Educate Me: North Core Banks and Portsmouth Island

OnlyOneDR

OnlyOneDR

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All right. This summer I want to take a trip out to the North Core Banks and Portsmouth Island. I have read about this place for years and even know a couple people that go out there for fishing every fall. I have a few friends that would be interested in splitting a cabin out there and chilling out for at least a long weekend. Really I am wanting to plan a trip to get out there for 4-5 days to chill out, get some sun, swim, fish, explore the island, visit the Portsmouth village, etc. I know the basics as I have talked with folks and read plenty on the interwebs.

So has anyone gone out there? What should I do/have/need to be prepared? What about emergencies (God forbid)? Does any cell carrier tower reach across the sound from Ocracoke or down near Atlantic to make a call? Does anyone monitor any CB channels or should I get a handheld UHF (I really need one for my boat anyway). Is there a place to drop a tow-rig and trailer in Atlantic so I can take my Nissan out there? What about the cabins? Any ones to avoid? I read that there may be generators but I assume I have to bring my own fuel? About getting up to Plymouth, I understand that the flats road is usually always covered with water. How deep is that? If I go up to Plymouth can I grab the ferry to get to Ocracoke and then come back to the island if I need something or does it not work like that?

My apologies for so many questions, but I figure it is easier to spew most of them all out at once instead of dragging a thread on and on.
 
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North Core is Portsmouth Island, South Core called Cape Lookout or Davis Island. Lots to consider going to either . Reservations for cabins offered through National Parks service. Ferry reservations through Morris Marina (north) Davis Shore ferry service ( south) one other south can't recall the name. all great people to deal with.
Summer bring plenty of sunscreen and bug juice. Skeeters and Greenhead flies and no-seeums will eat you alive if the wind dies or blows the wrong way. Check with Park Service and Ferry Service for rules and regulations, lots of info online too.
Most beautiful place on earth to me and many others. Please follow the rules and have a great time. Nothing on either Island but cabins and sand. Need to bring everything you need and them some extra stuff. Check on Drumwagon.com , ask someone about a LIST of things to bring. Someone has a very good list and it really helps out especially if it's your first time.
Hope this helps a little.
 
So to update...I finally made it out there last weekend. Three friends and I split a cabin. The ferry was uneventful, the scenery was beautiful, the weather changeable, and the trip unforgettable!

The Long Point cabins on the North Core Banks have electricity; the park service has a diesel generator on the island serving them. There is also running, potable water and some of the cabins have bathrooms with showers. Lastly, a handful of them have wall-mount air conditioners in them. So you can be comfortable there. We brought a dorm sized refrigerator and a small window unit air conditioner.

The cabins are near the south end of the island, about sixteen miles from the abandoned village of Portsmouth. Due to weather and a vehicle issue with some folks that tagged along with us we did not make it into the village, much to my disappointment. Driving up and down the beach is slow, the maximum speed limit is 25 mph and some spots are posted 15 mph for the wildlife. With the island being 22 miles long you do not get from one place to another very quickly. The sand tracks are a little more firm than the beach to drive on but are twisty and demand a little more clearance since they are not flat. The ramps to the beach are very soft.

The weather is like anywhere at the coast. We had a couple great days but the winds were steady, then a couple others with spots of rain that would blow in without much notice. Since there is no protection out there you get the full brunt of the weather. The flies are hungry this time of year, there were green and yellow ones that bite but if you stayed near the beach you did not have to suffer them very much.

A well maintained four-wheel drive is mandatory. Sand tracks and the beach are the only ways to get around. The sand tracks run mostly behind the dunes that separate the beach from the rest of the strip island. Some places are really wide, I was surprised at just how big the island is. The soft sand will test your vehicle's cooling system so make sure it is working well. If you run an automatic make sure it has a working cooler and that it is full of fluid. A couple that tagged along had their Expedition puke a bunch of transmission fluid about 12 miles from the cabins and ferry. Luckily we were able to get more fluid for it carted over on the ferry and headed back up there to fill it and get it back. Towing it all that way would not have been fun.

The ferry at Morris Marina is not cheap. You will pay for your vehicle (small ones currently $75, larger ones $90, RVs are more) and any passengers or large cargo is extra. I brought a 16' kayak that had to lay on the deck of the ferry and was charged extra for it (had it been strapped up on the vehicle it would have been included). They have two boats, one hold about six vehicles and another only three. The large boat takes about 45 minutes to make the crossing, the smaller one is somewhat faster. The marina folks are friendly and if you call from the island can bring supplies over (for a fee). They also stock ice at the marina and it is half the price of the ice that the park service sells from their camp office.

Other than ice at the camp office (only open 8-3), you are completely on your own for food and supplies, there is NOTHING on the island so you are packing in everything that you bring. They do have dumpsters placed near the cabins so you do not have to take your trash back off the island.

Some cell phones work on the south end of the island by the cabins; Verizon has 4G LTE coverage on the island (they have a tower on Cedar island across the sound).

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Haha! I did not. Due to technical difficulties (two blown trailer tires) I missed the entire first day on the island and that is when my buddies went fishing. They said they threw a lot of bait in the water. None of us have ever surf fished before (technically I still have not). Lots of other folks were out there catching things.

We did some kayaking on the sound side, beach driving, chilling out, etc. I think all of us just wanted to get away for a while, so fishing was an afterthought.
 
Oh, also wanted to add: I spoke with the folks from Austin Boat Tours http://portsmouthnc.com/ that run private boats from Ocracoke to Portsmouth village for day-trippers. For $20/person you can hop on their boat when they arrive in the morning to hitch a ride to Ocracoke for a few hours, then ride back when they return to get the island visitors. They will only do it if they have a tour lined up, and you have to drive up to the north end then walk into the village to catch their boats. This could be handy (and cheaper) to get supplies if you are staying for a week and need to re-stock, with the added bonus of visiting Ocracoke Island.
 
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