Atlantic Yacht Basin

Atlantic Yacht Basin

Atlantic Yacht Basin (AYB) is a working boatyard capable of handling every possible type of boat repair with lifts and rail systems, paint shops, machine shop, wood shop, cranes, covered storage for large and small boats, fuel, water, and transient moorage. They are situated in Chesapeake, Virginia on the banks of the Elizabeth River / ICW mile-marker 12 just east of the Great Bridge Locks and bridge.  We are here for the month of July so a wide variety of work can be done on BRAVO before we head north.

The AYB office and yard staff are exceptional and are willing to help with all sorts of issues that arise.  James Taylor keeps the projects moving on schedule.  Watching the AYB team carefully guide BRAVO onto the rail system for her haul-out was an amazingly delicate exercise in precision and teamwork.  Our favorite diesel mechanic, spent many long hot humid hours in the engine room smiling all the time and taking the time to explain what was being done.  Other fantastic team members gave BRAVO the cleaning and buffing she desperately needed, while folks in the office helped Nora complete and fax final retirement paperwork and recommend local services and resources for supplies.

The weather for the first two weeks of July was UNBELIEVABLY hot and humid, even by Chesapeake standards.  100+ degrees, high humidity with heat index of 107+ degrees!  Through it all, the AYB staff continued undeterred graciously getting BRAVO ready to cruise.  We could not have done it without them.  We certainly plan to stop in on our way south this fall.  Thanks also to Dennis Fox who recommended AYB and insisted that we bite the bullet make the trip north immediately after purchasing BRAVO.

Docking at the transient moorage on the ICW / canal provides a never-ending parade of pleasure boats, sculling boats, tugs, barges, and Navy vessels.  The hot sunny weather is broken up by sudden thunder storms and torrential rain.  Evenings cool down and there are beautiful sunsets.

The stretch of 95+ degree weather is finally broken by a cool cloudy rainy day reminiscent of the Northwest.  The cooler quiet weekend days leave time for exploring the local scene.  Across the river / canal is the Great Bridge Park named in honor of a battle fought between the Colonials and the British on December 9, 1775.  When the British lost this battle, they retreated and abandoned Norfolk, Virginia.  Apparently the future supreme court justice, John Marshall was a young soldier who fought in this battle.  For current day citizens, the park has great walking / running trails covered with sand and pine needles.  Nora is taking advantage of cool mornings to do 3.5 mile runs before breakfast.  ...Karl sleeps in!

Another day trip was to the Mariners Museum in Newport News.  One word… AMAZING!  Anyone who is an all-around boat nut, nautical history nut, America’s Cup fanatic, or especially a boat model nut has to visit this museum.  You could easily spend two days there and not visit the same exhibits twice.  Some special notes… the America’s Cup exhibit contains the hull of the San Francisco Oracle Team boat that performed the most amazing come-back in sports history.  Visitors can peer into the workrooms where the ironclad Monitor restoration is being performed, and watch the boat model-maker’s workshop in action.  A separate building houses a collection of full-size smaller familiar and exotic boats from around the world.  A definite “must-see” for anyone visiting the area.  Especially this summer when the admission price is only $1.00!!  Yes, that is correct, $1.00.  Seriously what can you get for $1.00 nowadays?