Virginia Clean Marina

VA-Clean-Marina

Clay and Lisa Holcomb hold their newly awarded Clean Marina flag. ©Janet Krenn/VASG

On May 10, 2011, the Chesapeake Boat Basin was awarded Clean Marina designation, making the Boat Basin one of five Clean Marinas in Lancaster County, but the only one in Kilmarnock, Virginia.

When asked about what was the greatest challenge to becoming a Clean Marina, Clay Holcomb, owner of the Chesapeake Boat Basin, doesn’t mention the underground retention system he and his wife Lisa had installed to prevent storm water runoff. He doesn’t mention the recycling bins, pet waste containers, nor the supplies that he makes accessible to boaters for cleaning up accidental oil spills. Instead, he says modestly, “I think these are all just things that everyone should do.”

The Holcombs have done a lot recently to improve their amenities and expand their capacity, in addition to taking steps to becoming a Clean Marina. The Boat Basin not only has new a swimming pool and landscaping, it also has new a floating dock that includes 22 slips reserved for transient boaters.

With the installation of the floating dock, Clay says the Boat Basin has seen an increase from 30 transient boats in 2009 to about 300 in 2010. With this increased traffic, he says, it’s been important to educate his customers about waste disposal. The Clean Marina Program “is a great idea,” he says. “I don’t know why more people aren’t doing it.”

Virginia Institute of Marina Science and Virginia Sea Grant are proud partners of the Virginia Clean Marina Program, which recognizes marinas that voluntarily take measures to prevent or reduce pollution at their facility. There are currently 69 Clean Marinas in Virginia.