Attempted to dock at the Hertford Bay Marina, but found the water too shallow for the 4'3'' draft on trawler. Attempted to get to slip on the east side, watch the depth sounder get very uncomfortable. Backed away and kicked up a lot of mud. Attempted to reach slip on the west side, it was also too shallow. While backing to reach the T-head and thinking the water was deep enough for the maneuver, We hit bottom.
Can't offer any comments on the facilities, because we motored off about 1/4 mile and anchored. The river in front of the Marina is very deep in the center …. 20 feet. My charts imply by color shading that all the water around the marina is 6 or more feet….though no depth soundings are shown on chart.
$6.50/per night - 30 amp power hookup, $10.50/per night - 50 amp power hookup
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Showers:
Available. Climate Controlled
Laundromat:
Available.
Swimming Pool:
Available.
Restaurant:
Clubhouse Restaurant and Dockside Cafe
Restaurant Recommendations:
With 2 restaurants to choose from boaters can experience fine fining at the Clubhouse Restaurant or casual dining at the Dockside Cafe. Lunch and dinner are available 7 days a week and Sunday brunch is served at the Clubhouse Restaurant”
We visited this as one of our Albemarle Loop stops. Two free dock nights, just pay for electricity. Gorgeous residential development with many amenities – pool, laundry, golf, two restaurants, etc. BIG, so you might want to rent a golf cart ($25/2 days, $35/week). There are means to provision from a local grocery Food Lion?) that has a reasonable $ delivery service. Fueled up upon arrival – very easy and price competitive ($2.70/gal diesel that date). Very helpful/accommodating dock staff, most everyone I met there very nice (including the residents), and a must stop in my opinion. We got hit with a gustnado and lost a bimini, but that was mother nature, not AP. Hits – I think pretty shallow in spots. I kicked up a lot of mud (4' draft). No incident. Open to the south, so the 12 mile fetch can produce rollers that come on in. I intend to go again.
Wonderful stop along the A. Loop. Dockmaster and all we interacted with were top notch. Beautiful resort like area and yes you have access to everything. Well worth the time to get here from the ICW.
Karen and Lee McClellan- August 26, 2018 - 3:17 pm
We did the Albemarle Loop in May and it was incredible. Our first stop was Albemarle Plantation, everyone was so so gracious and hospitable. You have access to all the amenities club restaurants, pool, laundry, tennis etc. Karen and Lee McClellan AGLCA Forum
The Albemarle Planation is part of the Albemarle Loop. This loop offers free two day dockage and sometimes free power at each stop. Ports also include Elizabeth City, Hertfort, Edenton, Plymouth and Columbia. The Albemarle Plantation is a very boating friendly community and welcomes loop visitors. This was our first stop after exiting off the ICW. We had a port engine issue coming in and the dockmaster recommended Daneker Marine. These guys came out to the marina ASAP and repaired our problem and got us back on the water. So, we cannot say enough about the marina and residents in this area. We highly suggest spending time exploring each port-of-call on this loop. Each marina offers a unique variety of things to see and do.
We spent Saturday night, 08-16-14, at Albemarle Plantation Marina and enjoyed a very pleasant experience. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful and the facility itself was well maintained, although showing a few signs of age. The showers and bathrooms were as nice and clean as any we have ever used. The pool was large, clean and very refreshing on a hot day. We decided to rent a golf cart and put it to good use in exploring the massive property. We did not get a chance to try the restaurant as it was being used for a private golfing event. This marina is off the beaten path but worth the effort in getting there. Dick Parker
Hello Claiborne, This is a brief heads-up as to something that appears to have a lot of boater potential. You may know that Albemarle Plantation has changed ownership recently. The new owners are from Raleigh (1), and Greenville (3) and have a Raleigh firm managing the place. They have made a number of very positive changes. One of the most dramatic, to date, is happening now at the marina. The park is being landscaped and there are planned upgrades to the hospitality center in the works. One of the objectives in all of this is to attract more cruising boat traffic. I am going to cc this note to Kyle Corkum, who runs the management company, so when all is in order he can alert you with a more detailedpresentation, or ask me to do it. Regards, Bill Jackson
$3.00/per night - 30 amp power hookup, $6.00/per night - 50 amp power hookup
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Showers:
Available.
