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Old 01-28-2020, 12:33 PM   #41
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If Blaine is being recommended then also consider Point Roberts. The negative is you will be driving across the Can/Am border to get to Pt. Roberts as there is no road way directly to its location through Washington. If you find it pricey to rent or purchase a land based home there, you can always live in Blaine and get easy access to your boat in Pt. Roberts. Get a Nexus card,quicker to get across the border.

Pt. Roberts has historically catered to Canadian wants and needs. In the Rum Running days, it was a stop off for illicit booze coming from Canada. Then for the longest time it was the party area for Vancouverites who couldn't purchase booze on Sundays. So on Sunday it was a continual party. You will be happy to know this era has passed. Now when you first arrive to this tiny patch of American land, you will notice some large gas stations far out of proportion to the areas needs. Vancouverites living close to the Point will purchase their gas at these stations as gas is much cheaper in the States.

The nice thing about this marina is that it is behind a gated community and border guards are your security. You have to pass through customs to enter the area. Probably one of the most secure marinas in the States.

https://www.pointrobertsmarina.com/
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Old 01-28-2020, 12:45 PM   #42
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Hi
Looking at all the suggestions from yesterday, my budget for a house is $500K. Would like to keep the boat in the water, but, as someone mentioned, some of the marinas will splash and take the boat out with notice. Lots of options and mulling them all
Many thanks for the contributions
Stuart
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Old 01-28-2020, 02:06 PM   #43
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Try the Columbia River. For boats Oregon seems to be cheaper, but they do have an income tax. Boat taxes are much higher in WA, no income tax.

That being said you can still park your boat in the Sound or make the trip around the horn out the Columbia River Bar to the Sound.
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Old 01-28-2020, 02:29 PM   #44
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I've always liked Lagoon Point in Greenbank and Mariner's Cove west of Oak Harbor, both on Whidbey Island. Many homes have docks, if you buy one without perhaps you can rent dock space from a boatless neighbor. Oak Harbor Marina has short waiting lits. VA support nearby. Trader Joe's will be a long-ish drive. Mariner's Cove puts you close the NAS Whidbey and their jets.
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Old 01-28-2020, 02:41 PM   #45
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"I do not want to be in a trump dominated environment, one of the reasons I am not considering the south of the US."

Don't be too quick to judge - you will find plenty of middle-of-the-road, live and let live, and even a few far left folks down here also .
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Old 01-28-2020, 03:09 PM   #46
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Hi Stuart,
I used to moor in the Point Roberts Marina for several years. I have many friends who still do. There is space available, so that is a positive compared to several of the other areas suggested that have somewhat lengthy wait lists. It is a small, isolated US community that has limited facilities for shopping. However, the marina has a nice restaurant and full service haulout with repair facilities (fuel dock as well). It is approx. 10 nautical miles closer to any "cruising grounds" than Blaine or Semiahoo, but again, limited shopping (only really gas stations and a grocery store with liquor).
Clearing customs both ways (on the water) is usually very easy if everyone on board has "Nexus", and the items of concern going into Canada are fire arms, alcohol, and some food products. Going into the US, is usually some food products. Both ways, what food is prohibited does change based on the "latest issues".
If you contemplate buying property on the Point, check it out first as it is a small peninsula only accessible by land by going through Canada (it is also accessible from the water (obviously if they have a large very well protected marina)). Property prices should be low, due to the geography (it's isolation from the rest of the US).
By the way, this entire geographic area (PNW, southern BC, Oregon) is basically a "rainforest". It does rain here alot, especially in the late fall, winter, and early spring. Basically that is what gives the area it's beauty!
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Old 01-28-2020, 03:49 PM   #47
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When I moved here in 1999, locals used to joke “summer here is beautiful...both days of it”. I’ve come to realize it wasn’t that far from the truth in some years. I remember sitting in the cabin last July 2nd, while anchored in Liberty Bay, Poulsbo with the diesel heater running and it dumping so hard we didn’t get off the boat.

The winters here can suck the life right out of you. Not for the cold, but for the never-ending drizzle and gray, depressing gloom.
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Old 01-28-2020, 04:12 PM   #48
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Tom, thx for Pt Roberts, they claim a unique weather area. Interesting for both a marina and maybe a home, but the Nexus thing would be a pain as I often bring last minute guests and friends of friends, so that would pretty much make things very complicated just to go out and back at the last minute. BTW, I bought a trimaran in French Creek and sailed it to the Bay area.
Still looking at all the ideas and thinking about various combinations, including just keeping the boat somewhere in WA and keeping my house here, but I am pretty much over this area for various reasons, but do love the climate...
Someone sent me a message about Oregon which I have not even considered, not wild about just a river but will give him a call and learn more...
Stuart
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Old 01-28-2020, 05:20 PM   #49
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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.
A Great thing about the Sequim harbor is the wonderful restaurant downstairs.
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Old 01-28-2020, 09:04 PM   #50
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Stuart,
Not trying to convince you about Point Roberts, just trying to ensure you have as much info to help with your search.
If you leave from Point Roberts and stay in US waters, eg. the San Juans, Anacortes, etc. there is no border crossing involved at all, therefore, guests don't need Nexus. Also, you can clear back into the US right at the Customs dock in the Point Roberts Marina (with just a Passport - no need for Nexus). Like wise clearing into Canada, there are several clearing "ports" in the Canadian Gulf Islands that are very close to Point Roberts, so it is really no different than say Blaine, Bellingham, Anacortes, etc. from the point of view of "clearing Customs".
Just saying,

