Mystery Bay

This small bay halfway down the west side of Marrowstone Island is a secure, cozy alternative to the crowds and activity of Fort Flagler. Most visiting boats gather around the park float; the southern end of the harbor is shallow and its navigable portion largely full of boats on private buoys. The land around Mystery Bay is low and soft, with farm-like homes surrounded by pastures and orchards.

Moorings and Anchorage
The state park float is more than 200 feet long, with fair depths on both sides. Check the tides, as deep-draft boats sometimes find themselves aground here at low water. Fees are collected year-round.

There are seven state park mooring buoys strewn among the private buoys. Anchorage is good, with a mud bottom.

Getting Ashore
Use the state park float. The Nordland General Store maintains a small float for customers, but check the tides if you’re in anything bigger than a skiff. 

By water, the Nordland Store is accessible to shallow boats only

For the Boat and Crew
Mystery Bay has no fuel dock, but gas is available at the pump in front of the grocery store. Picnic tables and public toilets can be found at the state park.

The Nordland General Store sells groceries, espresso, beer and wine, bait and tackle, and gift items. The store’s owners hold various events each year, including a fall Harvest Festival and an annual Polar Bear Dip every Jan. 1.

Mystery Bay State Park, extending west to the lagoon, is little more than an open field with picnic tables and a launching ramp. From the park you can walk east less than a mile to East Beach County Park to enjoy the sweeping views of Admiralty Inlet. The entrance to Fort Flagler State Park is more than two miles north.

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.