The Port of Anacortes is a natural deep water port that is ideally situated for shipping to the Pacific Rim, Canada, and Alaska. The Port of Anacortes, located a direct sail down the Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Pacific Ocean, is in Skagit County between Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The Port's facilities are situated within the City of Anacortes and Skagit County.

The Port of Anacortes is the primary public cargo port in Skagit County and is located on the northern portion of Fidalgo Island, about 93 nautical miles eastward of the Pacific Ocean. Anacortes is about 50 miles north of Seattle, within Puget Sound, and about halfway between Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle. The Port is approximately 30 nautical miles south of the Canadian border.

Located on Puget Sound in western Washington, the Port of Anacortes is midway between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. Its location, natural deep-water berthing, excellent inland transportation access, and proximity to large population centers, ideally suits shipping to the Pacific Rim, Canada, and Alaska. Pier 2 is the dock used to export coke produced by Puget Sound Refining Company (PSRC) to ships and barges. The coke is then transported to aluminum plants in Canada for use in the manufacture of high-grade aluminum.

The Port District of the Port of Anacortes was originally established in 1926 and included all of the islands in the western portion of Skagit County. In 1962, the voters of the Bayview area authorized annexation to the Port District. This act created the present District, encompassing just over 110 square miles in area and about 18,000 residents. The Port?s primary operations include handling cargo (including petroleum coke and logs), operating a 1,100 boat marina on Fidalgo Bay, and managing the Anacortes Airport.

Curtis Wharf is currently used as a working wharf and dock for commercial boats and ships with a maximum draft of ?24 MLLW. The site provides periodic vessel moorage to a range of users, including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, tenants staging project cargoes, and short term project assembly tenants.

As of early 1999 the R/V Cory Chouest was tied up at the Port of Anacortes, a convenient location to the San Juan Islands, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia [Canadian waters], and the Pacific.

Curtis Wharf includes a concrete wharf, dock, and small public beach area acquired by the Port in 1998. The beach functions as an informal public boat launch and picnic spot. The wharf and dock were renovated in 1992. As mitigation for the pier renovation and expansion, the prior owner constructed a subtidal habitat area for the attachment of eelgrass, kelp, and other macroalgae. In 1996 and 1997, the size of the concrete wharf was increased by 35,200 square feet. The Port has recently upgraded the site to include a new fendering and dolphin system, a galvanized steel bridge for pedestrian access between Curtis Wharf and Pier I, and a salmon pen.

Located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Anacortes is a charming, historically rich waterfront community on Fidalgo Island. Equally distanced between Seattle to the south and Vancouver, British Columbia to the north, Fidalgo Island is connected to the mainland and Whidbey Island by bridge and to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, BC by year round ferry. Fidalgo Island is a popular spot for outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, kayaking and bicycling. Amenities include a 2,200 acre Community Forestland with an extensive trail system, six freshwater lakes, and many beaches and parks.

Skagit County is primarily rural, with a population of approximately 98,700 in 1998. The City of Anacortes has an estimated 1999 population of approximately 15,000, up from the 1990 census count of 11,600. The city has a moderate climate, with average winter temperatures between 30?F and 40? and a mean maximum summer temperature of approximately 73?F.