Once clear of the breakwater at Oriental, we started to run into some 1 to 2 foot waves from the Neuse. By the time we had cleared the channel markers and were in the Neuse proper, the waves were closer to 3 feet. I had heard over and over about the infamous "square waves" of the Neuse and Pamlico sound, which are generated due to the distances the wind can drive them and the shallowness of water depths, but this was my first official meeting. With the 9.9 Honda running we turned east into the waves to take them on the quarter. Spray was breaking over the boat and the wind was running 15 to 20 mph. This was not what I had in mind! But off in the distance, I could see a couple of boats with sails up, so what the heck. I raised the main and killed the engine. We were soon running 6.4 mph by GPS. This is screaming under mainsail only on this boat! The tiller had severe weather helm but I wasn't about to try to go forward on that plunging bow to raise the jib! It only took about twenty minutes for us to decide we needed to run for some shelter. The other (much larger) sailboats had dropped their sails. Hmm, more likely just furled em'. A luxury we don't have. While Rich manned the tiller, I took a look at the chart and we set course for Adams Creek and the Intercoastal Waterway. This required us to turn southwest and take the waves on our stern. The GPS recorded 8.5 mph as we surfed down the face of the waves. I don't have any pictures of this as we were hanging on best we could and trying to keep dry!