Chesapeake Bay, Virginia · ICW Mile Marker 12

The Bay, the Basin & the Great Loop

Your Guide to Cruising the Chesapeake, Atlantic Yacht Basin, and America's Greatest Waterway Adventure

There are 6,000 miles of American waterway waiting to be cruised… and for the better part of a century, one marina in Chesapeake, Virginia has been the place serious cruisers stop, refit, and prepare for what comes next. Atlantic Yacht Basin sits at Mile Marker 12 of the Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal — one of the great chokepoints of the eastern ICW, and one of the great institutions in American boating.

This guide covers the basin, the Bay, and the Great Loop — from why AYB earns its reputation, to the Chesapeake anchorages worth adding to your log, to what it takes to actually complete the Loop. Worth Avenue Yachts has helped buyers find the right vessel for all of it.

"The Chesapeake is not a destination you pass through… it's a destination you return to. Every creek, every anchorage, every crab pot buoy is a reason to slow down."

— Worth Avenue Yachts

ICW Mile Marker 12 · Chesapeake, VA

Atlantic Yacht Basin

Family Owned Since 1936

The Marina on the A&C Canal

Atlantic Yacht Basin has been the go-to stop on the southern ICW since 1936 — three generations of a family that built their reputation one well-handled vessel at a time. Located at Mile Marker 12 on the Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal, AYB sits directly on the waterway where every southbound and northbound passage has to come through.

Over 1,700 feet of transient dockage, a 24-hour fuel dock, 200 total slips, and a boatyard that handles everything from bottom paint to full restoration. The 60-ton travel lift and 99-ton railway can manage yachts up to 120 feet — which means this is also where the serious work gets done before a blue-water departure or a Great Loop departure heading north.

Captains come for the services. They come back for the crew.

Full-Service Boatyard

Where the Work Gets Done

AYB’s boatyard is one of the most capable on the entire eastern waterway. Carpentry, electrical, engine and generator repair, rigging, paint and refinishing, plumbing, bottom cleaning, bow thruster and stabilizer installation, and power conversions — all handled in-house by a crew whose skill level the reviews consistently call out by name.

Whether you’re prepping for the Great Loop’s northern leg, laying up for the season, or commissioning a vessel for its next owner… AYB’s reputation for quality and a personal touch is well-earned and well-documented.

2615 Basin Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23322 · (757) 482-2141

1936

Founded

Three generations of family ownership

1,700′

Transient Dockage

Fuel dock open 24 hours

100′

Max Vessel Length

99-ton railway · 60-ton travel lift

MM 12

ICW Position

Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal

6,000 Miles · 16 States · One Loop

America's Great Loop

The Atlantic ICW · The Chesapeake · The Hudson · The Great Lakes · The Inland Rivers · The Gulf Coast

The Route, Broken Down

How the Great Loop Works

Leg 1 · South to North

The Atlantic ICW & Chesapeake

Most Loopers start in Florida and run north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway — through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Atlantic Yacht Basin at MM 12 is one of the essential stops… a fuel, service, and staging point before heading up into the Chesapeake or continuing toward the Delaware Bay and New York Harbor. The Chesapeake itself could occupy a full season on its own.

Leg 2 · New York to the Great Lakes

The Hudson, Erie Canal & Lakes

Up the Hudson River from New York Harbor, through the Erie Canal and its historic locks, and into the Great Lakes. Many Loopers choose the Trent-Severn Waterway through Canada at this stage — crystal-clear Georgian Bay, 30,000 islands, and some of the finest protected cruising in North America. The northern legs are only navigable May through October… timing matters.

Leg 3 · South on the Rivers & Gulf

The Inland Rivers & Gulf Coast

South from Chicago on the inland river system — typically the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to avoid Mississippi commercial traffic — through to Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Then east along the Gulf ICW back to Florida… and the realization that you have just circumnavigated the eastern half of a continent. The gold burgee from AGLCA is awarded upon completion.

Timing

How Long Does It Take?

Most Loopers take 12 to 18 months at a leisurely pace, with time for extended stops, weather delays, and the places that earn a second week. Fast-trackers complete the Loop in 6 to 9 months. Many Loopers spread the journey over multiple seasons — there is no rule that says it must be done in one go, and the Chesapeake alone could justify a full summer.

The Right Vessel

What Does the Loop Require?

Draft and air draft are the two non-negotiables. The Erie Canal requires a maximum air draft of 15’6″ and a maximum beam of 43’6″. Lock dimensions throughout the route limit overall length. Most Loopers cruise in the 35-to-55-foot range aboard trawlers, motor yachts, or capable cruising powerboats. Worth Avenue Yachts can help you identify vessels that are genuinely Loop-ready.

The Gold Burgee

Completing the Loop

Completing the Great Loop earns you membership in the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association and the coveted gold burgee — the flag that every Looper recognizes and every marina crew knows. AGLCA membership exceeds 30,000 and the community of Loopers is one of the most engaged, generous, and genuinely helpful cruising communities on the water.

6,000

Miles of Waterway

The full Great Loop circumnavigation

16+

States & Provinces

Including Canadian waters via the Trent-Severn

100+

Locks to Navigate

Erie Canal, Trent-Severn, inland rivers