Friday Harbor is a small cove about 1 mile long and nearly as wide. Brown Island, locally known as Friday Island because of the housing development here, occupies the middle of the harbor, with shoals nearly 200 yards wide off both its E and S shores. A shoal, covered 3¼ fathoms and marked by a buoy, extends nearly into midchannel from the W shore of the island. Shoals off the SE end of the island are marked by a daybeacon. The harbor may be entered either E or W of Brown Island.
The Port of Friday Harbor small-craft harbor, protected on the S and E sides by a long floating breakwater is marked at the N end by a light. A shipyard is at the S end of Friday Harbor. A 35-ton lift is available; complete hull and engine repairs can be made. Berths with electricity for over 500 craft are available. At least 150 of this total capacity is used for transient berthing. Water and pump-out station are available. Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine supplies are available. Friday Harbor is a customs port of entry. The customs office is about 75 yards W of the port’s office, at the yacht club building.
The University of Washington maintains a marine biological laboratory 0.4 mile NNW of the N end of Brown Island. The E pier, a high structure cantilevered about 35 feet out from shore, makes a prominent landmark in entering Friday Harbor.