Reviews: Lamb's Marina

Reviewed by: D. Jenkins on Jun 29, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

We stopped for a good nights rest after crossing the Albemarle Sound on a windy day. We were a bit behind schedule so had to move on after one night p- BUT wished that we had arrived for a long weekend here! Mr Lamp and the Dock Master made us feel at home immediately. Great location before heading through the Dismal Swamp to Norfolk. Great restaurant on site, and a well stocked Dollar General store just across the street. The channel into the marina was clear and very well marked. The fuel dock was easily accessible. We had a great night here... just hope that we did not disrupt the neighbors with our celebrating when the Tennessee Volunteer baseball team advanced with a win in the World Series game that night !! We very much recommend this stop and will definitely return, but for a longer stay next time.

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Reviewed by: Elizabeth Scott on Jun 1, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 51'
Draft: 3.6'

Rating: 5

Couldn't agree more with the reviews and would add we had a great experience at Lamb's Marina, staying for several days. The service provided makes it a bargain at the price point. Larry and Randy and everyone we interacted with went above and beyond to make sure our stay was pleasant and we had what we needed. We used the transportation service to go into Elizabeth City and it was also great value and made it no hardship to be further out. The sunsets are spectacular and when we departed we were straight into the Dismal Swamp with no bridges to contend with. We would highly recommend this as a stop!

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Reviewed by: Kevin Williams , m/v Blue Tortuga, on May 2, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

I concur with the other positive comments. Great small town marina providing great service at a great price. Dollar General within walking distance is a full blown grocery store with produce. Good low key restaurants within walking distance. Gorgeous sunsets. Propane bottles filled.
Larry and Randy do an amazing job.

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Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer , Do It Now, on Mar 26, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 5

What a pleasant surprise! No, the place isn't fancy at all and the docks are a little tired, but there's great service from Randy and Larry, a sheltered basin with long term, liveaboard, and transient boaters, and a nice bathroom facility with the best shower on the Great Loop. Walking distance to a handful of restaurants, including a local catering place that sells prepared and fresh-made food. Reasonably priced fuel and propane on the premises. Dog friendly. I stayed here to wait out some weather and was not disappointed. You might prefer the free no-frills docks in Elizabeth City, but $35/night at Lamb's with electricity and clean bathrooms is a real deal. I recommend this place and would definitely stay again.

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Reviewed by: Angie Forte , Swamp Buggy, on Oct 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
Draft: 0.0'

Rating: 5

We stayed one night here on our way north. Larry was very helpful & friendly. The building that houses the laundry & bathrooms was nice. There is a nice sized lounge area with games, movies, fridge & microwave. The showers were clean with great water pressure. The restaurant here has closed down. We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

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Reviewed by: John Medlin on Jun 18, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

Agree it's a hidden gem & at $35 the best deal we have come across. We stayed 3 days.
A great place, small and personal. The owner, Larry, and the 'unoffical' dockhand, Randy, were very helpful. Larry twice loaned the marina truck for trips into town; Randy was willing to drop what he was doing to assist. The on-site restaurant, Lamb's Seafood had different specials daily. There is a Dollar General just down the street (1/4 mile). We dropped our dinghy and went crappie fishing in nearby creeks. Facilities -- laundries, showers, lounge -- were good. Restaurant staff, especially Ms. Carol, were very personable and starting next week will be open for breakfast @6:30.

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Reviewed by: Chris Ensing , Pau Hana, on May 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.4'

Rating: 4

The Owner and staff here are great and very accommodating. The docks aren't great but this is still a great stop and very affordable at $35 you can't beat it. They have a loaner truck and we used that to go into Elizabeth City. There is a Dollar General store across the street with a lot of items and Deli next to it.

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Reviewed by: Xiaolun Sun , Anodyne , on Nov 6, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

We only stopped by to top up the fuel tank, so cannot comment on the facilities. The staff was friendly. The price was reasonable. It seemed there wasn't much going on nearby.

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Reviewed by: Bill Kight , Cookie, on Jun 30, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 27'
Draft: 2.2'

Rating: 5

It has been said, but I'll repeat it: This place is a hidden gem. Transients are most times put on a wall, but vacant slips are sometimes used. The entry channel is narrow, but well marked and deep enough for most cruising boats. There are three shower/toilet suites and they are very nice. Nearby them are a small lounge and coin operated laundry. During my visit in late June 2022, the restaurant was being readied for opening. All of the liveaboards were friendly and accommodating. Power and water functioned normally. There are not a lot of nearby services and it's a few miles to Elizabeth City. A Dollar General is in walking distance, about 1/4 mile.

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Reviewed by: Teresa Scott , Vayu, on Jun 3, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Moved here from the college docks so we could plug in and have ac in the 90+ degree heat. Very nice people and extremely helpful getting us tied up for the night. We took their recommendation and had dinner at Track 1 across the road. Was great to get some good NC BBQ. The store was convenient to pick up a few things we needed before continuing on.
Bathrooms and showers available but we did not use them.

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Reviewed by: Jackie Spruill on May 31, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

What a great find. The guys on the docks were very friendly and helpful, the rates are considerably below what you'd expect to pay.

