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Public Boating Information and Policies

Washington Waterfront Docks
301 Stewart Parkway, Washington, NC 27889
Dockmaster’s Office: (252) 940-1231 

Dock Attendant Cell Phone: (2523) 944-6661
Fax: (252) 946-1965 / Attn:  Jessica Green

Contact us on VHF channel 16 when in the vicinity of the Coastal Railway Swing Bridge for docking assistance.

Dockage along the Washington Waterfront

  • Transient slips with electricity and water are available for a charge of $1.25 per day per foot of vessel. Short-term docking also is available for $10.00 for up to six hours. Transient slips have a dual 30 amp power connection, and a 50 amp connection is available on each dock. There is a $3 daily charge for 30amp power or $5 for 50 amp. Wi-Fi is available at the transient docks.

  • Free dockage is available at no charge for up to 48 hours along four 80-foot bulkhead docks on the east end of the waterfront. Water and electricity are not available. Stays longer than 48 hours on Free Docks, $.75 per foot per day.

  • A floating dinghy dock is located at the west end of the waterfront, near the Lighthouse. Boats anchored in the harbor may use the dinghy dock and boaters’ heads and showers once registered with the Dock Attendant. Kayak and canoe launch is available from the dinghy dock.

  • Reservations are accepted for transient slips by calling either the Dockmaster’s Office or the Dock Attendant cell phone number shown above. Call early for popular weekends, special events, and holiday periods. Reservations are not required for tie-ups at the Free Docks, which are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

  • Long Term slips are available at a cost of $7.00 per foot of boat length per month, with discounts available for quarterly, semiannual or annual payment. Contact the Dockmaster to discuss long-term dockage

  • Dock Attendant is on duty daily, from 8am to approximately Sunset, to provide docking assistance and register boats, and to provide local information, pump-outs, ice, and assistance to visitors. Contact the Dock Attendant on his cell phone, or VHF 16, or stop by the office in the Lighthouse at the west end of the waterfront.

  • Private and secure heads and showers for registered boaters are available 24 hours a day in the Lighthouse.

  • Laundry facilities are available for registered boaters when the Dock Attendant is on duty. Use of the laundry facility is $5.

  • Pump-out station available for $5 at "A" dock, and ice is available for purchase. Contact the Dock Attendant for assistance.

 

Navigation Information

  • The Washington Waterfront is along the north shore of the Pamlico River, approximately 25 nautical miles westerly from the Intracoastal Waterway, and 55 nautical miles from Ocracoke Island.

  • The channel from Red marker 16 in the Pamlico River has a normal depth of 9 to 11 feet to the Coastal Railway swing bridge. Inside the trestle, water depths run from 14 to 24 feet.

  • The Coastal Railway Swing Bridge is typically closed from about 7:30 am to 10:00 am during weekdays, but will open on demand. Contact the bridge attendant on VHF channel 16 or call the bridge at (252) 975-1017.

  • A no-wake zone is in effect on the Pamlico River between the Coastal Railway swing bridge and the U.S. Highway 17 Bridge. Please reduce your speed to the minimum needed to maintain safe steerage.

  • Transient boat slips on the Washington Waterfront are nominally 35' long and 16' wide, with water depths from 12 to 24 feet. Longer vessels can be accommodated along the outside of the T-docks.

  • The Washington Waterfront has negligible lunar tide and little current, but water depths and currents can change due to wind. Contact the Dock Attendant on VHF 16 to get local conditions and assistance in docking.

Rules and Regulations for Boaters on the Washington Waterfront

  • NO swimming or diving from the bulkhead.

  • Lashed pets are allowed in Stewart Parkway area. Owners must clean up after pets. Scoopers are provided. Pets are banned from the waterfront during special events such as Summer Festival (second weekend in June) and Fourth of July activities.

  • No open flames on the docks or adjacent promenade and green space. Grilling on your boat is OK.

  • Fishing is permitted along the promenade, but please do not fish from docks where boats are berthed or from the observation pier near " I " dock.

  • Both fishing and dogs are prohibited from the wooden boardwalk, which is a wildlife refuge area.

Free Boat Launching Facilities

  • A boat launch ramp is available on Runyon Creek, on the east side of Washington on Park Drive near the north end of the Coastal Railway trestle. Two boat ramps, docks, parking for cars and trailers, and a covered picnic shelter are available. Restrooms are located across Park Drive in the Havens Garden Park.   Access to the Pamlico River is under a bridge with 14 feet of vertical clearance.

  • There is a state launch ramp at Mason's Landing at Tranters Creek, on Clark's Neck Road, off US Highway 264 west of Washington. Handicapped accessible facility with two ramps, docks, and parking for cars and trailers. Access to the Pamlico River is under the Highway 17 Bridge with 18 feet of vertical clearance.