by Tom Chillemi –
York River Yacht Haven, nestled in the naturally protected waters of Sarah’s Creek at Gloucester Point, is part of the extensive Suntex Marinas network of the best saltwater and freshwater marinas in the United States.
This deep water marina has the amenities boaters expect including a restaurant, pool, laundry, spacious showers, a deep water fuel dock, and a service yard that can haul out almost any vessel docked at the facility. There also is a well-stocked ship’s store and next day availability through major vendors. The activity room accommodates 80 guests.
Service
York River Yacht Haven (YRYH) can haul boats weighing up to 60 tons with its travel lifts and provides services for yachts up to 60 feet in length. Services include mechanical, fiberglass, carpentry, electronics installation and repair, head and water systems. In addition YRYH offers professional painting using Awlcraft 2000 products to paint hulls, sides, bottoms and topsides.
YRYH is a dealer for Yanmar Diesel Engines, Garmin Electronics, Interlux and Petit Paints.
Services not offered in-house are sub-contracted out to the finest professionals in the area such as Wildcat Propellers, Action Master Volvo, and Performance Sail and Rigging just to name a few, said YRYH manager Jason Gray.
Sailing
Sailors like the (YRYH), which is a short 10-minute motor run to the wide, deep York River, where sails can be raised. It’s a short trip east to the open waters of Chesapeake Bay. The York River Yacht Club holds informal races on Wednesday evenings on the York River.
Charters
Three charter boats dock at YRYH and offer sightseeing cruises, guided tours with a licensed guide, or fishing trips. They include South Bay Charters, Captain Bill Berger; York River Charters, “Captain Alan”; and Williamsburg Charters, Captain Bill O’Donavan.
Restaurant
The York River Oyster Company offers “A shell of a good time,” with a fun food and drink menu with a coastal view from both its indoor and outdoor seating. Dock and dine at the waterfront restaurant specializing in fresh local seafood. Its oysters and crabs are harvested from local waters and rushed to the restaurant at the peak of freshness.
Fish tacos and seafood scampi are just two of the popular dishes created by owner-chef Bryce Moretti. The scampi features fresh local scallops, blue crab, and jumbo shrimp baked in lemon garlic butter wine sauce, served with flat bread and seasonal veggies.
And there are sandwiches, like chicken salad with toasted almonds and cranberries served on fresh baked ciabatta bread.
A half dozen fish tacos are on the menu with the the mahi-mahi and shrimp being the more popular ones.
Desserts include cheesecakes made fresh in-house. Flavors change daily and include almond joy cheesecake and pineapple upside-down cheesecake to name a few.
Enjoy live music on the deck on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting at 8 p.m. and order from the new late-night menu until midnight.
The York River Oyster Company opens at 11 a.m. everyday and closes at 9 p.m. on Sundays through Wednesdays, and midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
On the other side
Set sail for a by-gone era aboard the sailing schooner Alliance, which docks just across the York River at Yorktown.
Join the crew of the Yorktown Schooner Alliance. Lend a hand at setting sails, take the helm and steer the ship, or look for dolphins and osprey as you glide along the shores of the York River. Relive sailings golden age as you cruise past the Victory Monument and Yorktown Battlefield.
Safety protocols for COVID-19 are in place aboard Alliance with limited seating and social distancing. For information, call 757-639-1233.
Nearby is Gloucester Point Beach Park and a public fishing pier, where no fishing license is required.
History
YRYH is located on the north shore of the York River, just across from Yorktown, site of the British surrender that ended the American Revolution.
Within a few miles of YRYH are several historical attractions including Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown Battlefield, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Cornwallis’ Cave, Yorktown Beach, Watermen’s Museum, Colonial National Historical Park.
Tyndall’s Point Park on the north side of the York River is the site of defensive forts starting in 1667 and continuing through the American Revolution and Civil War to protect the narrowest point of the river. Located at 1376 Vernon St., Gloucester Point, it is open dawn to dusk.
At 1375 Greate Road is the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Its indoor exhibits may be closed. However, an online “After Hours” lectures via Zoom is set for 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. Contact VIMS Outreach at programs@vims.edu or 684-7061.