Tom
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Old 01-28-2020, 09:30 PM   #51
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Tom, Good points will have to look at the boundaries and cruising areas and routes. Obviously if I stay in US waters nothing has to be done. If I go to Victoria, for example, it will not be a spur of the moment and time to plan, so appreciate the input and will do a little more studying of this area. Hope to get up there to look around at different areas.
Cheers
Stuart
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Old 01-29-2020, 01:38 PM   #52
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Google, Birch Bay Village. A few miles south of Blaine, still N of Bellingham. It is a gated community, with a private marina(affordable), and many other amenities, has its own fuel dock(gas only), pump out. Homes available in price range you mentioned. Been living there for 20 years, don’t plan on leaving.
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Old 01-29-2020, 01:57 PM   #53
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I lived in mariner's Cove, Oak Harbor on the North end of Whidbey Island for several years. Built a house with water view, but was not on the water. There are two community docks, and I rented space for my boat. Can't remember the exact moorage fee, but it was a bargain, something like a couple hundred for the year. Only drawback was you were limited on coming and going by the tide, so had to plan accordingly.
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Old 01-29-2020, 02:14 PM   #54
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I am 73 so prefer not building, and kept my boat In Tiburon, CA where tides were a factor, not again. Looked at Birch Bay, one of the links was "cheap houses", love it, no fancy terms. Not really a gated community person but looks well kept and certainly advantages to a group with common standards. Like the idea of a slip nearby, would guess a bunch of the big boats in the pix use diesel, as do I, but that not a big deal.
All these ideas and suggestions very helpful to making me think about possibilities. One is get a small cute house inland, or somewhat nearby, and leave the boat in the general desired cruising area...
Thanks everyone for the input, the thinking cap is on
Stuart
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Old 01-29-2020, 05:40 PM   #55
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Even: A group of us diesel users, schedule a truck to come several times a season. Backs up to fuel dock ramp, and we line up and take turns fueling. Also Semiahmoo fuel dock is just 7 miles away, with good prices. Good luck on your search. D S
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Old 01-30-2020, 06:13 PM   #56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Sea-Duction View Post
Try the Columbia River. For boats Oregon seems to be cheaper, but they do have an income tax. Boat taxes are much higher in WA, no income tax.

That being said you can still park your boat in the Sound or make the trip around the horn out the Columbia River Bar to the Sound.

Even better, look at floating homes in the Columbia. What better than to have your boat parked on your own dock in your backyard? In fresh water even. $500k will be way more than enough to get a nice one.

There is a TJ's a very nice VA hospital, and PDX is even more liberal than Seattle.
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Old 01-30-2020, 06:55 PM   #57
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We keep our 40' boat on the hard in Anacortes. It works out great, especially if you're retired and can launch/retrieve off the peak days. You could just draw a circle around Anacortes and see how far you want to drive to your boat. We're paying just under $300/mo with the added cost of about $140 to launch and retrieve.

Frankly, I'd ignore politics and focus on location, weather, and services. Drop the political limitations and you might find some really nice and talented people to get to know.
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Old 01-30-2020, 07:20 PM   #58
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Stuart, I second ASD's suggestion to moor the boat on the Columbia River. $500K will buy a pretty nice home in eastern WA, right on the river. Keep your boat here, use it on the 235 miles of the Columbia and the 150 miles of the Snake. Plus, unlike the Wet, errr, I mean West side of the state, we get 300 days of sunshine a year.
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Old 02-03-2020, 02:33 PM   #59
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Check out Hat Island. Right off Everett.
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Old 02-03-2020, 05:16 PM   #60
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I have no idea why I lucked out, but I bought a house in Sequim in 2018, bought my trawler last August, got on the 50' live aboard waiting list for John Wayne Marina, my number came up this week & I'll be moving from Port Ludlow to JWM. Poulsbo has a heck of a waiting list, as does La Conner. Pleasant Harbor, down on the canal doesn't have a waiting list, it's a bit 'hippie', very friendly. Port Ludlow actually seems to be fairly open for slips, not for live aboards, although I've been 2 weeks on/2 weeks off since August & no one seems to pay attention to the days on aboard. And the 'Blue Hole' is weird, but real http://www.olympicrainshadow.com/oly...shadowmap.html
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