I just visited Whittaker Pointe Marina in April of 2012, and found it to be a quiet facility, with superb showers and a welcoming swimming pool. This facility lies at the entrance to Whittaker Creek, a bit downstream of Oriental’s primary harbor.

Whittker Point in Oriental,clean friendly great Club House and Facilities,.If you want more city Bridgepoint Marina New Bern conveient resonable good Facilities.
Casual

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River Dunes, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, found just off the AICW’s run up Neuse River, on Broad Creek, is battling it out with several other marinas for the greatest number of POSITIVE reviews here on the Cruisers’ Net. Below, Captain Cheoah, in a message copied from the Cruisers’ Forum, chimes in below with more words of praise!

River Dunes in Oriental, NC is about as nice as it gets. It is out in the boonies, but they have floating docks, a nice club house, hot tubs, swimming pool, bikes, wifi, exercise room and primo showers with AC. Oriental is a ten minute drive. They have a very nice loaner car, so no beater, and very competitive long term rates. I don’t care for marinas much and stay on a private mooring nearby, but we use River Dunes for all their services before and after cruises and feel at home there.
Cheoah

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River Dunes Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located off the AICW’s run along Neuse River, in Broad Creek between unlighted daybeacons #1 and #2.

We spent the night of Sunday 20th May at River Dunes on our Beneteau 50′. The marina facilities are first rate, the staff are helpful and professional, one of the nicest we have visited. We could not eat at the restaurant as it closes at 3pm on Sunday and doesn’t reopen until later in the week. The one big negative as far as we are concerned was the lack of cell phone reception ‘“ if you are with AT&T, basically there is no service, I am told others have spotty reception, to make thing worse the wifi does not really cover the marina docks well.
Andrew

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Oriental Marina is located on the eastern banks of inner Oriental Harbor off the Neuse River and is A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

Cruising News:
The Oriental Marina in NC continues to provide great accommodations and a wonderful stop. We are so glad that some fine things remain consistent.
Here and Now

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Upper Broad Creek Northern Anchorage is 18.7 nautical miles off the waterway on Neuse River in the centerline of Upper Broad Creek’s gentle turn to the northeast, north of the charted pilings; Upper Broad Creek indents the northeastern shores of Neuse River, well northeast of Neuse River marker #19.

We anchored here last night in SW 10-15 and were VERY comfortable. The wind was NE when we entered and the pilings were completely submerged save one lonely post with a cormorant sitting atop. This morning we saw 15-20 pilings where only one was visible the previous afternoon. There is a lot of water in this curve, so stay on the port side going in.
Doug Sligh

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The New Bern Grand Marina lies along Trent River’s northern banks between the low-level Trent River highway and railroad bridges. Galley Stores Marina – A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! – guards the western banks of the Neuse River, just north of marker #32 and Union Point, hard by downtown New Bern, NC.

We docked at the New Bern Grand Marina today and went for a walk around town. The Galley store has a pretty good selection and their wine prices are very competitive. The staff inside are very friendly.
Doug Sligh

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Turnagain Bay is a seldom visited sidewater of the Neuse River, almost directly opposite the ICW’s entrance into the Neuse at Maw Point Shoal.

Cruising News:
This is a very flat landscape of marshes and one hammock. It is a nice place to hide when the Pamlico is acting up. Soft mud bottom holds extremely well. Very pleasant when it’s cool. Imagine the mosquitoes will drain you dry on a warm afternoon.
Jim and Talley Powell

You’re right about the mosquitoes, Jim and Talley. I anchored in upper Turnagain Bay near the cut-through to West Bay last October and was eaten alive. I have never seen mosquitoes so dense, and I’m from South Louisiana. The entrance to Turnagain Bay was quite shoal, I dropped sail and motored in real slow, saw some 5 foot water but my CD25 draws less than 3 1/2 so I got through it. I poked my nose into the West Bay canal, but turned back as I realized if it was blocked or shoaled too shallow I’d have to back out ‘“ it’s too narrow to turn even a CD25. Other than that, a great trip! Seriously, it’s some of the most remote and beautiful lowland scenery I have seen in North Carolina.
Paul Clayton

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The New Bern Grand Marina lies along Trent River’s northern banks between the low-level Trent River highway and railroad bridges. It seems pretty clear both from our own experience at this facility as well as the wealth of contrary views below, that the predominant opinion is, and should be, that New Bern Grand Marina is a fine facility

