Site Resources & Tools
Dive planning for Point Wilson
Site Briefing
Point Wilson has a large shallow bull kelp forest attached to stones and boulders that are covered with sponges, coralline algae, anemones and other colorful invertebrates. Subject to intense currents, the site is swept clean of silt and provides a great alternative to other sandy-bottom dive sites so common in the Northwest. Large and short bull kelp cover the substrate in the summer months and provide home to varieties of greenling and rockfish, sculpin and perch.
This site is very similar to the nearby North Beach Reef.
Conditions: This site is very current-sensitive and is best planned for the end of an outgoing (ebb) tide just before or at slack. The current here rips around the point on a flood and can easily carry divers out into the shipping channels if you get outside the protection of the inner reef. Due to strong currents it is preferable to dive this site from a live boat. Kelp provides another hazard.
⚠️ Safety & accuracy
Before diving at Point Wilson, always check the site-specific wind/wave forecast, tide/currents, and recent reports (latest: Jul 3, 2024)! Reminder: Winds (even offshore winds) can impact slack time.
Briefings may be out of date or have inaccuracies. Dive within your training and experience. The first time diving a site, join someone familiar with the site and/or start on a mild day.
See our currents, tides, wind, and waves guide for help reading charts and planning current-sensitive dives.
The nearest NOAA or XTide current and tide stations within 25 miles are selected by default when available. NOAA stations show charts here; XTide stations link to Dairiki. Click a pin on the map below to choose another station for current, tide, camera, or buoy data (you may need to zoom in or out).
See an issue? Would you suggest a different default station or depth? Suggest briefing updates.
Nearby Stations
Point Wilson, 0.6 mi. NE of (56 ft) -- 1 mile away
PORT TOWNSEND -- 2 miles away
Nearest Featured Dive Sites
- Point Hudson (~2 miles)
- Keystone Jetty (~4 miles)
Nearby Dive Sites
- Fort Worden (<1 mile)
- SS Governor (~1 miles)
- North Beach County Park (~1 miles)