Coupeville

Coupeville’s brightly colored wharf reaches out into Penn Cove, inviting boaters to this small, New England-style town. Coupeville attracts many visitors, especially in summer; on weekends, Front Street is often crowded with people of all ages wandering between the restaurants and gift shops. Dockside facilities and the town’s charming nature make it an attractive getaway for Puget Sound boaters.

Despite its historic veneer, Coupeville is a real town, the Island County seat serving both Whidbey and Camano islands. The courthouse and county agencies are located up the hill, where the restored homes and bed-and-breakfast inns thin out.

Moorings and Anchorage
Two floats, each about 50 feet long, are arranged in a staggered pattern east of the Harbor Store pier. Current at the floats can be surprisingly strong. If you need more than 7 feet under your keel, anchor in the basin to the east, more or less in line with the floats. The mooring buoys there can be used for a fee. Pay for moorage at the head of the ramp or at the harbormaster’s office on the north side of the building.

Visitors will delight in the offerings of Front Street shops and restaurants.

Getting Ashore
Use the floats or beach your skiff on either side of the pier.

For the Boat and Crew
The fuel dock is on the north side of the pier.

Restrooms and a shower are on the Harbor Store pier. Get a key when you check in. The Harbor Store has a deli, but real groceries—including meat and produce—are about a half-mile up the hill on Main Street.

Coupeville is set up for walking and is ideal for boaters. Front Street has numerous restaurants and gift shops. Pick up a walking tour map at the museum just beyond the head of the pier, adjacent to the blockhouse and dugout canoe. From here, you can guide yourself through the town past colorfully restored homes, most of them private residences. The museum displays artifacts of early Coupeville and celebrates its maritime origins.

Immediately west of the pier, on top of the steep bluff, is a large town park, with playground equipment, a tennis court, picnic areas and an enormous slice of an ancient tree. A steep trail descends to the beach.

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.