Launched at the Alligator River Marina about 4 miles from Albemarle Sound over Memorial Day. The marina/gas station along US 64 has a small grill that serves all the southern favorites: burgers, fried chicken, fried potatoes, and Alligator jerky. It provides great access to isolated cruising areas to the North, South, and East. It is a shallow angled ramp so I had to use my tongue extension to get the trailer deep enough to launch. Had to use extra long dock lines to reach the pilings at the end of the pier because there are no cleats . Finally had watch the overhead power/cable wires close to the ramp. I estimated that the M-15 would fit under them with the mast up but didn't want to take a chance so got everything ready, backed onto the ramp itself and raised the mast there. My plan was to cross the river, sail across East Lake and enter the Albemarle via a shallow inlet know as the Haul-over. Once in the Sound it is a nice loop back to the launch site. There is a 3' deep channel right along the beach that small boats can use. Unfortunately northerly winds produce breakers across the bar of the inlet making it impossible to sail it. Those winds also made beating across East Lake difficult even with a second reef in. Had to settle with sailing to the head of South Lake which was a sheltered reach. With the waves on the quarter I could wedge the hiking stick against the coaming, tighten the jib, ease the main a little and the boat pretty much steered itself for the first 1 1/2 miles except for easing/triming the mainsheet to avoid crab pots. Once out of the lee of Long Shoal the waves were larger which tended to push the bow off so had to sail with both sheet and tiller. On port tack the bow was directly onto the waves so wrestled with both tiller and sheet.