You've got a friend at Mile Marker 0

Mile Marker "0" Marine Supply is located at the High Street basin, Portsmouth, Virginia

By Karen and Jeffrey Siegel
aCappella
Castine, Maine

Our own cruising this week brought us to Portsmouth, Virginia and mile marker 0 of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. While there we met the owner of a new marine supply store, Robert McBride. He told us that he wants to help cruisers coming through the area. He specializes in getting parts, holding them for arrival, and providing service above and beyond the call. We wish he hadn't said that to us.

Our generator's raw water pump started dripping while anchored off the Chesapeake a week ago. We knew a rebuild was coming but Westerbeke parts are difficult to get and we hoped it would wait until we got settled in Florida. Right after talking to Robert, the pump started spraying water. It needed attention now.

So we show up at the store at 9 am and give our tale of woe along with the part numbers. Let's see what you can do Mr. McBride. Normally, I'd expect Westerbeke parts to take a few days since the common distributors don't carry them. Two hours later I get a call - a new pump and a rebuild kit will be at the store that afternoon. That afternoon? Robert drove to Norfolk to have the parts available that same day.

Before dinner that night we installed the new pump and it's working perfectly. We'll rebuild the old one in the next month. The prices for everything were exactly what we expected. The service was way, way above our expectation though. Remember this store if you're passing through Portsmouth and need anything. Propane, parts, beer, anything.  Robert is more than a supplier - he's a friend to all of us.

www.activecaptain.com
The Interactive Cruising Guidebook

Mile Marker "0"

One High Street

Portsmouth, VA 23704

757-673-4816

milemarker0@cox.net