All,
Our shop (B&B Yacht Designs) on the Bay River would be glad to host any challengers needing to leave a vehicle and get onto the NCC course. We've got a boat ramp and 100' dock. No sandy beach to launch from but grassy banks with sand bottom very easy to launch kayaks or small crafts. Cars are safe. We don't want your money. We have good drinking water (no taste like out on the island) but no shower or toilet facilities...yet. We have good cell reception but no wifi.
I did a quick google map path download here of a round trip from our shop that takes the back way behind cedar island with some tacking up the sound. It's right at 103 nautical miles. The biggest downside is the very wide crossing of the Neuse which is not desirable for paddlers especially in sporting conditions. You can stay near shore on the west side of the river but at some point you have to get over to Clubfoot Creek. Or cross to the cedar island side further north but it's narrower by oriental (3.5nm crossing) on the return it's a good 10 miles of open water any way you slice it from back side of cedar island to mouth of bay river.
One nice thing about our shop is just 30 min from New Bern or Oriental and there are some good local restaurants. By contrast, it takes 2 hours to get from our shop to the driftwood motel location by car which is a distance of about 22nm by water. On two occasions Graham has motored over to the Cedar island ramp from our dock to witness the finish of the NCC. Our location is very close to the previous launching location at Camp Don Lee but without the great facilities which might work well for a smaller contingent.
Food for thought. Chief?
The offer stands for anyone interested in doing scouting or an informal whatever.
-Alan
B&B Yacht Designs
342 Chapel Creek Dr.
Bayboro, NC 28515