Cape Lookout Bight Anchorage (Carteret County, NC)

Cape Lookout Bight Anchorage (N34°37.566′ W76°32.667′)
Carteret County, NC

Date of Stay: Wednesday, 10/14/26 – Thursday, 10/15/26
Cons: Crowding, Current Flow, Local Traffic, Lots of Jellyfish, & Shoaling
Pros: Accessibility, Anchor Hold, Calm Waters, Deep Water, Muddy Bottom, Natural Harbor, Protection, View, & Wildlife

Comments: Anchorage sits in the protected waters of the Bight, right between the hook of Cape Lookout (home to the historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse) and the eastern end of Shackleford Banks.

Closest unincorporated community and primary visitor access point is Harkers Island, NC with mainland access points nearby in Beaufort, NC and Morehead City, NC.

Easily accessible from Beaufort Inlet or the Atlantic Ocean.

Entering via Back Sound and Barden Inlet is shallow, shifting, and not recommended without explicit local knowledge.

National Park Service anchors its identity to Harkers Island, NC.

Shoaling extends further than maps suggest as we went aground but were able to get unstuck ourselves.

Prone to exposed winds from the north through northwest.

Roughly 6 miles southeast of Beaufort, NC and about 9 miles southeast of Morehead City, NC.

Tides fluctuate around 4′ – 5′. Plan your scope accordingly.

Vessels are restricted to anchoring for a total of 14 days within the boundaries of Cape Lookout National Seashore.

We anchored in 15′ – 20′ of water.

We had .4KN of current upon arrival. Remember to anchor with the current flow.