Need WA suggestions

[Even Kiehl]

Hi
Currently in No Cal and my 28' twin turbo diesel on a trailer ready to head north, possibly for good. Looking for areas where I can buy a water view or on the water small house and keep the boat at a marina and do some cruising. Any suggestions or thoughts welcome. I have been in Santa Rosa 20 years, time to go, boat is in Sausalito, love it there, but ready for a change. Will probably do a road trip soon to look around, but from the boating viewpoint I ask, as it would be nice to have nearby excursions or little cruises, even to Victoria. And a marina nearby. Thanks, Stuart

 

[localboy]

WA State is pretty pricey, especially for property with Sound views. On the water is even more expensive. That said, lots of possibilities.

If you’re looking for easy cruising into Canada etc then the north Sound is it. The Olympic peninsula will be less expensive than the “mainland”. Sequim, Port Townsend. Or look around Whidbey or Camano Islands. Plenty of other areas that are only limited by your checkbook.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Are you still working full time? Or working from home or retired? If the latter you can stay away from the Seattle urban area and get more for your $$$. Unfortunately western Wa, especially the Seattle urban area has undergone a California sized increase in home prices.

You may also want to consider the weather. Central Whidbey Island, most of the San Juans and Sequim are drier than the rest of western Washington. They're in the Olympic Mtn rain shadow.

What other activities are important to you besides boating?

Also your political stance and religious beliefs. Some communities may not be a good fit for you.

Once those needs and desires are defined then a good realtor will be an enormous help.

 

[Waterford]

I live at the very southern tip of Puget Sound near Olympia. Moorage and housing is available and "reasonable" (by today's standards). There is some nice cruising in the south sound area but the San Juan Islands are the gold standard for Washington State. Moving north toward the islands gets more expensive and moorage is less available. The town of Anacortes is ideally located for protected moorage and easy access to San Juans and Canadian cruising but moorage is a long wait and housing is expensive. However, you could keep your boat on a trailer while you wait and live in a wonderful town with great boating features. La Conner is also worth considering, just a few miles south of Anacortes.

Moving further south towards Seattle opens up moorage options but adds time and distance to you cruising targets. Housing costs around Seattle are frightful. However, take a look at towns like Poulsbo, Bremerton and Bainbridge. Everett and Edmonds are also nice cities but I think there is a long waitlist for moorage there too. I'm sure others will give you details about that area.

The good news is you can't go wrong. Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and the Broughtons are absolutely stunning cruising areas. And SE Alaska is only a coupe weeks away. Welcome to Washington!

 

[DRGUY]

Check out Poulsbo, Olympia and Anacortes...

All 3 are great choices...Olympia may be the most reasonable cost wise.

 

[rsn48]

Check out Whidby Island. The northern area has the largest community - Oak Harbor. Want something more rural and town, check out Coupeville. Want to be closer to Seattle so you can easily and quickly visit, check out the communities on the southern tip.

This is actually a decent video, don't be put off by the intro:

Another intro to Whidby vid:

Whidby Island Wiki:

Whidbey Island - Wikipedia

 

[Even Kiehl]

Thanks. I am retired, fixed income, not much, will sell my house in Santa Rosa, CA to pay for the one up north. Single. Other interests or needs would be a Trader Joe's, VA and or Kaiser and try and find some dance venues, always a nice crowd and fun activity.

Good points, weather and culture. Do not want to be in a rain forest and can't be in the sun anymore. Funny the political or cultural aspect was mentioned, because the sister of a marina owner who is very middle of the road made disparaging remarks about the what she sorta termed redneck attitudes around her brother's marina. A surprise to me. I do not want to be in a trump dominated environment, one of the reasons I am not considering the south of the US.
A water view will be fine, as the boat will hopefully be in the water nearby, don't want to launch it from a trailer
Much appreciation, Stuart

 

[RonR]

With the list of good points you have, I would suggest North of Tacoma and South of Everett.

VA/Trader Joes/Kaiser/Dance/Fun and active, non Trump land.


