County of Northampton

Boat ramps within Northampton County include:

Cape Charles (town harbor)
Kings Creek Marina 
Oyster (County owned)
Bayford
Red Bank
Willis Wharf (County owned)
Morley's Wharf (County owned) 
Kiptopeke State Park
Wise Point 

BAYSIDE

Cape Charles Harbor

 
Cape Charles Harbor
11 Marina Road
Lat/Long: 37.2678 N, 76.0178 W
Cape Charles, VA 23310

Cape Charles Harbor is the primary marine transportation facility in Northampton County. The harbor is accessed by the Cape Charles Harbor Federal Project Channel. As the Southern terminus of the Bay Coast Railroad, the railroad cars were historically transported via car float to Little Creek for delivery to the Norfolk Southern Railway.

Boardwalk a the Harbor. Photo Credit Jean E Flynn

The Town of Cape Charles operates a Color-coded routes modern marina with 96 full time and transient slips in Cape Charles Harbor, and installed new bulk-heading, restrooms, and a bath house. The inner harbor can accommodate a vessel up to 180 feet in length with a draft larger than 7 feet or a vessel up to 400 feet if the draft is less than 7 feet. The channel depth is expected to be maintained at 18 feet. In addition, there is approximately 1,000 feet of seawall tie-up. Services include gasoline and diesel fuel, water, ice, and electricity.

The harbor is also a commercial fishing port and home to a U.S. Coast Guard Station.

A full service yacht center has a 75 metric ton boat lift capable of lifting boats with beams up to 25.5 feet. It is a full service marina offering storage, fuel and repairs.
Cape Charles Yacht Center

King’s Creek

Kings Creek Marina. Photo Credit: William Dyas

Location: 500 Marina Village Circle
Cape Charles, VA 23310
(757) 331-8640

A separate marina is accessible from the Chesapeake Bay via Cherrystone Inlet. The marina has recently been rebuilt and expanded into a luxury marina with 224 slips, commercial space, rental properties, event space, and a restaurant.

Kiptopeke State Park Boat Ramp

Fishermen watch seagulls while launching  a boat at Kiptopeke State Park. 
Photo Credit: William Dyas

Location: 3540 Kiptopeke Dr
Cape Charles, VA 23310

Kiptopeke State Park on the Chesapeake Bay has a fishing pier and a boat ramp with 4-5 foot depth at mean low water and parking for 70 boat trailers. There are restrooms and showers available as well.

There is a fee to enter the park. 

Kiptopeke State Park Fishing & Boating Information

Nassawadox Creek

Nassawadox Creek serves commercial fishing and recreational vessels with a boat ramp at Bayford.  

Nassawadox Creek Photo © Gordon Campbell / At Altitude Gallery

Bayford Boat Ramp
5513 Bayford Rd
Franktown, VA 23354


Bayford Boat Ramp. Photo Credit Jean E Flynn

Bayford Ramp is a working waterman's  dock. Parking is limited. There is a fee to use the ramp.  Nassawadox Creek has many tributaries and leads to the open Chesapeake Bay. 

Fee $3.00 and wooden box for cash. Photo credit: Jean E Flynn

Occohannock Creek/ Morley's Wharf

Directions: The Morley's Wharf facility is in Northampton County and is located on the south side of Occohannock Creek.

From N/S US Route 13 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, in Exmore, take Route 183 W (Occohannock Neck Road) about 2.8 miles towards Silver Beach. In Wardtown, turn right on Route 606 (Morley's Wharf Road). Ramp is located at the end of Morley's Wharf Road (1 mile).

Morley’s Wharf has a large fishing pier, sanitary facilities, a floating dock and a floating/fixed combination dock. The Morley’s Wharf Fishing Pier is free and open to the public. A saltwater fishing license is not required to fish from the pier. The license fee is paid by Northampton County. 

Harbor Masters
Kerry Tittermary: 757-442-4166
Bob Erwin: 757-678-0440 x580

See the Public Works page for more information. 

