Location Details & Amenities
Every marina, anchorage, and marine park in the BoatRoutes database has its own detail page with practical information for cruisers. Here is what you will find on each location page.
Location Types
Section titled “Location Types”BoatRoutes covers three main types of locations:
Marinas — Full-service facilities with docks, shore power, and usually fuel. Many offer restrooms, showers, laundry, pump-out stations, and provisioning access.
Anchorages — Sheltered areas where you can anchor your boat. These range from well-known, popular spots to quiet coves. Anchorage pages include information about bottom type, holding quality, and protection from wind.
Marine Parks — Government-maintained parks accessible by water, often with mooring buoys, dinghy docks, and shore facilities. Washington State Parks and BC Provincial Parks are represented.
What You See on a Location Page
Section titled “What You See on a Location Page”Header
Section titled “Header”The location name, type badge, and geographic coordinates. The breadcrumb shows which cruising area the location belongs to.
A map view centered on the location, showing nautical chart context and nearby locations.
Photos
Section titled “Photos”Many locations have a photo gallery. When photos are available, you see a strip of thumbnails near the top of the page. Click any thumbnail to open a larger view, then step through the rest with the arrows. Photos help you recognize a marina entrance or judge how exposed an anchorage looks before you go. Not every location has photos yet.
Amenities
Section titled “Amenities”For marinas, a grid of available amenities including:
- Fuel (gas and/or diesel)
- Shore power
- Water
- Pump-out station
- Restrooms and showers
- Laundry
- Wi-Fi
- Provisions and groceries
- Repair services
Routes
Section titled “Routes”A route explorer table showing all available routes from this location. Sort by distance, time, or destination type. Expand any row to see all route variants (Direct, Protected, Scenic).
Tide & Current Stations
Section titled “Tide & Current Stations”Sparkline cards showing data from the nearest NOAA tide and current stations. These give you a quick visual of current conditions and the daily tidal pattern. To learn how to read these cards, see Tide & Current Stations.
Shelter Ratings {#shelter}
Section titled “Shelter Ratings {#shelter}”Anchorages can carry a shelter rating. The rating is a quick read of how protected the spot is from wind and waves. A well-sheltered anchorage stays calm in most weather. A poorly sheltered one can get rough when the wind turns.
Wind direction matters as much as the rating itself. A cove that blocks the usual northwest wind can still be exposed when the wind swings around to the south. Always read the protection notes next to the rating, not just the rating on its own.
Use the shelter rating to pick a stop that matches the forecast. In settled weather almost any anchorage works. When wind is in the forecast, choose a spot that is sheltered from the direction the wind will blow.
- Use the route explorer on a location page to plan your next leg. It shows every destination reachable from that location, with distance and time estimates.
- Check the amenities section before planning a provisioning stop. Not every marina has a grocery store within walking distance.
- For anchorages, pay attention to wind protection notes. A spot that is well-protected from prevailing northwest winds may be exposed to southerlies.
- The nearest tide station shows the predicted tide at the location. Cross-reference with chart depths to ensure adequate water depth at low tide.