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I tried sailing my (small) yacht in Pamlico sound a few years ago. It's really shallow (in some parts due to the deposit of dredged material. I can't imagine

by smoyer 11y ago

I tried sailing my (small) yacht in Pamlico sound a few years ago. It's really shallow (in some parts due to the deposit of dredged material. I can't imagine a naval battle with any serious ships occurring there ... I ran aground repeatedly while almost five nautical miles from Hatteras Village. I'd love to find a history of that battle!

scrapcode 11y ago
I took it as they hit a sandbar really hard. That's why they had to bail. Am I wrong?
- Maultasche 11y ago
  You're correct. There was no battle. The ship had to be abandoned only because it ran aground in some shallows and then sank.
- smoyer 11y ago
  I believe the battle in the Pamlico sound is where Blackbeard was finally defeated ... the sinking of his other ship occurred on the Atlantic side of the barrier islands.
wtallis 11y ago
For context, here's two charts covering most of Pamlico Sound: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11548.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11548.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11555.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11555.shtml The shaded regions are less than 12 feet deep at low tide, and only a few inches deeper at high tide. There's another contour drawn in the shaded areas for 6 foot depth. A modern sailing yacht that's not specifically designed for shallow water operation will usually require between 4.5' and 7' of depth until you're looking at boats in the neighborhood of 50' long, and then the ones designed for ocean voyaging or racing can sometimes draw more like 9-10'. While large swaths of the sound are plenty deep, you can't go far without passing through a shallow area. Many of the shoals on the charts are marked with disclaimers saying that the soundings are unreliable because the sand shifts too often. The inlets are a nightmare: the buoys have to be moved so often they're not worth plotting at all. Around Beaufort, it's even worse: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11545.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11545.shtml, and I can't imagine maneuvering a 100' sailboat through the inlet or anywhere sound-side. I've unexpectedly run aground near there while in a kayak.

by smoyer 11y ago

scrapcode 11y ago

I took it as they hit a sandbar really hard. That's why they had to bail. Am I wrong?

Maultasche 11y ago
You're correct. There was no battle. The ship had to be abandoned only because it ran aground in some shallows and then sank.
smoyer 11y ago
I believe the battle in the Pamlico sound is where Blackbeard was finally defeated ... the sinking of his other ship occurred on the Atlantic side of the barrier islands.

wtallis 11y ago

For context, here's two charts covering most of Pamlico Sound: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11548.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11548.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11555.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11555.shtml The shaded regions are less than 12 feet deep at low tide, and only a few inches deeper at high tide. There's another contour drawn in the shaded areas for 6 foot depth. A modern sailing yacht that's not specifically designed for shallow water operation will usually require between 4.5' and 7' of depth until you're looking at boats in the neighborhood of 50' long, and then the ones designed for ocean voyaging or racing can sometimes draw more like 9-10'. While large swaths of the sound are plenty deep, you can't go far without passing through a shallow area. Many of the shoals on the charts are marked with disclaimers saying that the soundings are unreliable because the sand shifts too often. The inlets are a nightmare: the buoys have to be moved so often they're not worth plotting at all. Around Beaufort, it's even worse: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11545.shtml http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11545.shtml, and I can't imagine maneuvering a 100' sailboat through the inlet or anywhere sound-side. I've unexpectedly run aground near there while in a kayak.