Background:

The Morley's Wharf fishing pier was completed in 1999. The project received $64,210 in VSRFDF grant funds. The pier extends 150-feet into Occohannock Creek and has a 50-foot L-head. The facility is handicapped accessible and meets current ADA standards. Also, two double-wide boat ramps and a small paved parking lot are at this location. There is no fee to use this facility. The pier is open 24 hours.

Kids Club Free Fishing Days Photo via http://www.esanglersclub.org/

Occohannock Creek provides access to excellent fishing opportunities for spot, croaker, red drum, spotted trout, flounder, black drum, cobia, striped bass, tautog, and gray trout. It is a popular location and is sometimes the location of an annual kids fishing tournament that is also funded by the VSRFDF. (Virginia Saltwater Recreational Development Fund)

SEASIDE

Oyster Harbor

Oyster Harbor is located east of Cheriton in the unincorporated village of Oyster. The harbor is approximately eight acres in size, is 1,100 feet long, and has a 5-foot deep turning basin. Oyster Harbor is part of the Oyster Federal Project Channel. Access from the Atlantic Ocean is via the 7-mile Sand Shoal Channel, which has a minimum depth of 24 feet and a width varying from 200 to 1,500 feet. Dredging frequency is approximately five years. Small commercial fishing, research and recreational vessels use this harbor extensively.
 Northampton County owns and maintains the boat ramp at Oyster. 

Rent a boat slip at the Oyster Harbor.


Aerial video of Oyster, VA on Youtube.com by Harvey Belote


Boat ramps and floating docks at Oyster Harbor. Photo credit: Jean E. Flynn


Oyster Fishing Pier. Photo credit: Jean E Flynn

Oyster Fishing Pier

 The Oyster Fishing Pier is free and open to the public. A saltwater fishing license is not required to fish from the pier. The license fee is paid by Northampton County.

The pier consists of approximately 200' long x 10' wide timber/wood framed L-shaped pier, built in benches, handicapped access railing stations and composite railing caps.

In addition to the pier, there are also free public boat ramps with a floating/fixed dock combination, a kayak launch and restroom facilities.



"Village of Oyster, 'Pearl' of the Seaside."  Photo by Jean E. Flynn

Red Bank Boat Ramp

Red Bank Boat Ramp
County Rd 715,
Marionville, VA 23408

Owned and maintained by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Red Bank offers two boat ramps, docks and kayak launch. Fishing is not allowed from the docks.

Great photos and more about the boat ramp  at Red Bank can be found at Sunrise at Red Bank- Eastern Shore VA Blog. 

Willis Wharf Harbor

5201-5307, County Rd 603
Exmore, VA 23350

Willis Wharf Harbor is located east of Exmore in the unincorporated village of Willis Wharf.
Access to Willis Wharf Harbor is from the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Machipongo Federal Project Channel.
Willis Wharf Harbor is six feet deep at mean low water and has 51 boat slips, fishing charters, a kayak launch, parking lot, a public boat ramp. 
Northampton County built the harbor in 1985 and continues to own and maintain it.

Willis Wharf is the home of several clam aquaculture and shellfish harvesting businesses.
Willis Wharf Harbor photo via deq.virginia.gov 

Rent a boat slip at Willis Wharf. 


Boat slips and docks at Willis Wharf. Photo credit: Jean E Flynn

Wise Point Boat Ramp, Waterway Coast of Virginia

Located on the Virginia Inside Passage, the Wise Point boat Ramp provides access to the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay for fishing, hunting, wildlife observation and photography. Ramp amenities include 21 parking spaces, twin 16-foot wide boat ramps, floating courtesy pier, and restrooms. A separate kayak launch has additional parking (boaters consult nautical charts for
navigation).  

Please note: There is a fee for parking and launching at the Wise Point Ramp.

"Fees and Passes - required for parking and/or launching
Day Pass $10 per vehicle, per day

Please pay at the self-serve fee booth located at the entrance to the boat ramp. Payments can be cash, check or money order (payable to US Fish & Wildlife Service). Remove the yellow hang tag and drop the the envelope with your payment in the self-serve fee booth. Hang the yellow on your vehicle’s rear-view mirror as proof of payment.

Annual Pass $120 per calendar year, per vehicle (non-transferrable)" 

For more information please visit: Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge