By Kate Scriven
I travel along East Bay Drive almost every day. The view across the water, with the boats in the foreground and the Olympics in the distance, never fails to put a smile on my face and remind me how lucky I am to live in this beautiful place.
The Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound are part of the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. The boats? They are part of another area gem in this place we call home – Swantown Marina.
Swantown was opened in 1984 and is owned and managed by The Port of Olympia. The marina serves local boaters as well as visitors from around the region with comprehensive services and a top-notch facility. I’m not a boat owner so I was surprised to learn about the size, services, and environmental pedigree of our local marina and its adjacent Boatworks.
Here is a rundown of the marina by the numbers:
- Swantown Marina boasts 733 boat slips.
- It is ranked as the 7th largest marina in the state.
- 70 families currently live aboard at Swantown.
- 2,500 “boat nights” (paid overnight guests) were logged in 2014 bringing an estimated $500,000+ annually to the local economy.
- Four large bathroom, shower, and laundry facilities are on site, one of which is accessed only by marina tenants with keycard access.
- A new two-lane boat launch is open to the public for a $5 launch fee.
- Security and Port personnel are on-site 365 days a year to inspect the docks, check boats, and monitor security issues.
- 70+ guest slips are available on concrete-topped floats for visiting boats up to 100 feet.
- $16 per night for up to 20 foot vessels ($.80 per foot after that) buys you guest moorage with shore power.
- Dry storage, mini-storage units, and parking spots are available for permanent marina residents.
Not to be outdone, the adjacent Boatworks services boats from all over the northwest, serving as the closest major boatyard for most points south and east of Olympia.
- Boatworks’ crane can haul vessels up to 82 tons and 21 feet wide.
- 24-hour emergency haul-out services are available.
- The boatyard is 3.6 acres and can hold up to 60 vessels.
- Comprehensive marine services are offered including painting, mechanical and electrical work, woodworking and custom cabinetry, rigging services, welding and more.
- Short and long-term storage is offered with special winter rates.
An impressive statistic that both the marina and boatyard share is the prestigious “Certified Clean Marina” award – the industry’s highest certification. Not only are they Certified Clean, but Swantown Marina and Boatworks was awarded the Leadership Award for its environmental standards. Harbor Director Bruce Marshall is proud of the award and shares, “The Department of Ecology calls ours the cleanest boatyard in the state.” He also notes that only 2% of marinas in the State of Washington have received the Leadership Award and Swantown was among the first.
Boaters from around the U.S. utilize Swantown Marina. As the largest and most comprehensive marina south of Seattle, and the closest access point to the Puget Sound for boaters travelling from states south of Washington, the marina sees a fair share of boat launches and deliveries from Oregon, California and beyond. And while most of the boats moored in the 700+ slips are local, many are owned by people who live out of town, wanting safe moorage and easy access to the Puget Sound when they visit the area seasonally.
Snowbirds often moor their boats at Swantown for when they return from the sunny southern weather. Others keep a boat for when they visit local family or vacation on the water. No matter the reason, every tenant and guest brings dollars to the local economy through moorage fees and use of downtown Olympia’s shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
For local non-boat owners, Swantown has a lot to offer. The marina property includes a lengthy walking trail beginning on the East Bay Drive side, winding around the base of the inlet, through the marina, past the working Port of Olympia and ending at Percival Landing Boardwalk. Add a walk along this trail to your summer bucket list. And, pack a picnic. The heart of Swantown boasts a lovely, shady park complete with tables and bathrooms, perfect for a lunch rest-stop along the way.
The park facility, complete with tables, chairs and outdoor grills, can also be reserved for group gatherings such as reunions, school picnics, and events. With the backdrop of the boats, the water and the Olympics you can skip the party decorations.
What’s next for Swantown? Marshall shares the two-year process exploring the proposed new fuel dock is nearing completion. Details on project status can be found here. Additional docks are being planned for the south end of the marina along with the construction of a new waterfront restaurant. A new commercial building, housing retail services for boat owners, is also planned for the section between Boatworks and the marina.
Put a visit to Swantown Marina on your list for this summer. Whether you walk the trail, park your boat for a day, or rent a slip for a weekend “stay-cation” downtown, the marina is sure to please.
