Continent |
North America |
Country |
Washington (USA) |
Next Big City |
Seattle |
Next Town |
Port Townsend |
|
Type: |
Ocean |
Rider Ability: |
Beginner, Intermediate, Expert |
Features: |
Parking |
Water
Type: |
Chop, Small wave |
Hazards: |
None |
Quality: |
Clean |
Best Tide: |
No information |
On the current changes at North Beach you can get a lot of swirling back eddies and cross currents setting up some odd chop that gets knocked down when overcome by either the flood or ebb. On the ebb, that instinctively one likes to sail, the swells are smaller and steeper. The flood brings in the really big ones. Of course you must have seen how the point of the tide can effect the waves nearer the beach to the point you can get a surfable point break.
Beach
Type: |
Grass |
Size: |
Small |
Hazards: |
None |
Beach Users: |
None |
Grassy rigging area right on the beach.
Weather
Spring:
|
Normal |
Summer:
|
Shorty |
Fall:
|
Normal |
Winter:
|
Thick |
4/3 wetsuit late spring, shorty to board shorts in late June through July and August. Water temp 50°F late spring to upper 60's°F in August (tide will effect this more than in Gorge). Air temps 50's to 70°F in spring and 70's to 90's°F in summer.
Wind
Best Months: |
April, May, June |
Wind Type: |
No information |
Best Direction: |
W |
Main Direction: |
No information |
One thing about the Westerlies in the Straits is that often the best sailing is late. Locals sometimes not even showing up until 18:00. North Beach unfortunately often gets good about sunset. April through June it can be some great sailing.
How to get there
Transport |
Car |
Access
|
Short walk |
Tacoma Airport. Located in Port Townsend on the NE corner of the Olympic Peninsula. North Beach is about 1 mile West of Point Wilson. It's a city park bordering Fort Worden State Park. If it's going off it's worth a drive. From Seattle you will either take the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry or drive to Tacoma and then north.
Extra information
Nightlife