Richmond Beach Saltwater Park
Shoreline · Central Sound · Washington
Visibility Breakdown
Visibility by position
Solid = diver report · outlined = today's forecast
Break Zone: The range of water where the waves break and sediment is stirred up.
Post Break: The range past where any waves are forming, where the water starts to have a significant increase in visibility. There might be some sediment here, but swell energy is diffused and the water is calmer.
Open Water: This zone is far out enough from the shore that the water is at its clearest. It’s deep enough that sediment is not disturbed by the wave energy at the surface. Haze can sit near the surface, so the water is usually clearer the deeper you go.
Through the day
Today's visibility readings at this spot, shown at the hour each one was taken.
Every bar is a reading for the Post Break zone.
This chart shows measured diver reports only.
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Why it reads 16–20 ft
Today's forecast runs
The clarity holds through the day, with a light afternoon onshore the only disturbance to the entry shallows.
Medium confidence
7-Day Forecast
Today is the live headline above. Tomorrow onward is the algorithm's forecast from predicted swell, wind, and rain, updated each morning and at 6 PM Pacific.
Map and parking
Park lot sits above the tracks; the beach entry is roughly a 125-yard walk down through a footbridge over the BNSF right-of-way. A tank cart helps considerably. Park hours 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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About Richmond Beach Saltwater Park
Richmond Beach Saltwater Park sits along the Shoreline waterfront, immediately north of Seattle city limits on the eastern shore of Central Puget Sound. Access is unusual. The parking area sits above the BNSF main-line tracks, and the beach entry is roughly a 125-yard walk down through a pedestrian footbridge that crosses the right-of-way. A tank cart is standard practice. Underwater, a large shallow reef sits in about 10 feet of water inshore, and a developed debris field begins around 20 feet and continues intermittently to about 35. Around 45 feet, sections of a cinderblock-and-rope trail and partially covered lengths of large anchor chain run offshore. Between 57 and 60 feet, large concrete anchor blocks with additional chain mark the deeper limits of the developed dive.
Species found here
Researched habitat and range candidates. A listed species may be seasonal or depth-limited; this is not a confirmed sighting at this location.
Spot strategies
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