Most PNW sailors point their bow north — toward the San Juans, the Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound. The south end of Puget Sound gets sailed past, and that is exactly what makes it worth going.
South Puget Sound stretches from the Tacoma Narrows to the tideflats of Olympia, branching into a series of inlets — Case Inlet, Carr Inlet, Nisqually Reach, Budd Inlet — that offer dozens of anchorages, four working state-park stops, and some of the most protected cruising water in Washington. The southern Sound also has the warmest water anywhere in Puget Sound; in August, surface temperatures in the sheltered inlets can reach 68–70°F — actually swimmable.
The other working fact: it has far fewer boats than anywhere north of Seattle. On a summer weekend when Blake Island is packed and Friday Harbor is sold out weeks ahead, Jarrell Cove might have three other boats in it.
The entry: Tacoma Narrows
The entry price for South Sound is the Tacoma Narrows — a mile-wide channel between the Kitsap Peninsula and the Tacoma mainland. The Narrows are famous for two things: the dramatic 1940 collapse of the original suspension bridge (Galloping Gertie, immortalised in physics-textbook footage), and the strong tidal currents.
Current. The Narrows runs up to 5 knots at maximum ebb or flood. A capable powerboat can punch through at any state of tide. A sailboat under 6 knots of boat speed should time the passage near slack water. The NOAA current tables for Tacoma Narrows are the working reference; check both flood-slack and ebb-slack predictions before committing.
Bridges. The twin suspension bridges (1950 replacement and 2007 addition) clear at 187 ft at centre span — no mast restriction for any recreational vessel.
Once through the Narrows, the Sound opens to the south and the feeling of having left the busy main Sound behind is immediate. Boat traffic drops by an order of magnitude inside the first hour.
The working state parks
Jarrell Cove State Park, Hartstene Island
The South Sound jewel. Jarrell Cove is a small, almost perfectly sheltered inlet on the north shore of Hartstene Island. The state park has eight mooring buoys, dock space for smaller boats, and excellent anchoring room in 12–20 ft over mud.
Ashore, forest trails, a picnic area, and clean facilities. The park sees a fraction of the traffic that Blake Island or the San Juan state parks do. A weekday arrival in June can feel like the boat has the place to itself.
Approach. Follow Case Inlet north past Stretch Island, then east around the north tip of Hartstene Island. Easy navigation, well-marked.
Joemma Beach State Park, Key Peninsula
A small, beautiful park on the east side of the Key Peninsula overlooking Carr Inlet. Two mooring buoys and an 80-ft dock (small fee). The beach is excellent for swimming at high tide in summer.
The surrounding area is quiet countryside — farms, forest, minimal development. The kind of stop that produces an extra-day decision for no particular reason.
McMicken Island State Park
A small island connected to Hartstene Island by a sandspit that is exposed at low tide. The anchorage is on the west side of the island. State Parks buoys and good anchoring in sand and mud.
The spit is a Washington State tidelands feature — walkable across at low tide. Clam digging on the surrounding beaches; check WDFW regulations for currently open areas.
Penrose Point State Park, Key Peninsula
On the northwest shore of the Key Peninsula overlooking Carr Inlet. Mooring buoys, a small dock, and over two miles of shoreline. Larger than most South Sound stops — 162 acres with camping, trails, and some of the best tideflat clamming in the area.
Olympia Public Marina / Percival Landing
The end of the road. Budd Inlet terminates at Olympia, and the state capital has done well by visiting boaters at Percival Landing — a public dock in the heart of downtown. The waterfront has restaurants, a farmers’ market, a boardwalk, and direct access to the old town.
Fuel and pumpout are available. Olympia is a working destination on its own — the State Capitol grounds are walkable, the food scene is strong for a small city, and the Olympia Farmers Market is one of the better in Washington.
Crabbing and shellfish
The South Sound is exceptional crabbing territory. Dungeness populations are strong in the inlets, and recreational crabbing is allowed throughout much of the Sound (check WDFW for current open areas and seasonal closures).
Working approach. Drop two ring nets or crab pots in 30–60 ft of water, anchor or moor for the night, pull in the morning. A successful South Sound pull — several keeper Dungeness per pot — is one of the genuine pleasures of Pacific Northwest cruising.
Clam digging is also excellent on the tidal beaches of the South Sound. The WDFW shellfish and seaweed hotline (1-866-880-5431) gives current status for any area. Check the marine biotoxin reports before harvesting; closures occur and matter.
Weather and conditions
The South Sound is more sheltered than the main Puget Sound corridor and has its own weather character.
Summer (June–September). Predominantly light to moderate southwesterlies. Morning fog clearing by midday. Afternoon sea breezes develop in Carr Inlet and Nisqually Reach. Warm and pleasant most days.
Transition seasons (April–May, October). More unsettled. Rain frequent. The South Sound’s sheltered inlets are far less threatening in deteriorating conditions than open water — somewhere is always available to duck into.
Tidal range. 12–14 ft at Olympia — among the larger tidal ranges in the Sound. The anchoring math matters: calculate the low-tide depth carefully before swinging on the hook in any of the shallower coves.
Planning a South Sound trip
Minimum. 3 days from Tacoma allows the Narrows transit, Jarrell Cove overnight, and return. A working weekend introduction.
Better. 5–7 days from Seattle allows time to explore multiple inlets, a night at Joemma or Penrose Point, and a stop at Olympia.
Ideal. 10 days from Seattle or beyond — explore all five inlets at a relaxed pace with days for crabbing, swimming, and doing nothing in particular.
Navigation notes. The South Sound is shallow in places, particularly approaching Olympia. Use current charts and watch the depth sounder in the upper inlets. Main channels are well-marked.
Closing notes
The South Sound rewards boats willing to trade headline destinations for genuine solitude, warm water, and fresh crab cooked in a cockpit. Most summers, the working anchorages have space. Most weekends, the trails are quiet.
Go north if the trip wants headline destinations. But go south at least once. The boat that has anchored at Jarrell Cove on a Tuesday in July and pulled three keeper Dungeness off the pot at 0600 understands why some PNW sailors never go anywhere else.
Related: Cruising Puget Sound: A Complete Guide · Hood Canal Cruising Guide · Seattle Cruising Guide · Tides & Currents