Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Washington

Re: Beach access

I have not had to deal with one of these cases in Washington, so I am posting this, just in case no one else responds to your query. For what it's worth, this is just an anecdotal answer.

I recall from when I used to live in Malibu, California, that this question came up all the time. As I recall, the rule was that the homeowner of beach front property owned the land up to the tide line (which shifts with the rising and receding tides). There were also rules that provided the public had to have access to the beaches, so easements that ran between beach front homes allowed the public to get in. The interesting part always came when the public beach goer got out of the water after surfing, swimming, etc., and started to sunbath. Some landowners were out there harassing them telling the sunbather to move with the ever shifting tide line.

Bottom line: I think the public has a right of access, and at least use of the water and land up to the tide line. Beyond that, I would have to do some research on it. I hope this at least points you in the right direction.