Thursday, February 2, 2012

Cape Charles Harbor Renovations




Once a has-been town with a tired and small mixed use harbor, a major renovation is changing the face of Cape Charles. Additional slips built in the late summer / fall nearly doubled the recreational harbor capacity, and new bath house and harbormaster facilities are going up even as we speak. Vendor facilities are planned.

The Master Plan. The slips are compete and the building in progress.

 An improvement? I'll miss the shallows where we used to collect monstrous hermit crabs....

Some of these are 5 inches, tip-to-tip


... but this town deserves a revival. Once vital place with both rail and passenger ferry service to Norfolk, it strugled through many decades of business failures. While that sort of commercial and industrial activity is past--the bridge killed it for good--there is historical value in this town, the access to the southern Bay and Ocean is excellent, and small businesses are fighting to bring the main street back.

Passenger Ferry Docks

Nicer facilities for the trailer sailor, fisherman, renter, and transient for certain. I suppose I'll miss some of the commercial flavor. I worry that recreational use often moves working boats out, but I believe Cape Charles remains committed to mixed use. They are committed to maintaining a balance.

Delmarva Now Article

Master Plan Slide Show

Cape Charles is a key stop for many boats circumnavigating the Delmarva. These improvements will certainly be welcome.

2 comments:

  1. We love Cape Charles. We have always previously stayed at the Bay Creek marina, but last time we were there we walked around the new town docks and they were really nice. I can't help but wonder what the politics behind it all is. It is certain that some of the locals were not happy about the Bay Creek development. It strikes me as a little strange that such a small town would make such a big investment in a project that directly competes on almost every level with the Bay Creek development. I'm sure there is a good story behind all that.

    Whatever the back story is, I do wish only good things for the town of Cape Charles. We always enjoy our time there. I hope it doesn't get too popular though.

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  2. Agreed in all respects. Very interesting. I think it location should moderate its popularity, but now we wait and see.

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