Just an update on happenings and new facilities in the Hampton Roads area of interest to cruisers. First, we are NORTH of the Hurricane Insurance line, and offer a lower Chesapeake Bay gunkholing experience for all vessels from the lower bay harbors to Kipopeke (Concrete Boats) across the bay from Ft. Monroe, to the York River/ Mobjack Bay. The major areas for people/crowd fun events in the lower bay are the Hampton River area, the VA Beach/Norfolk/Elizabeth River Area, plus for those with a 6 ft draft, Smithfield on the James River. Or use the below dates to stay AWAY from the crowds and enjoy the peace and quiet of Concrete Boats or the anchorages up the branches of the Mobjack Bay. Boats can travel down around (or inside) the tip of Hatteras for the New Bern and Beaufort areas as well. For those not in touch with the changing venues in the lower bay and southern reaches, call the area Cruising Station Hosts found on the Seven Seas Cruising Association Website, we have key hosts in most areas of the Southern Bay, North and South Carolina all the way to the tip of Florida and beyond!
The Norfolk area has major changes going on, while the anchoring near Hospital Point has not changed, a new mega marina is being planned for Norfolk's Waterside. Construction has started and our Bob McBride, CS Host for Norfolk and Portsmouth VA can fill you in on the details or check in with our members Mark and Diana Doyle's ICW guides and books/charts or other online e-guides. Ocean Marine and Tidewater Marine are on the Portsmouth side, and the public dock area of Portsmouth remains the same. Major changes in the area transportation roads has cut back on some public use of the area, TOLLS of several dollar on cars using the Downtown or Midtown tunnels have changed the character of the downtown for sure. Boats transit freely however, and many can take advantage of the situation.
There are several new happenings for cruisers this year including new facilities and more cruising events. The Hampton area includes not only the Hampton River with the supporting marinas, Hampton Public Docks, Blue Water Marina(home of the Salty Dawg Rally), Joy's Marina , and Sunset Marina (our CS host, Kate Lawrence, is located there as the Dockmaster of Sunset Marina) but also the area of the former Fort Monroe with Old Point Comfort and its anchoring area, park, museums, and beach access. At the Ft. Monroe beach,there is even a 'club med' beach bay (can you say Jersey shore) where
boats can anchor off the sand beach, and have access to the facility if coming by boat. Party watching is interesting as they have cabanas rented by the hour, a swimming pool set up, and muchies with LOTS of drinks(those are NOT free).
Vessels can anchor on the Hampton River, paying attention to the buoys marking shallows. Trawlers and vessels without masts can go further up the Hampton River, past the public docks, under Settler's Landing road and anchor on the far side. Restaurants, shops and more are all in walking area, and summer events are well organized. Saturday is always a Street Fair/Street Bands and more all summer long. Its perfect for on foot cruisers looking for a nice wine, and more. La Bodega is where Seven Seas Cruising Assiociation has had monthly meetings during the season, its on Wine Street just a few blocks up from the Hampton Public Docks. Other restaurants line the streets, and the new Barking Dog is just up the estuary by Sunset Marina. Both the Hampton Public Dock and the Barking Dog restaurant offers complementary tie up/dockage for visitors as well. Downtown area of Hampton offers sail repair, rigging and other services are local with two major sail repair businesses,one in walking distance of the Hampton Public Docks, and a great canvas shop! Events in the summer include the Black Beard Festival over Memorial Day(May 30 – June 1) in Downtown Hampton.
The Hampton Public docks may have slips for the event if you contact them early. Or utilize other marinas if you want to participate up close with a fun party. For the fall time frame, Hampton Bay Days are first week of September, so make that part of your 'heading south planning for the area. The newest venue, Hampton Snowbird Rendezvous will be Oct 16-19th in Downtown Hampton Virginia, with event hosts Mark and Diana Doyle and the best hostess, Charlene Clark of Signature CanvasMakers of Phoebus VA.