Restaurant:
several within walking distance and more accessiblle by city marina courtesy van
Restaurant Recommendations:
Watermans Grill (dinner only and closed Sunday evenings, 252-482-7733), Edenton Coffee House (breakfast and lunch, closed Sundays, 252-482-7465), Kristy's Place (lunch and dinner - closed Sundays, 252-482-7655), 309 Bistro (lunch and dinner - closed Sundays and M, 252 482-0997), Downtown Cafe and Soda Shop (252-482-8300, open 7 days a week for lunch), Bayside Marina & Grill (accessed via marina courtesy van, 252-482-5343, open Tuesday - Sunday Breakfast and Lunch, Nothin' Fancy Café (accessed via marina courtesy van, 252-482-1909, open Monday - Saturday for Lunch and Dinner, and lunch only on Sunday), Emilio's General Store and Take Away (252-482-8240)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Courtesy van piloted by dockmaster provided to Food Lion supermarket and Farmers Food
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Courtesy van piloted by dockmaster to Food Lion for LPG tank exchange or AmeriGas for LPG tank refill 2 miles away
Karen and Lee McClellan- August 26, 2018 - 3:21 pm
We did the Albemarle Loop in May and it was incredible. Next we went to Edenton, a great historical town with good restaurants and shops. We visited the local coffee shop both mornings and met some of the movers/shakers of the town (retired guys); they were fun to talk to. Karen and Lee McClellan AGLCA Forum
Wonderful city dockage. Overnight free and electricity reasonable ($3 for 30a, $5 for 50a). Neat Southern town with good places to eat and even a courtesy car to go to a grocery store. Dockmaster A Richie welcoming and helpful. Well worth a visit. Jim
Close to Chesapeake Bay boaters who have a yen for new territory without having to go up the Atlantic coast. Autumn is a wonderful time to do the Albermarle Loop and Edenton is so quaint and the marina is “right down town!” Please don’t miss the famous “Bell Battery” adjacent to the municipal marina in Edenton. Cannon made from church bells in North Carolina which were “melted down” to make cannon “For The Cause!” Very noble and patriotic!
That is our Monk 36 “Journey” docked in Edenton. We had a wonderful visit in this welcoming historic town. The following day we visited Plymouth, NC. Which we highly recommend. We are from Swansboro NC and are headed to the Chesapeake Bay for the summer. We completed the “Great Loop” in April 2014. Love your site. Just realized that is my good friend Jim Healy’s Monk “Sanctuary”. Great article! Tom Goodman
It was great to read your write up. Just wanted to let you know about the Edenton Yacht Club. We welcome out of town visitors at our events. Join us at a party just to say hello, or participate in one of our races if you’re in the mood. Visit our website http://www.eycnc.org to see what is happening with the club when you are in town!! Thanks, Kathy
on-site, and many other available via a taxi ride to downtown Edenton
Restaurant Recommendations:
Edenton Bay Oyster Bar (on-site, currently open Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday lunch only, 252-482-3663) - in Edenton via taxi ride - Watermans Grill (dinner only and closed Sunday evenings, 252-482-7733), Edenton Coffee House (breakfast, 252-482-7465), Kristy's Place (lunch and dinner - closed Sundays, 252-482-7655), Bistro 309 (lunch and dinner - closed Sundays, 252 482-0997)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Walk to Dollar General Store 1/4 mile away, or 1/4 mile walk across bridge to Westover General Store and Deli (GREAT sub sandwiches, 252-482-3323)
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Take taxi to hardware store for LPG tank exchange 1 mile away
Subject: Edenton, NC Cruising News: I recently pulled into Edenton Marina, 641 West Queen Street (US 17 Business), Edenton NC, and have really enjoyed my welcome to the town. Scotty Harrell, the owner of Edenton Marina is a pleasure to do business with and is a great host. The Marina is low key and a very nice place to tie up. Bayside Marina, located about one quarter mile South of Edenton Marina has been re-modeled and now boasts a very good Cafe for breakfast and lunch closing at 2PM. The Cafe is run by Bill and Denise who do fresh home made biscuits daily….you can win a husband with them in my estimation. The Bayside is limited to Bass Boats and other low clearance craft due to the 17 Highway bridge. Downtown I have found Sean’s to be an excellent place to dine. Excellent food at a very good price and live music most every Wednesday night. Down the street is the Waterman’s….excellent food, up-scale place….but expensive. There is a very nice laundromat located behind the Burger King next to the Subway shop on Highway 32 north on the edge of town….right around the corner from Kathie’s Steak House which has karaoke nights. The local Taxi service is very cheap but reliable. For American Legion members, the Edenton Post 40, is located a few miles south on Highway 17…taxi fare is about Four Dollars from the Edenton Marina. Ralph Chappell
Plymouth is a well kept secret and is the jewel of the Albemarle Loop. Plymouth is reinventing itself and has more plans for their waterfront. Their new docks are the best on the loop. And, Brenda who manages the docks is a wealth of local flavor and history. She is very accommodating as is everyone in this town. Three museums to visit plus Civil War History make Plymouth worth the short ride up the Roanoke River off the Albemarle Sound. And, the cruise up the river is full of wildlife and color in the Fall. We spotted an Eagle during our recent trip. Add to this the free two day dockage with power and what more could the cruising boater ask for?
