Click here to read the report from Day 5
“Heading to Pirate’s Cove”
Jordon Lake
Located about 15 minutes off of I- 40 you will find Lake Jordon, this lake is fairly large about 14,000 acres, the lake has many different launch and access area, the Jordon Lake State Park is the best place to access the water. There are many different coves to explore even on busy lake traffic day, you can still find some relief from the traffic on this lake, the water is fairly clear and with the various coves you can avoid the wind on most days. The water stays fairly warm even into late October which allow for some late season paddling. The lake is only about 40 minutes from Raleigh. The lake also is a good lake to spot a bald eagle. The lake is a US Army Corps of Engineers Lake, with a North Carolina State Park on the lake.
Jordon Lake Area information:
Launch sites: Nine different site located within the state park, daily entrance fee for park $6
Paddleboard rental nearby or Bring Your Own Board: Bring your own board
Nearby lodging: Nearby in Apex, hotels/motels, various camping options at state park campgrounds, vacation rental homes
Dining options: nearby in Apex
Other nearby area activities: Hiking, fishing, mountain biking
Lake Wheeler
Located just minutes off of I – 40 in Raleigh, NC is Lake Wheeler, the city of Raleigh operates the waterfront park, and this is the best place to access Lake Wheeler. The lake is a great getaway for the city for an afternoon paddle; this is also a great place to learn to paddleboard with intro class from a local tour company. The water is clear and like Lake Jordon, remains rather warm well in late October. This lakefront park is an oasis in the urban area of Raleigh. The lake does get busy with boat traffic on weekends.
Lake Wheeler Area Information:
Launch site: City Park, $6 fee
Paddleboard rental nearby or Bring Your Own Board: Triangle Glides
Nearby lodging: many lodging options nearby in Raleigh
Dining options: fast food to fine dining in Raleigh, concession stand at lake, the park has some nice picnic areas
Other nearby area activities: Mountain biking, hiking, fishing
Pirate’s Cove – East Carolina Stadium
As we arrived at the cove, we were greeted with a sea of purple and yellow, lots of those pirates everywhere, no we were not here for paddleboarding we were here to watch the 11th rated Hokies play some college football on this beautiful fall day in eastern North Carolina. The bone yard as they call it has been know to take down a mighty ship or two a couple times a season, it almost happened to the Hokies this day, they finally got it together and sailed out of the cove and back to the safe harbor of Blacksburg with a win. As my dad and I were heading back to Claytor Lake, our thoughts were that we could have enjoyed this beautiful day more visiting some of the other paddleboard sites around the Tar Heel state.
