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Waterway
Provision Company
Oriental
marina docks
Oriental
anchorage
"Shrimp
boats tied up to the pillings..." - Buffett
Oriental
inner harbor
Oriental
dinghy dock
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"We
like Oriental," Dave Martin said, reflecting upon his
time in Oriental, NC. "I mean, up north it gets really
cold in the winter, even on the Chesapeake. Jaja and I found
that here in Oriental the winters aren't too harsh. This seems
to be the dividing line. You get north of Hatteras and the
weather changes. Besides, around here we're in good company.
I mean, Oriental probably has the largest number of circumnavigators
per capita of any place on the East Coast. We meet people
on the docks and in the boat yards who learn that we have
sailed around the world on a 25 foot sailboat and they go,
'Big deal.'"
Oriental may not be the sailing mecca of Annapolis or Newport,
but it remains a popular departure and destination port for
serious long-term sailors. The village is known as the "Sailing
Capital of the Carolinas" and generally speaking you'll
still find more boats than residents within the town limits.
This is a village of nostalgic enchantment untarnished by
the modern trappings of urban sprawl, interstates and cheap
tourism. This humble fishing community embraces the cruising
sailor with celebration and reverence, sharing the warmth
of her people with all who take time to recline on her front
porch. Framed by the rivers and streams of the lower Pamlico
Sound, this secluded town overlooks the Outer Banks, with
her face towards the sea and her soul linked to the traditions
of coastal exploration.
Shrimping, farming and a flourishing boating community give
life to this town, as they have for decades. Oriental is more
than a just a cruising destination; it's an experience. Walk
through town and chances are you'll spend most of your time
returning a nod or wave to the residents strolling along Oriental's
city streets. The town remains a biking and walk-about community,
more comfortable with Fourth of July Parades and waterfront
bizarre than strip mall shopping centers. Marinas still out
number stoplights by a large margin, (6 or 7 to none, depending
on your definition of a marina) and the closest thing to fast
food is Scoot's Pizza. The golf and condominium crowd have
yet to carve out their slice of this fertile landscape, even
though the creeks and tidal acreage lend themselves to such
development. Local farmers still own the larger chunks of
land and seem content with maintaining their sovereignty.
The principal road through town is Highway 55, one long, meandering
loop that links the village to the rest of the county and
urban civilization.
There's an ATM at the First Citizen Bank now and the town
added a new Post Office a few years back. You'll find that
the volunteer fire department is staffed by the same folks
who haul your boat, serve you dinner and cast off your dock
lines when you're ready to sail south or north. But then,
not everyone leaves Oriental, and that too, is part of its
charm.
This is truly a boating community. A series of deep and narrow
creeks penetrate the Neuse River waterfront, offering protection
and solitude for the skipper who can secure a berth out back
of someone's home. For those who can't find a friend with
a dock or just prefer the amenities of a full service facility,
there are several nice marinas in town. An overnight stop
in Oriental will never do, yet, that is how most cruisers
discover her charms. Pushed for time and not wanting to reach
Beaufort after dark, many of the winter transients heading
south along the ICW enter the broad mouth of the Neuse River
as it meets the Pamlico Sound and elect to spend an evening
in Oriental. You may find that after a week of sailing around
Oriental, you'll become a "new native" too.
- Eddie Jones
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