Plymouth is a great town to visit for it’s Civil War history and all the good things mentioned here. My great grandfather served with the Union army and became a prisoner of war when the town was retaken. However, there is a charted fixed bridge of 50′ vertical clearance between the town and Albemarle Sound that will keep most sailboats from visiting. We have anchored just before the bridge and used our dinghy. I think we were lucky to not hit a snag with the anchor since the Roanoke River is dense with cypress on both sides. Harry Burns S/V Two for the Roads
Because our marina (Cypress Cove, formerly IYC) is at Columbia, we often cruise west on Albemarle Sound. Plymouth on the Roanoke River has just opened new town docks. We hear they are nice and free. Plymouth has shops, a museum (with replica of the Abemarle, a Confederate ironclad) and a lighthouse in the historic part of town along the waterfront. Jean Thomason
I would like to tell everyone about the new town docks in Plymouth NC. Very nice slips (10 slips ) with power and water at no charge. They have very nice rest rooms and showers with a washer and dryer. There is also a pump out with just a 5.00 charge. We stayed there in April and was very pleased. Oyster Bar short walk away was great. Breakfast at Stella’s down the street was very good. There was also three Museums in easy walking distance. The east end where the larger slips are the water 12 to 14 feet and the west end on the T we marked 4.5 feet. These slips are not where the old slips are. These are at the west end of town in front of the Light House. Very nice. Danny and Jan on the Mosey on
As of 2024, the restaurant has been reopened for several years and business appears to be good. We take our day boat over from Edenton quite often for lunch and sometimes dinner.
Update on the restaurant at Mackey’s Marina. The great restaurant is now closed and is not likely to reopen. All else remains the same at the Marina. Danny Styons
$3.00/per night - 30 amp power, $5.00/per night - 50 amp power
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Showers:
Available. Climate Controlled
Laundromat:
Available.
Restaurant:
convenience store/sandwich shop within easy walking distance; long walk into town or take marina courtesy car for three other dining choices
Restaurant Recommendations:
Scuppernong Mill House (252-796-9600), Mike’s Kitchen (252-796-1668), Columbia Crossing Restaurant (252-796-1300)
Provisioning Possibilities:
deli/small convenience store within walking distance, and marina courtesy car provided for trip to local Food Lion supermarket
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Marina staff can sometimes provide transportation to several nearby gas service stations that offer LPG tank exchange, and/or to Crossroads Fuel (252-796-2286), which offers both tank refills and tank exchange
Waste pump-out:
Available.
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available, Available inside the ship’s store only
Slips best accommodate boats with length under 28'. Max 12' width. Face dock can accommodate one larger vessel. Friendly and helpful town staff. Shower and toilet available on site. Pump out available. Limited wifi but library 2 blocks away is great.
We stopped at the Columbus Municipal Dock as our first stop doing the Ablemarla Sound loop. We have a 40 foot sailboat and as we were the only boat here when we arrived so there was plenty of room. Nice clean restroom and shower. We found the people of this town very friendly and welcoming!! The girl that “runs” the dock is extremely nice and accommodating…she even gave us a ride to the grocery store!! We very much enjoyed our stay here!!!
We spent the 17th and 18th at the Columbia town docks. This is a very nice place to visit. The docks are limited in space with room for just 3 or 4 boats. Because of this we had to raft next to a friends boat as all the space was full. Because it was Saturday no one was at the office but bathroom was open and clean and it has a very nice shower. We had a great meal that night at Old Salt Oyster Bar and Sunday morning we had a good breahfest at Mikes. All in all this is a very good place to cruise into and stay for a night or two.
