Here are several ways to get on the water in Elizabeth City

Often referred to as the "Harbor of Hospitality," the waterfront town of Elizabeth City is part of the Inner Banks Historic Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina. Thanks to its location at a bend of the Pasquotank River which connects to the Albemarle Sound, Elizabeth City's semi-coastal landscape provides residents and visitors with an array of ways to get out on the water.

"I was born and raised here and the city has a great waterfront," said Captain Jeff Onley. "My grandfather was a commercial fisherman and my dad was an avid angler, so I've been on these waters since I was five years old and I'm 52 now."

Onley grew up fishing the Albemarle Sound, the Currituck Sound and the Pasquotank River, "chasing stripers, white perch, flounder and croaker."

"Growing up on these waters with my family and friends is what led me to wanting to share the experience with others," Onley writes on his website.

Onley owns and runs Albemarle Fishing Charters, a charter business that guides fishing trips and boating tours of the Albemarle Sound and its tributaries, along with the Pasquotank, Chowan, Little and Perquimans rivers. He uses his years of firsthand knowledge of the region's waters to help people do some of the best fishing in North Carolina.

"I love taking people out on the water and showing them the fishing areas," said Onley. "The water we have here is a unique fishery because it's brackish, meaning you have salt and freshwater fish. You can catch white perch, flounder, striped bass, redfish and more. I can fish for what people want to target or we can just go out and see what's available and catch the most stuff. I do about 150 trips a year — it's a lot of fun."

If you're looking for a self-guided or solo fishing experience, visitors can grab a spot at Charles Creek Park, which is a block from the waterfront and "easily cast off right from the docks or launch a skiff for a wide open tour of the waterfront and the Albemarle Sound located just a couple of short miles away."

Another popular activity in Elizabeth City, especially in the summer, is sailing. Resident Carol Terryberry grew up sailing on Chesapeake Bay where she's originally from and eventually became an instructor. When she moved to Elizabeth City in 2001, she remembers sitting on a dock one Friday night and watching the sail boats go by.

"My husband is my greatest encourager and said I should start something in town," said Terryberry. "So I organized with a group of friends and opened up the first summer sailing camp with twenty-eight kids and eight borrowed boats."

Since that first summer, Terryberry's program has grown into what it is today and she now teaches both kids and adults how to sail. She owns and runs River City Community Sailing, whose mission is "to increase the community's access to and involvement in sailing, racing, and enjoyment of the natural beauty, ecological value and historical significance of the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City."

"Sailing requires strategy and skill — it's different from other types of boating where you kind of just get in and go. Sometimes it takes kids the full two weeks of camp to get the hang of it and others get the hang of it right away," she said.

Terryberry also offers rowing courses, which she said is all about working with a team. Residents and visitors have been really receptive to sailing, despite the challenge of it, and Terryberry hopes to develop a rowing community in town that matches.

Experienced sailors who don't need instruction also enjoy the local waters in Elizabeth City and can dock their boats at places like Pelican Marina or Mariner's Wharf.

Visitors wishing to kayak in Elizabeth City can use the free kayak launch at Coast Guard Park or visit the nearby Dismal Swamp state park for kayak rentals. Pelican Marina is another rental option for kayaks, paddleboards and even a pontoon boat if you're up for the adventure.

In addition to his charter fishing business, Onley also serves as a guide for Native Girl Kayaking, a business that provides mobile kayak rentals and guided tours of the Albemarle. Visitors can rent a kayak and Native Girl will drop it off wherever they are staying and pick it back up at the end of their stay.

For a more in-depth look at Elizabeth City's waters, like the Great Dismal Swamp, people can opt for a guided tour.

"We do kayak tours on pretty much all of the rivers, the Great Dismal Swamp, and a tour of historic Edenton and Queen Anne's Creek, Sawyers Creek and a downtown tour of Elizabeth City," said Onley. "We like to get people out in nature."

During nature tours, Onley said people can expect to see all types of birds from ospreys to bald eagles and animals like otters, deer, foxes, bobcats and even bears. Touring historic areas like the Great Dismal Swamp, which was once home to many runaway slaves, gives people a look into the past.

"The Great Dismal Swamp was part of the Underground Railroad and many African-Americans built communities here," said Onley. "We like to give people a little bit of history along with the ecological stuff on our tours."

If paddleboarding is more your thing, there's plenty of opportunity for this in Elizabeth City too.

"I'm just addicted to water sports, so when I'm not sailing or rowing, I get out on my paddleboard," said Terryberry.

Boaters from all over come to Elizabeth City to dock up at Mariners' Wharf. According to VisitElizabethCity.com, "many travel the intracoastal waterway and participate in the Albemarle Loop to experience the adventures of the Albemarle Sound."

The city has compiled a list of marinas, boat services and lock schedules for visiting boaters which includes Causeway Marina, DB Marina, Elizabeth City Shipyard & Riverside Boat Works, Lamb's Marina and several others.

If you're not an experienced boater yourself, you can take a boat tour from a charting company like Onley's or rent a pontoon boat from Pelican Marina.

"The whole Inner Banks is a beautiful area," said Onley. "When I first got into guiding, I was hoping I could sustain a business doing it and I have. People come from all over Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and even Charlotte to get out on the water and fish here in Elizabeth City."

Added Terryberry, "I get out on the water pretty much every day, even in the winter. So I'm constantly doing something and most of what I do doesn't involve any kind of motor."