Shelter Bay Marina

Just south west of Laconner on the Swinomish Channel The Shelter Bay Marina is located within a private community with direct access to the Swinomish Channel. The 300-slip marina is just a short dinghy ride to the historic town of La Conner. Explore the many shops, restaurants, galleries and museums via the new waterfront boardwalk. Enjoy the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, Classic Auto and Boat Show, art festivals and many other fun activities for the whole family. Our marina is also not far from the Swinomish Casino & Lodge in case you’re feeling lucky! Boaters will appreciate the protected moorage and the amazing cruising, crabbing, fishing and whale watching in this area. Our central location offers easy access via the Swinomish Channel to points north and west, including Bellingham, Anacortes, the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Gulf Islands and beyond. Head south toward Saratoga Passage and cruise to Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley, and other Puget Sound destinations, or through Deception Pass to Victoria and the San Juan Islands. Haul-out, fuel dock, marine supply and repair services are close by. Paying attention to the tides can help you estimate the time of slack water and duration of current flow in the Swinomish Channel at La Conner. Because it’s dependent on the range between high and low water, and is affected by river runoff, the time of slack current can only be estimated. These general rules will help you predict slack water and current direction in La Conner: • Slack water occurs 2.5-4 hours after high or low tide • The current flows north from 2.5-4 hours before high tide to 2.5-4 hours after high tide • The current flows south from 2.5-4 hours before low tide to 2.5-4 hours after low tide The tugboat operators base their estimate on the tide tables. Slack water at La Conner Landing occurs between 2.5 and 4 hours after high or low water. For example, if High Water at La Conner occurs at 5 a.m., slack will be sometime between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. At periods of a minor tide change, the slack will occur closer to 2 hours after the predicted high or low. When there is a large change in tide, the current turns almost 4 hours later. Take Care in the South End When running during low tides in the southern part of the Swinomish Channel, boaters should favor the east side of the channel from the southernmost house in the Shelter Bay Community to the entrance of Shelter Bay itself. There is a rock wall breakwater on the east side, which should be favored. The western 2/3 side of the channel is very shallow from sediments deposited by the nearby Skagit River.