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Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Location: Morehead City Channel
Mile Marker: 205
Lat / Lon: N 34° 42.887' / W 076° 42.593'
Depth: 8 feet
Tide: 2-4 feet
Description:
Good holding, but exposed to ICW traffic. Great swing room.

2.71

(7)

2.71 out of 5 stars

Holding:

4.43

Wind Protection:

2.57

Exposed W-S- E

Current Flow:

2.43

Wake Protection:

1.29

Exposed to ICW

Scenic Beauty:

2.67

Ease of Shopping:

2.00

Shore Access:

2.80

Pet Friendly:

3.40

Cell Service:

4.67

WiFi:

1.00

Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Teresa Scott on May 13, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.5'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

4

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

1

Wake Protection:

1

Anchored here after making the offshore run from Wrightsville Beach. Quiet after dark but the boat wakes started at first light. Good spot for a quick night but wouldn't want to stay here long. Beach nearby for walking.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Roy Mccormick, Apricus, on Jul 16, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 50'
Draft: 6.0'

Overall Rating:

1

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

2

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

3

Ease of Shopping:

3

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

This spot is pure evil. It could be a great wide-open anchorage if the conditions were calm, but we were here in 15-20kt winds from S to SW and it was quite unbearable. It is very unprotected and there were many, many wakes from fishing boats, as another reviewer described. We stayed here for three nights waiting for a weather window, and we couldn't wait to leave. We would only return if we were absolutely desperate. The only pluses are that it's close to an island for dog walking and a public dinghy dock with access to restaurants and Ace Marine Rigging & Supply. A better option is farther up at Taylor's Creek, if you can find a spot. No large grocery stores nearby, either way.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Captain Gene Of Galene on Apr 8, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

3

Holding:

4

Wind Protection:

2

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

2

Scenic Beauty:

4

Ease of Shopping:

3

Shore Access:

3

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

04 06 2023 Anchored here again . Good holding and anchor came up clean. Wakes at night not a problem the but morning sports-fisherman will big time wake you early rolling you in the morning. No protection from SW S SE winds but it was doable with winds in those directions 12 and under. 4 19 2021 Good protection from North winds. Some wake from ICW traffic. Good holding. Four boats here this night. People dingy to the island for entertainment.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Cam & Jennifer Canup, Viatori, on Aug 8, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

2

Holding:

3

Wind Protection:

1

Current Flow:

1

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

3

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

3

Pet Friendly:

3

Cell Service:

4

WiFi:

1

A little more exposed than previously reported. Our scoop anchor drug in the late evening due to a large boat wake. We were able to reset the the anchor about 15' away from the initial anchorage drop. It held without incident for the rest of the night. The night was very rolling due to the easterly wind exposure. Only one other boat in this anchorage. This anchorage s large enough to hold about 15 boats. Anchor came up clean. Appears to be a sandy bottom.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Capt. Mac Rubel on Jun 24, 2022
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.0'

Overall Rating:

3

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

2

Scenic Beauty:

3

Ease of Shopping:

2

Shore Access:

2

Pet Friendly:

3

Cell Service:

4

Sugarloaf Island South lies just off the ICW, right next to the shipping dock, and at the exit from all the downtown marinas, bars, and restaurants. A less likely place for an anchorage you would have a hard time imagining. It was Saturday evening in mid-April and our intended stopping point was full up so, after looking at a couple of reviews, we decided to give the anchorage a try. Quite frankly, we were surprised at how good it actually was. Enter from the east end of the island by turning off the entry passage in front of the shipping docks. You will find 10 feet of water MLLW over a large area that, for some reason, has some protection from the wakes from the channel. The anchorage was not calm in the evening with 15 mph winds and wakes coming from the south but it was tolerable. We anchored about 100 yards west of the anchorage icon and, if we were to do this again, we would go another hundred yards further west to tuck in behind shallower protecting water between the anchorage and the ICW. When night fell and the boat traffic tapered off, the anchorage turned comfortable. Holding was good with a strong (3mph+) tidal current running through the anchorage. The anchor came up clean in the morning from the sandy bottom. There is wind and wave protection for the northwest around to the east but the anchorage is open with some fetch from the other points of the compass. Shore access can be had by dinghy at the Sanitary Restaurant dock, about a half mile around the island to the dock in front of the restaurant. You will find yourself in the downtown entertainment area with no provisioning nearby. You can also take your dinghy to Sugarloaf Island to walk Fido. As a fair weather anchorage Sugarloaf provides an easy off and on to the ICW while you make your way either north or south. Cell coverage is very good.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Heath Phillips, Philyria , on Nov 14, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 35'
Draft: 6.0'

Overall Rating:

3

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

2

Ease of Shopping:

1

Shore Access:

1

Pet Friendly:

1

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

If there wasn't so much powerboat wake this would be an awesome stop. It is just outside a no wake zone, so the powerboats throttle up and wake everything. Holding was great. Lots of room.

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Review for Morehead City - Sugar Loaf Island (south)

Reviewed by: Jeremy Hatch on Aug 25, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 49'
Draft: 5.0'

Overall Rating:

3

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

3

Current Flow:

4

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

1

Cell Service:

5

Easy in, easy out anchorage with lots of space & good holding. Wind protection is fair -large open anchorage. The downsides are that it is next to an industrial plant and is just outside the no wake zone, so until dusk, it's rolly & noisy but as a late day anchorage, a welcome site!

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