The marina and hotel are now two seperate amenities. NO SECURITY at night. The grounds are littered and it looks like a third rate glorified lawn mowing company has tried to landscape..the day I visited they blew their lawn clippings and leaves in the water for your boat pumps to get stopped up. This marina is not what it was when I visited two years ago..we are very disappointed and will not be staying there.
Mike Thompson

These comments are contrary to everything I have experienced at the New Bern Grand Marina. The marina is neat and clean. The staff is great, always going the extra mile to insure those of us who actually have boats there are happy and comfortable.
Jim Powell

The negative comments above are from a man having a bad day for some reason. We keep a boat at New Bern Grand and we couldn’t be more pleased. The staff is helpful and courteous, the docks and grounds in top shape, the atmosphere and neighbors friendly and pleasant. We get a weekly email of news, status, reminders, and are kept informed of all events.
New Bern Grand is in the middle of downtown New Bern and is convenient to everything. The unhappy boater is right in one thing, there are now two separate business entities. It’s been transparent to the slip holders thus far.
One other thing, though New Bern experienced a 9-foot water surge with Hurricane Irene and it’s streets were under 2 feet of water, the marina and residents suffered no real damage.
Ben

We stay at this marina every spring on our way north, usually for a month, and are headed there in two weeks. Called a good friend who is a longtime liveaboard there, and he confirmed that the marina has changed hands, but says he hasn’t noticed much change. We look forward to going back.
Dennis Jay

The negative comments above are from a man having a bad day for some reason. We keep a boat at New Bern Grand and we couldn’t be more pleased. The staff is helpful and courteous, the docks and grounds in top shape, the atmosphere and neighbors friendly and pleasant. We get a weekly email of news, status, reminders, and are kept informed of all events.
New Bern Grand is in the middle of downtown New Bern and is convenient to everything. The unhappy boater is right in one thing, there are now two separate business entities. It’s been transparent to the slip holders thus far.
One other thing, though New Bern experienced a 9-foot water surge with Hurricane Irene and it’s streets were under 2 feet of water, the marina and residents suffered no real damage.
Ben

We stay at this marina every spring on our way north, usually for a month, and are headed there in two weeks. Called a good friend who is a longtime liveaboard there, and he confirmed that the marina has changed hands, but says he hasn’t noticed much change. We look forward to going back.
Dennis Jay

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Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor lies on the point separating the two major branches of Whittaker Creek, northeast of Oriental Harbor’s flashing daybeacon #1.

Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor just northwest of Oriental NC is one of the most relaxing stays I have experienced in 5 years of cruising. The $11.00 a day slip with electricity included (that’s right Eleven) way more than made up for the less than new docks. It’s a short bike ride to a lot of fine restaurants and coffee shops. There’s a marine consignment shop with more stuff than I’ve seen in the Defender catalog. There is a hardware store close by, a grocery store, a marine supply store and a West Marine. They’re all within walking distance but might be to far for someone not used to walking, They are all withing less than 10 minutes biking distance.
I spent three weeks there during the end of November and beginning of December, the best part of my stay was all the great people I met. I was invited to the Orphan Sailor Thanksgiving feast and spent quality time on board other sailor’s boats enjoying adult beverages. I highly recommend visiting, the owner, Knute, will make you feel welcome. If your boat draws more than 5’5″, you have to enter when there is no wind or when the wind is from a northerly quarter, a southerly wind drops the channel depth to less than 6 ft. It’s 6 1/2 ft with no wind and more than 7 with a wind from the north. For those unfamiliar with the Carolinas, there are no lunar or solar tides and the water levels are influenced by the winds.
Henry Zalegowski on S/V Turn’er Loose

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River Dunes Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located off the AICW’s run along Neuse River, in Broad Creek between unlighted daybeacons #1 and #2.

Property is all the above comments say it is. Be aware Irene moved markers in Broad Creek around (more than a bit). You will come to a #4 private buoy well before the daymark #4. Coming in the creek, the pipes driven into the bottom mark the ~4 foot line. Stay to the creek side of these marks if you draw more.
Lunch at M&M’s was well provisioned, well prepared, and very well served. Would certainly return. Oriental hardware store and Town and Country grocery are much more than they appear from the outside.
Chris

We kept our boat at River Dunes for two weeks while visiting family up north. We view the location as a perfect place to keep a boat secure. The staff is great and the showers are the best on the east coast! We will be back!!
Dick Anderson

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River Dunes Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located off the AICW’s run along Neuse River, in Broad Creek between unlighted daybeacons #1 and #2.

