The harbor at Oriental provides excellent anchorage for small craft. Two marinas are in the harbor and basin.
Good anchorage was reported in Greens Creek for vessels drawing less than 4 feet.
Navigation:
Click the “Map View” button above to see a chart of this harbor.
Oriental is a small town at the entrance to Smith Creek on the north bank of the Neuse River about 11 miles above the mouth. The harbor is protected by a rubble-mound breakwater marked by a light off the end.
A dredged channel, marked by lights and daybeacons, leads from Neuse River to a basin at Oriental. In 2009, the midchannel controlling depth in Smith Creek was 7 feet with 7 to 10 feet in the basin. In 1992, shoaling to 3 feet was reported northeast of Windmill Point, on the west side of the channel in about 35°01’14″N., 76°42’00″W.
A fixed highway bridge 0.2 mile above the entrance to Smith Creek has a clearance of 45 feet. An abandoned railroad bridge, in ruins, crosses Morris Creek about 1 mile above the highway bridge. Greens Creek joins Smith Creek at Dewey Point just above the highway bridge.
