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Sailing to Shackleford: The Adventure Begins With a Sinking

Published March 20, 2026

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

The last thing my wife Julia said as I pushed our two kayaks into the water instead of loading them onto the deck of our Nimble 24 sailboat Grit was, “Are you sure you want to tow the kayaks behind the boat?” I assured her that, yes, I did.

Sailboat Grit, a Nimble 24 yawl, heading out of Oriental, North Carolina, with two kayaks trailing behind — Heading out of Oriental on *Grit*, our 1992 Nimble 24 yawl. She only draws 1′ 4″ of water which makes her the perfect vessel for North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound. Note the kayaks placidly trailing off the stern. (Keith Smith photo)

We boarded Grit, I fired up the outboard and we headed off toward Shackleford Banks, North Carolina. The plan was to spend the next two weeks there studying the wild horses that call the island home.

Sailing to Shackleford

As I wrote here recently, Julia and I had been dreaming and planning a sail to Shackleford Banks, one of the barrier islands of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Nimble 24 sailboat Grit rigged and ready to launch on her trailer — *Grit* rigged and ready to launch. Both her keel and her rudder have centerboards which allows her to access shallow water.

Sailboat Grit moments after launch at the wildlife ramp in Oriental, North Carolina — *Grit* moments after we launched her at the wildlife ramp in Oriental, North Carolina

A brisk breeze picked up as we crossed the Neuse River. It was chilly — the second-to-last day of winter. Grit accelerated in the puffs, and the kayaks trailed off her double-ended stern like two happily leashed dogs trotting behind their master. Well, sorta. The day before, on our shakedown sail, one had flipped, and Julia caught me striking the following unfortunate pose of wrestling it right-side up.

Solo circumnavigator Bernie Harberts wrestling a flipped kayak upright while under sail on the Neuse River — Me wrestling with Julia’s kayak after it flipped while I was towing it under sail. An omen of what was to come.

All is well in the world of Grit. Heading toward Shackleford Banks under full jib, main and mizzen.

We continued sailing and entered Adams Creek, which we’d follow down to Beaufort and Shackleford Banks. The wind picked up. Then Julia said, “Bernie, look at the kayaks.”

I turned around just in time to see her dark green kayak surfing a following wave, cut in front of my light green kayak, and roll over. We were running dead downwind with full sail up, hoping to reach the smoother water of the canal, but before I could get there, Julia said, “Oh, no.”

I turned around to see my light green kayak go Full Submarine — dive three feet under the surface and cut in front of hers.

Here, for your viewing pleasure, is the snafu.

The way you don’t want to tow your kayaks behind your sailboat

What a crap situation. The painters, the ropes that held the kayaks, could snap at any moment. Then the flooded kayaks would sink. Neither of our kayaks has flotation and one kayak shared between two people just sucks.

I clawed down the sails, eased Grit toward shore, and dropped the anchor. She came to a stop surrounded by hastily dropped sails and two foundering kayaks. Make that one kayak. Julia’s had gone completely under, the only evidence of its existence being the yellow painter pointing straight down beneath the hull.

We hauled both waterlogged kayaks into the cockpit — they weighed a ton — then lashed them to the foredeck and pressed on toward Shackleford.

Signs of the Ocean

The first bottlenose dolphins found us outside Morehead City. Two hours later, bucking a hearty ebb tide roaring past the channel markers, we turned off the ship channel for Shackleford Banks. We skimmed over a sandbar and watched the depth finder count down: 7, 6, 5, 4 feet. It flickered at 3, bottomed out at 2’6″, and the screen flashed LOST. We didn’t run aground. We threaded our way into the channel that runs just off Shackleford’s shore and followed it two miles up the island, anchoring in 8 feet of water.

As Grit settled into place, four wild horses walked out onto a sandbank exposed by the falling tide. Julia, Grit, and I — plus our two nearly-drowned kayaks — had arrived at Shackleford. We had arrived at the island of the wild horses.

Photos and What’s Next

This morning Julia and I went ashore to explore. Here are photos from our first day, including some of the wild horses we encountered.

Morning coffee aboard sailboat Grit anchored off Shackleford Banks — But first, coffee…

Sailboat Grit anchored off Shackleford Banks with two anchor lines set against strong currents — *Grit* anchored off Shackleford Banks. Note the anchor lines leading to the two anchors I set to deal with the strong currents that run through this channel.

Close-up of two anchor lines holding sailboat Grit in place at Shackleford Banks — Close up view of the anchor lines leading to the two anchors holding Grit in place

Julia paddling from sailboat Grit to shore at Shackleford Banks — Julia paddling from *Grit* to Shackleford Banks this morning

Julia stepping onto the beach at Shackleford Banks, North Carolina — Julia sets foot on Shackleford Banks

Julia observing a wild horse on Shackleford Banks — Julia observing one of the wild horses we came across on Shackleford Banks today

A yearling pony grazing on Shackleford Island

Sign explaining the School Bus Rule for safely approaching wild horses on Shackleford Banks — The School Bus Rule: how to approach, or not approach, a wild horse on Shackleford Banks

White ibises feeding along an oyster bank at Shackleford Banks, North Carolina — White ibises feeding along an oyster bank exposed by the falling tide

More from Shackleford in the days to come.

See and Read Julia’s Take on the Wild Horses of Shackleford Banks

Julia is blogging about our time among the wild horses at ConsideringAnimals.com. Read about our first day on the island here.

A final image to leave you with – Grit anchored off Shackleford Banks in calm, blue waters.

Sailboat Grit anchored off the beach at Shackleford Banks with a small wave breaking on shore — The end of our first day. Note the beautiful wavelet breaking onto the sandy beach.

Life Aboard Grit

Fancy some percolator coffee and a home cooked breakfast cooked on a Seastove? Join Julia and me aboard Grit for a day anchored off Shackleford Banks.

Julia’s side of the voyage at Saddle Under the Stars:

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One Response to Sailing to Shackleford: The Adventure Begins With a Sinking

Gil Fontes on March 25, 2026 at 9:48 am

Following this.
Great pic of Bernie’s butt working the kayaks.
A wonderful adventure this early in the year.

Reply