Flyover Filucy Bay
Photo: Oona Copperhill
The Peninsula Gateway

The LIC operates the Longbranch Marina on beautiful Filucy Bay, just half a mile down the road from the club's main building. The dock is on the site where the ferry and supply boats served the Longbranch area in the early years of the last century. Very little remains today as evidence of the hotel, warehouse, store, and post office that were built at the water's edge. All gone now except the concrete pier that is the fixed part of the club's facility. On the land side of the pier, there is limited parking for 10-12 cars (more parking is available along the road). At the other end of the concrete pier, a ramp connects with the floats that form the various fingers of the Marina. The Marina provides moorage for both members and visiting guest boaters. There are accommodations for thirty-six member stalls, seven member boathouses, and a total of seven hundred sixty feet of dock for transient boats. On busy weekends when various clubs might be sharing the facilities, boats are rafted side by side and can total as many as sixty to seventy. The operation of the Marina is overseen by the Dockmaster who is on the docks daily to assist visiting boaters in tying up and to see to the collection of moorage fees and the assignment of slips. There is also a Dock Committee and a Chairman to take care of maintenance and upgrades and to formulate regulations and set rates. Longbranch and Filucy Bay, boater's paradise... at the southern tip of the Key Peninsula, south Puget Sound. Members who have boats at the Marina must volunteer at least fifteen hours of service to the club per year and must attend at least three meetings a year. There is also a residency requirement. There is usually a waiting list for the limited number of stalls. Recently, the club installed some new floats and also built a covered area where guests can gather for group functions. There are curtains that can be lowered in bad weather making the covered area popular with visiting boaters even during the late fall, winter, and early spring. There is good potable water on the docks. Toilet facilities are available shoreside at the end of the pier, and garbage disposal is also provided. There is no fuel dock, ice, groceries, showers, or laundry facilities, But, the lack of these amenities does not deter visiting boaters from enjoying the protected waters and fabulous views from Filucy Bat. Mount Rainier, in good visibility, is perfectly framed by the harbor entrance and makes the view from the dock one of the most memorable in all Puget Sound. Gangplank to the boat houses. Twice a year, on Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, the dock becomes a beehive of activity as boaters gather to attend a dance held at the club's large hall. A shuttle service is provided to take boaters the short distance from the dock to the hall. Live music and a bar run by club volunteers ensure a fun evening of dancing and socializing. These two dances have been held for many years and almost always sell out. The dock is usually filled on these weekends with various clubs and cruising groups making Longbranch their traditional destination for these two holidays. For those who prefer to anchor out, Filucy Bay offers good protection and good holding ground. There is a designated dinghy tie-up area near the foot of the ramp. Another annual event at the Longbranch Marina is the Opening Day Dock Breakfast hosted by LIC on the first weekend in May. The Montlake Cut to Lake Washington is lined with hundreds of boats for the traditional Seattle Yacht Club Opening Day. But, Longbranch offers a more serene alternative to South Sound boaters who can enjoy a breakfast prepared by LIC members right on the dock. This event is very popular and gives those who don't have boats a chance to enjoy the facilities at the Marina. Longbranch Marina boathouses. Longbranch is located near the southern end of the Key Peninsula in Pierce County. The Marina lies in Filucy Bay (latitude N. 47o 12' 56", longitude W. 122o 45' 28"). There are abundant recreational opportunities nearby including two State Parks, a Marine Park at Eagle Island, and public beaches managed by the Department of Natural Resources. If you are planning a cruise in Southern Puget Sound, the Longbranch Marina makes an ideal destination for an overnight stay and a chance to relax in peaceful and picturesque surroundings. For more information, call the Dockmaster, (253)884-5137.

Map Dock Regulations