Hampton Roads Marina and Anchorage Options
5 April 2020

It is strongly recommended that Caribbean cruisers seeking to enter the Chesapeake Bay make their initial port of call in the Hampton Roads area. There are multiple marinas and protected anchorages available. The following recommendations are limited to those that enable readily accessible food and fuel resupply. It is also strongly recommended that you make contact with a marina either by phone or email prior to arrival to ensure that space is still available and the entry rules have not changed. Once you’ve had a chance to catch your breath and resupply in Hampton Roads, there will be tons of information on options for proceeding north, either up the Bay or off-shore.

North Hampton Roads

Bluewater Marina
757-723-6774
bluewateryachtcenter.com
POC: David
Located up the Hampton River. A long time host to various rallys has multiple floating docks and maintenance facilities on-site and is within walking distance of food stores. However, due to the impact of coronavirus on all of society, they are now limiting transients to a maximum stay of 2 days and are no longer accepting mail for boats at sea. They will still provide fuel and water, but the on-site restaurant is closed.

Hampton Public Piers
757-727-1276
downtownhampton.com
POC: Donnie
Also located up the Hampton River, Hampton Public Piers is in the heart of historical downtown Hampton. Given coronavirus limitations, there are still restaurants offering take-out food services, food stores, and maintenance options either on-site or within easy walking distance. Unfortunately, the on-site hotel is now closed. Equipped with floating docks at $1.75/ft/day.

Old Point Comfort Marina
757-788-4308
george.jackson@divaris.com
POC: George
Jackson Located at the mouth of Mill Creek as part of historical Fort Monroe and providing limited transient support with floating docks and fuel. On-site restaurant is still offering take-out service. The town of Phoebus is either a short walk or dinghy ride away with several restaurants providing food take-out services plus supermarket food resupply options.

Salt Ponds Marina Resort
757-850-4300
saltpondsmarinaresort.com
POC: Cindy
Located on the west side of the Bay just above Fort Monroe and Buckroe Beach, Salt Ponds is well protected from both wind and waves and offers multiple floating docks and fuel on-site. While not within easy walking distance of major food stores, shuttle service will be provided for those wishing to make local resupply runs.

Southall Landings Marina
757-850-9929
southallmarina.com
POC: Steve Snaidmon
Located just opposite of Salt Ponds Marina Resort in the same protected area, Southall offers only fixed docks for mono-hulls. Fuel is available at Salt Ponds and shuttle service will be provided to those wishing to resupply at local stores.

North Hampton Roads Anchorages

Hampton River
Easily accessible and well protected, anchoring is allowed along the length of the marked channel. You can tie up your dinghy at both Bluewater marina and the Hampton Public Piers.

Mill Creek
Also easily accessible and well protected from all directions except due west, it is well charted for decent depths and is adjacent to Fort Monroe. You can tie up your dinghy at both the Old Point Comfort Marina and at the new floating public pier/dock at the Phoebus Waterfront Park, which also has parking. This dock is at the foot of the main street, boaters have a short walk up thru the town to reach an excellent grocery store, bank/ATM, and US post office.

South Hampton Roads

Waterside Marina
757-625-3625
watersidemarina.com
Located down the Elizabeth River past the Norfolk Naval Base and in the heart of downtown Norfolk. It is well protected and has both floating and bulkhead dockage with fuel on-site. There are multiple restaurants offering take-out services and hotels still open with a shopping center and other stores within easy walking distance. The Nauticus Museum and the USS Wisconsin exhibit are also adjacent to the marina, but are closed right now. The primary US Customs Port of Entry office (757-533-4200) is also only a block away (75 Main Street) for those that need to resolve clearance issues.

Tidewater Marina
757-393-2525
tidewateryachtmarina.com
Also located down the Elizabeth River opposite Waterside on the Portsmouth side of the River. It is larger than Waterside, is well protected, and has multiple floating docks. Being in downtown Portsmouth, it also has multiple restaurants and stores within easy walking distance, but the restaurants are also now limited to only take-out orders. Unfortunately nearby tourist sites like the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum are now closed. For those authorized access, the Portsmouth Naval Hospital is adjacent to the marina.

Norfolk Yacht Club
757-286-1752
info@norfolkyacht.com
POC: Mike Nash
Located on the north side of the Lafayette River, this Yacht Club has offered to assist transient vessels with fuel, water, and dock space if it is available. Dinghies may also tie up at their docks. Be advised that it is about two miles to the nearest food stores, so users would need to walk or arrange for other means of transportation.

South Hampton Roads Anchorages

There is a large, well established and well protected anchorage on the west side of the Elizabeth River just below Hospital Point. It allows easy dinghy runs to either downtown Norfolk or Portsmouth with easy tie-ups at the marinas mentioned above. Its not clear if the Downtown Portsmouth docks are open.

There is a decent anchoring spot at the mouth of the Lafayette River and there are other anchoring options along the Elizabeth River, but none that offer the easy resupply access and protection like the Hospital Point one recommended above.