Edmonds, Washington is a city with deep roots. Founded in 1889 by logger George Brackett after his canoe was buffeted ashore by winds, Edmonds is the oldest incorporated city in Snohomish County and is as tied to the sea today as it was in the days of yore. While technically considered a northern suburb of Seattle, life feels different here. There’s no real rush in Edmonds, which is one half Seattle and the other half Puget Sound small town. In many ways, you get the best of both worlds.
The service yard and marina of the Port of Edmonds are on par with anything in Seattle proper, but the charming and walkable downtown and the saturation of local artisans are decidedly from the other side of the family tree. Carefree public art is ubiquitous and even found under the waves at the Edmonds Underwater Park. Here you’ll find your local gems and big city stores side by side. Maybe they can live in harmony after all, and Edmonds is a great place to stock up and prepare for a push north or south. The often cheaper cost of things in Edmonds can also be a draw.
As far as marinas in Edmonds are concerned, the only show in town is the centrally positioned Port of Edmonds. While the Port of Edmonds may be the only option, you’d be hard pressed to find a better marina or service arrangement in Puget Sound. With nearly 1,000 wet covered slips, uncovered wet slips, and dry storage spaces, a public launch, Travelift with boatyard (complete with the increasingly rare “do it yourself” option), and a fuel dock with ethanol-free gas and diesel, you’re set if you can get there. The approach is also very simple geographically and is wide open to the west/northwest.
The marina extends 500 feet westward into Puget Sound and is dredged to a depth of minus 13 feet. There’s only one large entrance right in the center of the breakwater and it has your name on it. Keep an eye on the east-west running Edmonds-Kingston ferry route, for the terminal is just north from the marina. If running at night, make sure those nav lights are shining bright.