Cruising News:
Oct 2008 – Dockmaster JC Cappleman and his staff make this beautiful facility feel like home. Pool, spa, exercise room, clean and modern steam showers, loaner cars, new floating docks and friendly boaters’ gatherings in front of the clubhouse fireplace . . . all combine to make River Dunes an unforgettable gem on the ICW.
Oct 2011 – We’ve visited River Dunes five times now on our way north or south. If you haven’t stopped by yet in favor of another marina or anchorage, you’re missing one of the best spots on the waterway.
Bob Fulton

Stayed at River Dunes twice in 2011. Both visits absolutely wonderful. JC and his staff are first rate, facility beautiful, protected, great food ‘¦ a must stop north and south.
Doug Jacoby..m/v CHANGER

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Northwest Creek Marina lies off the eastern shores of Northwest Creek, north of charted McCotter Point.

Please excuse me adding to my previous comments on Northwest Creek Marina but, with the passing of Hurricane Irene recently I really feel it’s worth adding:
The standard of preparation and service at this marina went WAY beyond anything we have experienced in any other marina. During the storm (`during’,mind you) the staff were OUT ON THE DOCKS checking and adjusting the boats’ lines and hauling boats when needed. Carol & I were safely tucked into the hotel overlooking the marina throughout the storm and took videos (which can be seen at http://www.HurricaneIrene.Muttlets.Com) of the staff working in 60mph winds and water up to their chests. Several owners had left headsails up and the staff went round removing them and stowing them safely (remember, Irene was expected to be a cat2+ hurricane on arrival). They had lines strung across the marina channels to reduce any damage which might be caused if a boat did break away. They dismantled all the mains power units.
After the storm, we had power back on the docks just as soon as the power company had returned power to the Fairfield Harbour area and all the cross channel lines cleared ready for the next weekend.
I can’t say enough good things about this marina. It just keeps getting better!
They really earned the money we pay there and more (although I won’t tell them that, just in case!).
Fergus & CarolMcLean

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River Dunes Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located off the AICW’s run along Neuse River, in Broad Creek between unlighted daybeacons #1 and #2.

Cruising News:
River Dunes, the safest Marina to dock your boat in a hurricane. No damage from Irene and when electric went off we had a generator for the fuel pumps. Just installed more floating docks with a few slips left to rent. What a great place.
Clifford Kisby

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The New Bern Grand Marina lies just inside the intersection of the Trent and Neuse Rivers, along the Trent’s northern banks between the low-level Trent River highway and railroad bridges.

Many thanks to Durl, Allen and the many volunteers who helped prepare the boats and docks for hurricane Irene. During the storm, Allen and the volunteers stayed outside going up and down the floating docks checking the lines and boats to make sure that everything was as secure as possible.Thanks to them, no boats were lost and all damage was minor.
During the storm we stayed inside in the hotel. In spite of the storm damage the building was taking, the staff and manager Michael McMahon worked around the clock to make us as comfortable as possible.
I can’t say enough good things about this place, but I will mention that the Coast Guard Station Fort Macon put their boat and people that were not working during the storm here because they knew it was the best and safest place to be. Enough said.
Mike And Kim, Ms. Kimberly

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Oriental Harbor Marina is on the northwestern shore of Oriental Harbor’s entrance off the Neuse River, not be confused with Oriental Marina which is on the eastern banks of Oriental’s inner harbor.

This is a nice stop. Very helpful Staff. Restaurant across street. Came in during storm and staff was helpful.
Ed Kroposki

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Northwest Creek Marina and Fairfield Harbor are south of New Bern, NC on Northwest Creek off the Neuse River and due north of marker #17 below Hampton Shoal.

Carol & I bought our boat (Whitby 42) in February ’11, local to New Bern. We berthed her here at the marina intending to stay a month. The marina and marina staff and the staff of the Hurricane hotel/restaurant were so pleasant and helpful and the work we got done was done so well and promptly that we extended to 3 months. Then, in addition to the friendliness of the people (staff and berth-holders) we decided that we should really be cruising here while we had the chance’¦ extension to 6 months!
We have lived-aboard in many marinas up the east coast but we totally agree that this is the most enjoyable one we have stayed at (although not live-aboard). We live in Florida and have to feel confident that the boat will be well taken care of; and we are. The staff are excellent at the marina.
We know it’s a long chug or sail up to New Bern but this place is well worth a visit at least and if you are leaving your boat for a while, this is one of the most reliable places to do so. If you want work done on the boat, there are people who will set a schedule and actually stick to it (what a concept!) and do a great job (am I allowed to mention Harvey Smith, a very local diesel expert who does tremendous work at an excellent rate?).
Carol and Fergus

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