Tucked off Admiralty Inlet at the mouth of Hood Canal, Port Ludlow is one of Puget Sound's most sheltered and scenic anchorages, pairing all-weather protection and sticky mud holding with a full-service resort marina just ashore.
Port Ludlow is a deep, nearly landlocked bay on the Olympic Peninsula side of Admiralty Inlet, long regarded as one of the best-protected harbours in all of Puget Sound. The outer basin offers spacious, easy anchoring in soft mud, with steep wooded shores rising on either side and the friendly Port Ludlow Marina and resort occupying the north shore.
The bay's gem is the inner harbour at its southern end, a snug, secluded bight reached past the Twin Islands. This back basin is quiet, scenic and well sheltered, but it shoals considerably and should be entered with care; many cruisers reconnoitre the narrows by dinghy before taking a deeper-draft boat in. A charted submarine cable crosses the back of the harbour, so pick your spot to anchor accordingly.
Ashore, the marina provides overnight slips, fuel, power, showers, laundry and pump-out, and the adjacent New England-style resort with its restaurant is a short walk away, making this a comfortable provisioning and rest stop midway between Seattle and Port Townsend.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
The entrance lies in the western part of Admiralty Inlet, just west of Colvos Rocks near the mouth of Hood Canal. The safest approach is from the north, passing between the well-marked Klas and Colvos Rocks. Watch for unmarked Snake Rock between Colvos and the west shore, which can be hazardous at low tide. On entering, give Tala Point a wide berth; it is shallow, rock-strewn and kelp-fringed.
A shallow ledge guards the entrance: depths drop abruptly from 150+ feet to about 24 feet in a short distance, which is alarming on the sounder but carries adequate water. The inner harbour behind the Twin Islands shoals sharply and should not be entered near low water without local knowledge or a prior dinghy survey. A submarine cable crosses the south end of the bay; a 5-knot speed limit applies in the inner harbour.
Wind protection summary and tide planning at a glance. Full per-direction and 7-day detail with Plus.
Live readings from the nearest OpenWeather station and WorldTides; refreshed every few minutes.
Source: OpenWeather One Call API + WorldTides.
A curated photo + map walkthrough showing approach, mooring options, and points of interest.
A guided walkthrough of Port Ludlow with approach photos, depth notes, and points of interest — written by members who have been here recently.
Member-uploaded images of this anchorage.
Real first-hand reports and questions answered by members who have actually been here.
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