A Victorian seaport at the mouth of Puget Sound, Port Townsend offers a convenient stop with full-service marinas and a lively waterfront, though the open anchorage off town is exposed and best treated as a fair-weather stay.
Port Townsend is one of the Pacific Northwest's best-preserved Victorian seaports, its brick-and-iron downtown and forested bluffs rising directly above the water at the entrance to Puget Sound. The town is a working maritime center, home to wooden-boat builders, the annual Wooden Boat Festival, and two protected marinas: Point Hudson Marina at the historic point on the north end of the waterfront, and the larger Boat Haven marina to the southwest.
Most cruisers come for the slips and the town rather than the anchorage. Boats do anchor off the downtown waterfront, roughly between Union Wharf and Point Hudson, putting the restaurants, chandleries, and provisioning of historic Port Townsend within a short dinghy ride. It is an undeniably scenic spot to lie at anchor.
That said, the open roadstead off town is only loosely sheltered. It sits on a lee shore in southerlies, lies wide open to the north and east across Admiralty Inlet, and is regularly rolled by ferry and ship wake. Many guides recommend it only for settled weather and point to more protected anchorages nearby (Mystery Bay, Port Hadlock, Port Ludlow) if a blow is forecast.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
The approach is straightforward from Admiralty Inlet, with deep water close to the waterfront, but mariners should expect strong tidal currents in the inlet and a great deal of vessel traffic, since nearly all boats transiting between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound funnel past Point Hudson. Cross-currents and the wake of the Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry and commercial ships make the anchorage rolly at times.
Holding has a poor local reputation: the bottom is mud mixed with eelgrass and kelp that can foul or skate an anchor, so set carefully and check the hook. Water shoals quickly toward shore, and a voluntary No-Anchor Zone protects eelgrass beds along the downtown waterfront (marked by buoys) and should be avoided. There is little protection from north or east winds, and the bay becomes an exposed lee shore in strong southerlies.
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 Townsend 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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