Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse

Lime Kiln Point sits on the west side of San Juan Island, off Westside Road, within Lime Kiln Point State Park. The dive begins at a narrow trail down to the water to the left of the lighthouse, where a small sheltered bay lets divers wait for slack water before venturing to the drop-off. Bull kelp grows just off the rocks, and past the kelp line a rocky drop-off holds fish and encrusting invertebrates. Dead Man's Bay, a small pebble and boulder cove just south of the point, is part of the same shore-dive entry: bull kelp along exposed rocks at low tide gives way to a boulder field where giant Pacific octopus have been recorded.

The Lime Kiln Light was established at the point in 1914 with acetylene lamps, then rebuilt in 1919 as a 38-foot octagonal concrete tower atop the fog signal building. Its name traces to the lime kilns operated at the point in the 1860s. At 42 acres, the surrounding state park is now one of the best shore-based orca viewing locations in the world, with resident pods passing close to the point during the summer months.

The kelp forest biome begins at the fringe just off the point; past the kelp line, a rocky drop-off puts the outer edge of the dive in a rocky reef biome. Dead Man's Bay carries the same pairing, with bull kelp above the boulder field and the invertebrate-encrusted rocks below. Scuba is the primary activity at the site; the currents rule out casual snorkeling. Currents through Haro Strait can be very strong at Lime Kiln, and slack water is required before venturing to the drop-off. Dead Man's Bay is best worked at high slack.

The paved State Parks lot near the interpretive center and lighthouse handles regular parking, and a Discover Pass is required at $10 per day or $45 per year. Dead Man's Bay uses a separate small pullout south of the lighthouse with room for only 2 to 4 vehicles, so early arrival is advised on busy days. Marine Area 7 rules govern the water: rockfish retention is prohibited across Marine Areas 6 through 13, lingcod spearfishing runs May 21 to June 15 with a 36-inch maximum and a daily limit of 1 fish, and cabezon is open May 1 to November 30 at an 18-inch minimum with the same daily limit. WDFW enforces.