If you don't want to launch from the trailer I would suggest getting on a wait list now for a slip. Pending needs Everett is about 1-3 years out, Edmonds is about the same.

By cutting a few of your wants you could consider Kingston, I am unsure of the wait list for a slip, but the people are nice, the views are great and the homes are more affordable than the East side of the Sound.

https://portofkingston.org/


North of Everett your not going to find many Trader Joes and are more app to be in Trump land.

And if your transplanting from Cali here are a few suggestions.
Come up right about now and stay for a few weeks to see if you can deal with the Gray/Rain/Cold. Out of the last 27 days it has rained 25 of them with 3 snow and a total of about 7.5 inches.
If you do transplant tell everyone your from anyplace but Cali.

 

[Mark Laurnen]

Anacortes would be great, and so might be Port Angeles, which I do not believe I see mentioned. Bellingham might also be a contender. I grew up splitting time between Seattle and San Juan Island, both of which have become very expensive. The islands are fabulous, Friday Harbor would be worth a look, but bring added additional expense for everything, increased travel costs, and very limited moorage availability. The Seattle area is very crowded, and a considerable distance from the places you will actually want to be boating. Moorage really is a confounding factor ... you will do better if you search the larger waterfront communities I mentioned initially. Best wishes for your search.

 

[Waterford]

Western WA is traditionally liberal, but there are a few places more red than blue. TJs are common. Several military bases along Puget Sound so VA resources are plentiful. Kaiser purchased our Group Health Cooperative a few years back so their clinics are prevalent too.

Boating north from the Seattle area includes one gateway, either Strait of Juan de Fuca or Deception Pass. Boating from south of Tacoma will add a second gateway, the Tacoma Narrows. All passable on slack currents.

 

[sunchaser]

With a trailer boat you have the best of both worlds. As example, you keep your vessel on the hard say in Anacortes and launch when you want to. Then areas in non Coastal WA open up. Take your time and look around. Heck you could even consider OR or ID.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Good points, all, thank you, it's like a blank canvas and the boat on the trailer does open many more options. Weather certainly a consideration, bought a 31' trimaran an hour north of Nanaimo, was February when I bought it, absolutely freezing, no wonder it had a diesel heater, eventually sailed it down to San Francisco, met a returning sub in the Strait of Juan de Fuca...

 

[porman]

I haven't seen Port Orchard mentioned. Just across Sinclair Inlet from Bremerton.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Really, I LOVE boating and would live on my boat if some circumstances were a little different. I also like having waterfront property.

But why have both? Buy a less expensive home inland and spend your time on the boat.
Having a lakefront home and a live aboard boat is kind of like having two boats or having two lakefront homes. You can only use one at a time.

pete

 

[Even Kiehl]

Lots of options, that certainly is one of them, another just get a big boat..

 

[localboy]

Western WA is traditionally liberal...

We have a winner for the “understated fact of the year” award.����

 

[localboy]

I haven't seen Port Orchard mentioned. Just across Sinclair Inlet from Bremerton.

Bremerton Marina...or Brownsville either...then there’s Poulsbo too.

I have to agree with the trailer option. You can go almost anywhere and launch. When we go north, we drive and launch out of:

Cornet Bay, Squalicom Harbor or even Blaine Harbor. Less time and fuel and the San Juan Islands are a short boat trip away.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Looking at every location mentioned, thanks, water view will suffice
Found some nice houses in Blaine, but don't know the boating, marinas, community and area, weather, etc....
Will have to narrow it down and do a road trip, a friend keeps his 44' boat in Friday Harbor, but that area beyond my price range...

 

[klee wyck]

Looking at every location mentioned, thanks, water view will suffice
Found some nice houses in Blaine, but don't know the boating, marinas, community and area, weather, etc....
Will have to narrow it down and do a road trip, a friend keeps his 44' boat in Friday Harbor, but that area beyond my price range...

We moor in Blaine and love the town. Small, but adequate for us. Good value all around and I don't get the sense that people wield their politics like a weapon as a rule.

Welcome to WA.

