Last year I got caught up in the inlet crashing every wave over the bow\hardtop (23wa) while going out with family. NOT GOOD! Need help on the tide, wind speed, wind directions and seas for a safe outing or not so good. I should have known when I met a 20'cc with 5 older gentleman all quiet and wearing orange econo life jackets that something wasn't right. Seas were to be 1'-3' w\5-10kt winds didn't get the tide. Got out to make the turn (180) to safely get back in for a much needed cold one. Called coast gaurd that evening to get info and they said it should not have been bad. Made it out of OI on 17 days last year and this was bad. The dridge was working taking up room, but my gps track showed that I stayed in the channel according to previous days trip and bouys. Ended up exploring and fishing the sound (10m SW of OI) catching big spanish macks including several over 24". Great trip and fishing info to backup days when we can't get out. Thanks for any help.

WOW... I have never been out o OI. Not sure I want to. Sounds like a real experience!!

I just caught it at a bad time. Waves were close and steep. I didn't stuff the pulpit, I kept the bow up and crashed each one. Set down between em' on return and road the back of wave. Heading down to Pirates cove June 12 for the week and looking for guide lines. Gotta respect the beast!!! I'll hit it daily if weather permits. Thanks.

Excellent post here. Very good thing to think about.

Not to lecture -just a word of advice -with all this fish-catching going on -take a breath before going through Oregon Inlet the first time- - if it's your first visit - Oregon Inlet is not Hell - but you can sure see Hell from there - on the wrong day. If its northeast or east and it's more than 15 - on an outgoing tide -cinch down your seat belt. There are a some folks that did not come back.
If you haven't been through it on rough day - do it with someone who has -first - because is not the place for on the job training.
Just because you get out through it in one piece - does not mean the fun has ended - because it can be no walk in the park coming home.
You find pretty quick down there- why they fish in 60 foot boats - with huge flared bows.

Kent

Thanks Kent. The tide-wind combo is what I havn't nailed down. I look for wind out of W or SW, its the influence of the out going tide timing I need help on. Low tide and time leading into low tide. I've gone out of the inlet running on plane with no swell but didn't know why this was. Possible slack tide low or high? Alot of variables here, sounds like out going against an E wind to be worse case. Being a small boat we don't go out over 1-3 ft seas with any wind staying inside tower C on the good days. Well there was one day in Oct. we hit the point for YFT\MAHI in 1-2' seas with vari 5-10 changing to calm running 28-31 out and wot coming home with buudy boat and 50-70 other boats.

There are 2 other things I have noticed as well;
When the bar at the mouth of the inlet - a mile or so outside of the bridge- is shoaled up -you can get a pretty shallow 8/9 foot depth at low tide so even a modest swell stands up pretty good.
Also watch those tropical storms - even 100's of miles away - pumping out a big ground swell.
When we are offshore they are just big fat rolling waves - but when they get to the beach and stand up on that bar - they are friggen huge. I have had really heavy water -thankfully no green water- come through my flying bridge and I am stand up there 11 feet in the air, it would break clear-over a 24 foot boat - as has happened several times on the bar.

Just a few things ....no fish is worth it, that being said there are two options if the wind switches and your stuck out there you can go arount to HI (long way) and make it in. The channel is a breeze now, if you go to the top of the bridge you usally can judge the go/no go of the inlet and then just pay attention to the wind direction and you'll be great. East winds agentst an outgoing tide SUCKS!!!!

Speaking of which-I don't think I have ever seen a tropical depression in May. I sure hope that isn't sign of things to come.

If you remeber a year or two back we actually had on all the way through the new year. Weird world we live in now a days.

I hope we are answering your question here. I think you can get through there on most any SW/W wind. whether you want to or not - is a another matter. I came through on about 35/40 knots SW a couple of times last year -coming home. It was not near that bad offshore - but in the summer and it's hot- coming back home esp.- there is a shore breeze -always SW- that can really get cranking -it is spooky - as the inlet is just dancing all over and streaked-up - but its just little wavelets.
Anything on the other side of the compass perks up your ears. I have heard of a big running swell with NO wind - like you descibed - but have not seen it.
The bar is the place you have to watch. About 5 waves of it. Coming back in - ride the back of one and stay the hell on the back -no matter what it takes to do it. Do not surf down the front of one and do not let the one behind you catch you. People lose their wave - after it slips out from under them and think "I'll get on the back of the next one". Next thing- it breaks right over the transom into the back of boat and that is all she wrote. Once you are in there- in the surf zone- where they are breaking - there is whole lot of rushing white water- like a class 5 rapids. The boat can start yawing all over the place- but it feels worse than it is -it is easier to control it here- if you just pour the juice to it and come on in hard and get the hell out of it.
Then you get the same feeling Churchill had - when he said "there is nothing more exhilerating than being shot at - and missed".
KAPOC is absolutely right there can be a condition there- that is so steep that no small boat can handle it. Twice I have seen wreckage - T-tops and windshields in the channel - that just been taken off small boats ahead of me. E NE SE - expect there can be an issue- check the tide the day before. You can almost always get through it and once you are to the other side of the bar it'll layout for you.
Hatteras - is exact opposite. SW can be a real beast down there on outgoing tides. All that sound trying to get through that narrow hole on both of the inlets - just stands it right up. Hatteras can take one a hell of a NE wind and still be flat. Keep it in your mind as - KAPOC correctly points out - running back up the sound it very easy.
The bar on Hatteras is deeper and personally - I don't think it is quite as tough as OI can get -but for sure - do not take it lightly - I have had some pretty shakey moments down there for- too.
IF you fish down there enough -you realize dealing with it-is just a way of life down there.

Kent

Mike\Kent: Thanks for info. This helps in understanding what should be an enjoyable trip vs a possible bad experience as I had before with family. I did read last year on a post that you need to commit to the inlet and when things settle outside to make the turn to head back in if needed. I told my wife & 3 boys (oldest 10 at the time) to hang on and we would turn back when safe. WOW! Before I knew it the boat was heading in, it just happened. Going along with the guys on a friends boat is a lot dif than heading out on your own boat. Things change when you are responsable to those on board your boat. I love a great day of fishing to be had by all, just need the info to help understand why to stay in and enjoy a day on the beach.

Todd