Thorofare Bay Traverse

This little excursion became the replacement for the failed attempt to loop Hog Island (see previous post).  I figured that after I had gone to the trouble to go all the way out to the Cedar Island ferry, I needed some sort of route to paddle.  This one was ok.

Vital Statistics:  You launch on the Thorofare; to the east is the East Thorofare Bay and to the west, the West Bay.   The Thorofare seems to be about a mile long, so a side-to-side paddle nets you two miles.  Then you can add on as much in either (or both bays) as you wish to fill whatever time you have to paddle.

Where to Find:  Look for a dirt road on the south side of the Monroe Gaskill Memorial Bridge on NC 12.   The boat ramp is almost at the end, maybe a quarter mile.

Boat Ramp:  Yes, but it's small and a bit hinky.  There's a steeper-than-usual drop off on the front, so you might want to launch from the side.  This ramp also seemed to be a favorite of fishermen, all of whom where friendly and observing good boat etiquette.


Restrooms:  No!  You'll see a station, but that structure belongs to the USMC I think.  It was surrounded with fencing that indicated US federal property.  The boats were for sure attached to the USMC.


What You May See:  Egrets?  I saw a few -- and a lot of marsh grass.  Many channels exit right and left of the main Thorofare channel, but these sub-channels are closed to paddlers.  You are in a national wildlife refuge, and these areas are for the migratory birds.  Abide the closures.


So Why Paddle Here?  Well, the fun of paddling in either of the bays cancels out the certain sameness of paddling in the marshes.  I paddled to/into and about West Thorofare Bay, which made of a nice day of paddling.  It's a good place to practice your salt water skills in sorta/kinda big water.   East Thorofare Bay might be equally fun.  If I were into kayak fishing, I would give that a try here.  Also, if I were paddling with young children, I'd paddle here.

Any Bewares?  Yes....remember that property that the USMC owns I mentioned earlier?  Well, on the western side of West Thorofare Bay, the USMC owns land that it uses for training purposes.  Just before we put in to paddle, three fighter jets were thundering about the sky.  We were lucky when they quit for the day.