrate New Years Day with the "Instead of Football Regatta".
So, if sailing is your love, your passion, your interest, your hope, Oriental is a great place to pursue it.
