Oak Harbor lies off the northeast shore of Whidbey Island, behind the peninsula of Forbes Point. The town of Oak Harbor is home to the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. All of the peninsula and most of the land east of the marina is Naval Reservation. To the north are the long runways used for training fighter pilots; the screaming engines of their low-flying aircraft (described on billboards as “The Sound of Freedom”) are heard throughout the area.

This is a shallow harbor with a narrow navigable entrance. Pay close attention to the buoy markers, especially during low tides.

Moorings and Anchorage
The marina, located at the north end of the harbor, has guest moorage just inside the breakwater. Enter between the marks at the south end. It’s a sharp turn to port once you’re inside, and another into the slips. In a blow, these maneuvers will put you broadside to the wind. If you need more than 50 feet of dock space, continue on to the float at the north end of this moorage basin.

Additional guest moorage is outside the breakwater, on the north side of the main float that connects to the harbor office, north of the boathouses. To get there, head north of the breakwater and stay south of the buoys marking the edge of the dredged channel.

To take the guesswork out of docking, call the harbormaster on VHF Channel 16. Reservations can be made ahead by phone (360.279.4575). Pay shacks are located on the guest floats and at the harbor office. Electricity is included in the fee.

The anchoring basin in this silted harbor is relatively small. Anchorage is west of the breakwater in about 2 fathoms, in a silty mud bottom. Check your swing as the mudflats are fairly close. Shore access is via the marina guest floats.

Note that, while there is some protection from southerly winds off Saratoga Passage here, there is none from westerlies blowing across Whidbey from the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Sailors returning to the marina after a day of racing during Whidbey Island Race Week, held in Oak Harbor each July.

For the Boat and Crew
The fuel dock is east of the boathouses. Nearby is marine repair and a marine store. The enormous launching ramp was originally built for military seaplanes.

The marina has restrooms and showers, and a park with volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, barbecues and a large fire pit. A fitness trail (1.5 miles) that begins near the harbormaster’s office takes you west to City Beach Park, where there’s a wading pool, play equipment, and picnic tables. The large windmill commemorates Oak Harbor’s Dutch settlers.

Special events in Oak Harbor are the Holland Happening in April and the Olde Fashioned Fourth of July Parade. By far the biggest event in the marina is Whidbey Island Race Week in mid-July, which jams the marina and anchorage, and fills nearby Saratoga Passage with sailboats competing in a range of classes.

The approach to Oak Harbor can be tricky, so make sure to study your chart before you arrive.

Sailor, writer and teacher Migael Scherer, who divides her time between Seattle and Lopez Island, is the author of “A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands,” published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. The guide can be purchased online through Armchair Sailor Books & Charts, Captain’s Nautical Supplies, Amazon and other retailers.

About Migael Scherer

Sailor, writer and teacher Migael Scherer, who divides her time between Seattle and Lopez Island, is the author of “A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands,” published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. The guide can be purchased online through Armchair Sailor Books & Charts, Captain’s Nautical Supplies, Amazon and other retailers.

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