The facilities were more than adequate for our needs.

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Reviewed by: Craig & Rhonda Davis , Clarabelle, on Oct 23, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Lamb's Marina is a friendly marina! We spent 2 nights on our way south to wait for winds to calm in the Albermarle. Larry and Ed were very helpful as they met us at the dock to assist with lines. We visited both restaurants that were across the street: Track 1 (eat in or takeout) and Tidewater Catering (takeout only) and both were good "home style" cooking. There is a washer dryer on site ($1.50 wash, $1 dry). There are 3 very clean individual room restrooms that have a shower in each; including one disabled bathroom. There is some daytime road noise, but other than that, a nice quiet place to stay.

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Reviewed by: Alex Tarlecky on Oct 22, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

What a find! Probably the best deal on the east coast for a marina slip. Was able to get our 42' cat onto a dock way inside. Excellent help tying up the boat. Really nice people! No pump-out that we know of but excellent 50 Amp service and quality water at the dock.

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Reviewed by: Robert Hedrick , Morning Starr, on Oct 1, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 34'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 4

Stayed August 31, 2021. Mr. Lamb met us at the dock, got us tied up and fueled, said if we needed anything he just lives up the road and to call him. $35 flat rate. Not fancy but nice. Was told it is in the process on being sold. Good stop for the Dismal Swamp, about 15 miles to South Mill Lock.

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Reviewed by: David Merchberger , Slo Pace, on Jul 17, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 4

We came through in late April 2021 and had planned to stop at a dock in Elizabeth City, but the mayor declared a state of emergency due to protests following a recent police shooting had us change our plans at the last minute.

Fortunately, we found Lamb's Marina at the last minute and they were able to provide room along their wall.

As others have said, its not the fanciest marina you've even been to, but you'd be hard pressed to find a friendlier group of liveaboards.

The entrance looks a little tight, but follow the marks and stay mid channel, no problems in or out. Once in the basin, very protected and quiet.

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Reviewed by: CJ , Destined Nomad, on May 25, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 27'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Not the fanciest marina you will find...but some of the nicest, most friendly folks you will meet. The orginal plan was to just stop for fuel and then back to Elizabeth City for one of the free docks. I happended to mention that I needed to get to Walmart...4 miles out of Elizabeth City...to pick up a prescription. I was told that the marina had someone who could drive me and they arranged for one of the locals to haul me the 8 miles each way, I ended up staying the night for a very reasonable rate and had a great time. Not fancy, but everything you need. A Dollar General and a restaurant across the street.

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Reviewed by: T Apol , Gingersnap, on Nov 13, 2020
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 3

Very nice on the phone when I called to inquire about services. We needed diesel, water, and pump out. The man who answered was very polite and helpful but Lamb's marina does not have pump out so we had to keep going, hoping to find that service else where. There was no pump out available in Elizabeth City in November 2020.

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Reviewed by: Mom With A Map , Light & Salty, on Jul 15, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Lambs Marina has several things going for it that make it a good stop.

First, it's the closest marina to The Dismal Swamp. If you are hoping to make the first lock opening, there really isn't a better place to stay. It also has a great rate for a marina (you can obviously stay for free at many of the Elizabeth City docks; however you wouldn't have access to water and electricity.)

Lambs Marina was quiet and safe. There is a great Mexican restaurant there with a little convenience store too. The local Enterprise will come pick you up at Lambs Marina if you choose to rent a car.

While Lambs Marina certainly isn't the nicest or newest, it's a quality place to spend a few nights.

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Reviewed by: Erik Strasel , Sea Cottage, on Jun 9, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Stayed the night before transiting Dismal Swamp. Quiet place, we definitely filled the transient slip. PVC pipes mark the entrance channel, longish fairway with turning basin all the way at the end next to the fuel docks. While narrow entrance and fairway looked daunting for our size, we had no trouble. The owner, Larry, volunteered to be at the pier to handle lines before dawn so that we could get an early start. Nice place.

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Reviewed by: J Fred on Jul 25, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Protected spot to stay after enduring the Alligator River & Albermale Sound; real laid back marina with fixed docks & fuel. Rested up before heading into the dismal swamp. Bill is the dockmaster and will take you anywhere you want to go. Dollar General & two restaurants with-in a 1/4 mile.

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Reviewed by: John Rockwell on Apr 25, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Well protected spot to start or end the Dismal Swamp route. Charming staff and low key marina. Diesel and non-ethanol gas.

Fixed pier, but no real tide, current or wind here, so it's an easy tie up. Good Wifi

Restaurant is closed, but one is across the street (more of less).

Price was right.

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Reviewed by: Dr. J , Kairos, on Mar 25, 2017
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 34'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 3

Stayed twice, fall 2014 and spring 2015. A few hundred yards up a narrow but well marked creek. Very friendly, inexpensive, very local marina with some liveaboards. Nice laundry facilities and showers in an air conditioned lounge trailer. Both gas and diesel. There's a convenience store and cafe-type restaurant on site, but nothing else for some distance. No other services but if you needed a mechanic I'm sure Mr. Lamb would be able to find you one.

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