We stayed at the Columbia City Docks at the beginning of May 2013. Passage up the river in our Silverton 36C, (38 inch draft) was simple just follow the markers and look out for fish traps. The dock is well sheltered and in pretty good shape. At the time we were there, no water or electric were available. There was a pump out connection we did not use. We were tied up on a Saturday overnight and were the only ones at the dock. Columbia is a small town and you can walk around it in less than an hour. Not a whole lot of things to do. The NC visitirs center is located just under the bridge. Most of the stores downtown were either deserted or closed. The highlight of the trip was dinner at the Salty Oyster. This is a fairly new restaurant located on the main street in the old Woolworth building. The food was great. Dave Boxmeyer
Using your “Cruising Guide to North Carolina” as a resource, we recently cruised up the Scuppernong River to Columbia, intending to use the town docks. Immediately past the marina, and within sight of the town docks, we had to stop and turn back due to some low branches overhanging the waterway. Our boat is a 36′ Marine Trader trawler with a flybridge, so sailboats and boats like ours would have to stop, although lower boats can make it. Wade Ehlen, MT 36 Shady Lady, New Bern NC
Columbia, North Carolina, is one of the most iconic small towns we have seen in a long time. Approach up the Scuppernong River is well marked and uneventful. Turn around in front of the Municipal Wharf is in 25 feet of water. There is 8 feet at the wharf. Cute little town with a main street of about 4 blocks long. Walk to the Food Lion was about ½ mile each way. Lots of cute little stores down town. Free tie up and water. No electricity. Really well protected from winds on all points. Supposed to register at the municipal building immediately adjacent to the wharf, but it’s closed on Sunday. Shower and head is also adjacent to the wharf, and is clean and neat. A pleasant stop over for a change of pace. Jim & Talley Powell
Columbia, NC we are here as I type and plan to stay another night. Great free dock with city water and great new bathhouse. Several restaurants and a helpful marine center. Wright and Gladys Anderson First & Ten
We stopped in Columbia and used their small town dock. Only stayed for an hour. Just long enough to walk a few blocks, stretch our legs and window shop. It was mid morning so we weren’t looking for restaurants. Smaller then Edenton, not as much to do or see but a welcome break for us. The river makes a great anchorage. A nice place to take a short break. Rick
Subject: Coluimbia, NC Message: To those cruising Albemarle Sound, Columbia, NC on the beautiful Scuppernong River, is a great stop. The Town has recently opened a first class reatroom/shower facility right next to the free Town dock. There is a fine hardware store about a block from the dock, which is at the foot of the main street. There is also a pharmacy and small department store. The Town’s museum, in an old theater, is great. There is about 8 feet of water at the Town dock, and potable water is on the dock. We heartily recommend this pleasant and charming Town. Norman and Betsy Mason, MV “Peggy Sue”
The charming, historic river town of Columbia, NC, sits on the banks of beautiful Scuppernong River. This stream, in turn, flows into the southern shores of Albemarle Sound, well west of the AICW’s crossing of this often rough body of water. Just received a note from Captain Ray Smith, which provided a link to a scanned newspaper article concerning changes to the Columbia town dock regulations. This scan is not really in a form easily displyed here on the Cruisers’ Net, so I’m going to summarize. Effective immediately, the first three nights at the Columbia town docks are free. Thereafter, a charge of $1.00 per foot, per night, will be levied. Free nights can only occur within the span of a single week. In other words, you can’t leave the town docks for one night, come back, and expect three more free nights. There is also a charge (as has been true all along) for waste pump-out! Hope everyone finds this helpful!
Reviews from Cruisers (1)
Attempted to dock at the Hertford Bay Marina, but found the water too shallow for the 4'3'' draft on trawler. Attempted to get to slip on the east side, watch the depth sounder get very uncomfortable. Backed away and kicked up a lot of mud. Attempted to reach slip on the west side, it was also too shallow. While backing to reach the T-head and thinking the water was deep enough for the maneuver, We hit bottom.
Can't offer any comments on the facilities, because we motored off about 1/4 mile and anchored. The river in front of the Marina is very deep in the center …. 20 feet. My charts imply by color shading that all the water around the marina is 6 or more feet….though no depth soundings are shown on chart.