18 THE I]!q-LAi^D PASSAGE. 



Shoal; but as there is seven feet of water on the 

 shoal, accuracy is not necessary, and the same 

 course continued will take you near Royal Shoal, 

 which is easily made out, as there are two lights on 

 it. From this the course is south by west to Har- 

 bor Island light, at the entrance of Core Sound. 

 This light is abandoned and is falling down, but 

 during the day the building is visible a long dis; 

 tance. If you can get a free wind, you can make 

 the run from Long Shoal to Harbor Island in a day, 

 provided you get under way early, which every sen- 

 sible yachtsman is careful to do. If not, you must 

 hug the main shore and look out, as there are many 

 shoals and no tide to help you off if you get 

 aground. The waters are salt and only moved by 

 the wind; and as Pamlico Sound is a miniature 

 ocean and gets up a big sea, it is well to be careful. 

 If you are caught near Royal Shoal, unless you are 

 acquainted with the channels, steer for the beach, 

 where you can get holding ground if not much of 

 a harbor. The charts of Pamlico Sound are Nos. 

 42, 43, and 44. 



There is a good chart of Core Sound, which is 

 shallow but well staked out, the stakes having hands 

 on them to show on which side is the best water. 

 You can carry two feet of water close along the 

 shore from the buoy off the middle marshes, just 

 west of Harker's Island into Beaufort, but the main 

 channel is more to the southward and runs to the 

 point of Shackleford Banks. Then you go up Bulk- 

 head Channel, keep along the north shore of Town 