 

[GoneFarrell]

Consider putting your boat on dry storage, call ahead to have them splash your boat. You will have to find out the weight limit, I see boats like yours getting splashed. Solves the moorage problem, which cannot be overstated. 2 to 3 year wait for vacancy.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Yeah, I just want to be left alone, People can have their own views, fine, but religion and politics "not to be wielded", agree. Will have to look into Blaine and see the boating environment. You say you "moor" you mean drop the hook, mooring balls or a marina? Thx

 

[Moonfish]

Port Ludlow might be the kind of place you're looking for. A quiet, "master planned" retirement community of about 14 square miles, it has hundreds of homes and condos, a small village w/gas and stores, is 20-25 minutes from the cities of Poulsbo and Port Townsend (Costco and other big box stores 35-40 mins away), and a very nice private marina.

Here's one of our "90-second Cruising Guides" we made for the marina a few years ago:

https://youtu.be/okq2oXsLaXg

 

[Even Kiehl]

Thanks, am not a group retirement sort of person, prefer more privacy, but the place seems well laid out and a good idea, if they had some weathered oldies needing some TLC without close neighbors might be a thought.
Appreciate the input

 

[rsn48]

Whidby Island is in a rain shadow of the Olympic mountains. This means it rains heavily over these mountains and much less so on Whidby since much of the clouds have been drained so to speak.

"Climate in Whidbey Island Station, Washington
Whidbey Island Station, Washington gets 22 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Whidbey Island Station averages 4 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 162 sunny days per year in Whidbey Island Station. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Whidbey Island Station gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 140 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure."

From this link: https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/washington/whidbey_island_station

 

[klee wyck]

Yeah, I just want to be left alone, People can have their own views, fine, but religion and politics "not to be wielded", agree. Will have to look into Blaine and see the boating environment. You say you "moor" you mean drop the hook, mooring balls or a marina? Thx

WE rent a slip in Blaine Harbor Marina. There is a private marine just outside this public marina breakwater where you can rent or own a slip at Semiahmoo.
Semiahmoo is a bit of a retirement community.

Leaving Blaine Harbor on a course of around 260 you are in the San Jaun Islands in about 90 minutes, leaving on a course of around 330 you are in the Canadian Gulf Islands in about 90 minutes. (In a slow boat)

If North is your gig, it is the US gateway to the Alaska Marine Highway.

In all, these are among the best cruising grounds on the planet and suitable for a broad range of craft.

Don't tell anyone.....

 

[Ken E.]

Even, the Blaine docks are operated by Port of Bellingham. They can give you specifics on slip availability, rates, etc. Generally speaking, Blaine slips are more available than those in Bellingham.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Hey Bill, Blaine has a lot of appeal, looked it up, both marinas as one enters, one on each side, looked up the weather numbers and seems bleak and cold though. I am no longer a sun person but wondering your take on that corner of the world? 90 min to various cruising grounds fine, what speed for this time, 8-10 knots? Seems like a non pretentious area without urban attitudes and expectations....my email if you choose, stuart@sfcharterboat.com, or fine to stay on thread if of benefit or interest to others.
Thanks, Stuart

 

[IRENE]

Port Angeles and Sequim

We live in Port Angeles, and keep the boat in Sequim.

The marina in Sequim is clean and peaceful. It is not a boating destination as there is nothing to arrive to. We can be in the San Juan Islands in 4 hours (7 knots).

If you would like a deeper dive on either, please get in touch via private message and we can talk.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Jeff, Why do you not keep your boat in PA? Didn't John Wayne start the marina in Sequim, or it is named after him? How long a drive from PA to Sequim? A friend said to look into PA, and I sailed into there from Vancouver Island on my way to San Francisco. Curious your land and sea combo. Thanks, Stuart

 

[IRENE]

The marina in Port Angeles, Port Angeles Boat Haven, is very dirty due to proximity to a roadway, logyards, and traffic. We are fortunate to have this asset, but we would not enjoy the setting as much as Sequim Bay.

John Wayne Marina - yes, named after him as he gifted the property for the marina.

Drive time - 30 minutes.