This event is a real deal! The cost is minimal. 35.00 person include the entire weekend WITH meals and seminars!! RSVP as soon as possible as the slots are limited to the first come vessels. Last year, cruisers enjoyed three days as guests of the city, including a complementary dinner at Hampton Yacht Club. The three days of Seminars, led by Mark and Diane Doyle, also are a major highlight. SSCA also has volunteers doing OnBoard Communications, boat by boat to insure the best communications for boaters for all events. Each Saturday evening throughout the summer there is one of the best 'BLOCK' parties which takes over the downtown Hampton streets with food, music and song. Towards the end of October, following the Hampton Rrndezvous, two major rallys, the Salty Dawg Rally to BVIs and SAIL Magazine's new Heading South ICW cruise both leave the end of October from Hampton. Salty Dawgs are hosted at Blue Water Marina with boats spreading out to enjoy the atmosphere of the area anchorages and happenings. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet all your Seven Seas Cruising Association friends and make new friends who will be on passage with you! Just show up!!
In the spring time, after the Black Beard Festival, cruise over to events over the next weeks in Norfolk, VA, such as HarborFest. For several days in June, the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront provides a weekend packed with exciting activities on land and sea and includes tall ships and the Parade of Sail, with the largest fireworks show on the East Coast. Find lots of entertainment with this Parade of Sail and Saturday fireworks. Check out http://festevents.org for events, to sign up to join the sail, and/or to know if your anchorage at Hospital Point is conflicted.
Boaters can check in with the TownPoint Prominade or Waterside Marina for dockage even up to the day of an event. Cost is the same year around, but first come first served. If vessels are interested in the Parade of Sail, its possible to become a part, but check the event organizers. Alternatively, many of us just hang out at the mouth of the Elizabeth River on the Hampton Side, and watch the Tall Ships passage from outside the bay down and into the Townpoint area. Of course this means the waterway is restricted in June for all this. So put that into your planning schedules. All in all, a lot of happenings, and anchorages are taken up fast.
For cruisers with shallow drafts, trawlers or shole keeled vessels, Smithfield Virgina and up the James River offers great opportunities to find small walking tour areas and neat stores. Smithfield is a great little tourist town..the below is right in town..and you can walk everywhere..the other two are also in walking distance. The Station is on the water..and there is a long walk way thru the marshes for tourists(for everyone). All in walking distance of all of the BandBs. Town has cute shops..a GERMAN bakery, Country Ham shops, antique shops..artist gallery. The Visitor center is just down street from the Smithfield Inn, opposite side of the road..all very quaint and looking for visitors!! One main street...with little shops and cafes all over. HIDE the check book guys..even yatchies will find something...
The Smithfield Inn is a restored Bed And Breakfast with rooms and a restaurant. We have eaten here..its well known. See http://www.smithfieldinn.com/
Others local BandBs are http://www.mansion-on-main.net/ 
That's the big green mansion on main street, restored to period. Some of the buildings offer tours and the restorations are pretty authentic. Newer, but with a marina just rebuilt/expanded in 2013, The Smithfield Station offers a hotel and restaurant and marina and a GREAT marina store!! Did I mention the Ice Cream Shops? Vessels see the the light house as they enter.
Smithfield is very boat friendly has a new marina and facilities for overnighting..but the channel is shallow. For a deep draft vessel in 2012, we had escort from the Smithfield Inn for the Conch Republic Flagship,WOLF. What a story! Good food,good shops, you can spend a good week without walking the same nature paths, and the weekly Farmers Market on Saturday is a must visit.
Heading Across the bay from Hampton, find Cobb's Marina, with haul out facilities and new floating docks. Cobb's allows cruisers to work on their boats hauled, always a good place to know about. Then there is Portsmouth with public dockage on a first come basis, as well as a good anchorage at Hospital Point. Our SSCA Portsmouth CS Host,Bob Mcbride and owner of Mile Marker 0 is ready to help with docking and deliver marine products from his store to your boat. Further down the ICW from Norfolk, the Great Bridge lock area, with free tie-ups has the Atlantic Yacht Services/Marina which offers services and fuel right on the ICW. Its a good stop over as you head north or south before or after a Norfolk or Hampton stop. The local grocery stores and a mini-mall is in walking distance, plus the grocery store offers grocery transportation. We hope to get more photos of the new Great Bridge docks and facilities being built. Its part of a development effort and condo facility,
http://www.baydays.com/about-hampton-bay-days.phppark
The Hampton Roads area offers good opportunities for vessels waiting for weather windows, or getting repairs or installing those new 'boat units' from the Boat Shows! Several no cost events are ongoing all summer and fall, and the area is welcoming to our members. We hope to have a similar update for areas to the north and to the south plus the Caribbean as the season progresses.
