GENERAL ANCHORAGES
|
Number of Vessels
|
MAX STAY
|
Notes
|
|
Elliott Bay East
|
1
|
3 days
|
Preference for container ships and lightering activity.
|
|
Elliott Bay West
|
1
|
10 days
|
Preference for container ships and lightering activity.
|
|
Smith Cove East
|
1
|
10 days
|
Grain Terminal Priority
Vessel length limited to 245 Meters (approx. 800 feet)
No dry cargo operations, lightering.
|
|
Smith Cove West (Apr through Sep)
|
3
|
10 days
|
Vessel length limited to 245 meters (approx. 800 feet).
No dry cargo operations.
Requires VTS Director approval to use October through March.
|
|
Yukon Harbor
(Oct through Mar)
|
5
|
15 days
|
No dry cargo operations.
|
|
Commencement Bay2
|
3
|
15 days
|
Vessel length limited to 230 meters (approx 760 feet).
|
|
Port Gardner3
|
1
|
15 days
|
VTS Director can authorize second vessel.
|
|
Holmes Harbor
|
4
|
15 days
|
|
|
Bellingham Bay
(Apr through Sep)
|
4
|
15 days
|
Max two container ships.
No container ships Oct through Mar without VTS Director approval.
|
|
Cherry Point
|
1
|
15 days
|
|
|
Anacortes West
|
1
|
6 days
|
Primary awaiting dock.
Secondary lightering.
|
|
Anacortes Central
|
1
|
10 days
|
Lightering Priority.
|
|
Anacortes East
|
1
|
10 days
|
No lightering.
|
|
Non-Designated Anchorages
|
|
|
Port Angeles Harbor4
|
5
|
10 days
|
6th anchorage available for limited uses. See footnote.
|
|
Port Townsend Harbor5
|
4
|
15 days
|
Depth Limited.
|
|
Vendovi Island East
|
4
|
10 days
|
Limited to bulk liquid tankers.
|
|
Vendovi Island South
|
1
|
10 days
|
Limited to bulk liquid tankers.
|
|
Quartermaster Harbor
|
1
|
10 days
|
Limited to 300 meters (approx. 1,000 feet)
|
|
Ruston
|
1
|
10 days
|
limited to 245 meters (approx. 800 feet).
|
|
Budd Inlet
|
4
|
15 days
|
|
|
Budd Inlet North
|
2
|
10 days
|
|
|
William Point
|
2
|
10 days
|
ATB / tug anchorage. |
|
Special Anchorages
|
|
|
|
|
Port Townsend Foul Weather Explosives4
|
1
|
3 days
|
|
|
Port Townsend Fair Weather Explosives4
|
1
|
10 days
|
|
|
Bellingham Bay Explosives
|
1
|
10 days
|
|
|
Thorndike Bay Emergency Explosives
|
1
|
3 days
|
|
|
Freshwater Bay Emergency
|
2
|
1 day
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Notes:
1 The Smith Cove West anchorage grounds will only be allowed during the months of October to March if other suitable anchorages in the Elliott Bay Area (including Yukon Harbor) are not available.
2 Commencement Bay anchorage grounds other than the southwestern most anchorage should be used only if Ruston and Quartermaster Harbor are not available. Additionally, Commencement Bay anchorages are limited to vessels less than 760 ft.
3 The Port Gardner anchorage grounds are fouled by a wreck, buoy in the center of the anchorage grounds limiting the number of vessels allowed. Only one vessel more than 600 ft or two vessels 600 ft and less will be allowed.
4 Puget Sound VTS will generally keep one anchorage available for COTP directed movements (COTP orders, detentions, vessel deficiencies, etc.). A 6th vessel is allowed in Port Angeles’ easternmost anchorage only for 1 day when approved by COTP for inspection or other emergent need during good weather.
5 Agents and masters should review the Port Townsend Harbor / Indian Island section of the Puget Sound Pilot’s General Guidelines for Vessels Transiting Restricted Waterways or Ports before making reservations for Port Townsend anchorage grounds. These guidelines can be found at http://pspilots.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Guidelines-Jan-27-2015.pdf.