Post Townsend, WA - Strait talk

The Strait of Juan de Fuca extends east from the Pacific Ocean between Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula about 95 miles inland to Puget Sound.  Port Townsend is bordered by the Bay of Port Townsend and Admiralty Inlet, which intersects the Strait.  In other words, we are surrounded by big water and lots of marine activity.

Click on the maps for a more detailed view.


The town is a Victorian seaport and arts community. With its maritime heritage, artist spirit, and a touch of urban chic, Port Townsend is an easily accessible base camp to the Olympic Peninsula and beyond. 

The Point Wilson lighthouse at Fort Worden

We've been coming here every year, same site, since 2009.  We had been staying at the SKP's Evergreen Coho RV park in nearby Chimacum and took a drive one day to check out Port Townsend. We were drawn to the Point Hudson Marina mainly to see the boats and splendid views. The RV park is nothing special.  Most of the full hookup sites are expensive, graveled, and close together.  We decided to check in at the office for more information and were told they had two boondocking sites for $20 each per night (since upped to $30).  Our site 361, is about 50 feet from the water and entertains us with a constant flow of boat/ship traffic.  Never a dull moment though lots of lazy ones.

An afternoon parade of schooners (insert Howard drooling)

Jefferson County Courthouse - Uptown

In years past we have done many all day trips to see Seattle, Port Angeles, Sequim, and all the local hangouts.  There is RV parking at Fort Worden State Park and Fort Townsend State Park as well as the Elks Lodge and Jefferson County fairgrounds.

There is a great little local theater that shows currently running movies as well as art and eclectic films, and the best ice cream at Elevated Ice Cream, both located downtown. There are lots of shopping opportunities from second hand shops to chic, expensive ones. There is Doc's restaurant located here at the marina which we enjoy for the convenience and every type of eating pleasure you can imagine in town.

Victorian downtown

During our 12 days we hung close to home, not feeling any pressure to do a daily tour as in year's past.  We've been catching up on our reading and exercise. And both of us got haircuts (whoopee).  A walk from the marina uptown is a long steep hill that gathers momentum as it reaches it's high point in town then starts back to downtown again. Three or 4 outings like this gets the old legs aching and the knees screaming!

The ferry docks are busy during the summer season with two ferries running about every hour, making for easy travels between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, about a half hour scenic trip each way.  The downtown streets are packed with tourists arriving by small cruise ship or ferry.

The hot dog spot downtown framed by a great mural

This is what we do most of the time!

Anacortes - Gateway to the San Juans

Anacortes is known locally as the Gateway to the San Juans because it's a hopping off point for ferry traffic and pleasure boats going to the islands and Canada.  For us, Anacortes is a destination in and off itself.  It is one of those places, like Port Townsend, that we visit at least once a year.

We stay at the Cap Sante Marina which also provides dry camping for RVs and great views of the marina and boat traffic.  The marina location is centrally located providing an easy walk into the historic downtown, and access to miles of trails for walking and biking.  Shopping and restaurants are all easily accessible.  We arrived just in time for the annual Art Festival which is a huge event bringing folks from far and wide.  Plus there are weekly Farmers Markets providing entertainment and a great selection of sustainable produce.  In other words, there seems to be a constant flow of activity in this vibrant seaside community.

Just hanging out with the girls!

Howdy

Murals on downtown buildings

At Cap Sante marina overlook...

Mount Baker rising out of the fog...

At the Saturday Farmers Market

We'll be leaving here by ferry returning to Port Townsend for our annual 2 week stay at our waterfront site at Point Hudson Marina. 

A whirlwind of socializing," freebies", and bear encounters!

We're not exactly isolationists, but in the almost two weeks after leaving Anacortes we've become the essence of sociability.  Whew...definitely a whirlwind!

First stop Bellingham, WA, an easy day's drive from our Marina location.  Our goal was to visit our aging friend, Hazel (a mere 89 and going strong) whom we met traveling in Mexico approx. 18 years ago.  Hazel and her daughter, Jennie, were soon leaving on an Alaskan cruise.  Jennie and husband Scott had graciously invited us to share there 5 acres for parking the motorhome. Hazel planned to be staying at their house during our visit. "Freebie parking"!

Though we'd never met before we became fast friends with Jennie and Scott.  Dinners were shared experiences for our 3-day visit, with daytime outings with Hazel, one of which included a drive into Vancouver, Canada for lunch at The Bistro restaurant in White Rock...excellent food.  One day we headed up toward Mt. Baker to do some hiking with Jenny and dog Bogie, while Hazel rested in the car.

Our yearly stay in the Anza Borrego Desert has provided a long list of friends with whom we keep in close touch. Last winter we were lucky enough to be parked near Dan and Heather from BC, a terrific young couple who immediately became friends.  We shared many meals and happy hours.  They invited us to visit them this summer and we decided to take them up on it.  Their place on the Shuswap Lake was an easy drive from Bellingham and, once again, we had "freebie" parking with full hookups on an RV lot in their development.

The drive to their place was magnificent, taking us through the Thompson & Fraser River canyons.

Dan & Heather in Anza Borrego last winter..

Heather is a cook extraordinaire, or maybe I should say chef!  Neighbors and friends were invited over and everyone brought appies to share for Happy Hour.  We had home-made pizzas, 3 kinds to choose from, Thai, Hawaiian, and whatever is left over.  The following night neighbors invited us all over for barbecued steaks with all the trimmings.  The 3rd night we fixed rack of lamb for Heather and Dan.  A fine time we had indeed!

Dan, Heather and all their friends and neighbors...

You'll notice in the above photo that Heather has her right leg in a brace due to damaged meniscus, and ACL which occurred while participating in her first triathlon, and crashing on her bike at 40 MPH.  These folks take their exercise and diet regime very seriously!

Heather gives Howard & I a lesson in bread baking with lots of good grains.

Yummy kale smoothie!

Howard's signature rack of lamb

And now for the bear encounters.  We had decided to divide our travel time in BC to two short days instead of one long one.  Therefore, our first night was spent in Cache Creek at a nice RV park, Brookside Resort.  Our dollar goes a long way in Canada as the exchange rate is $.75 Canadian to $l.00 US, so the $35 RV site cost us $27!

Once we had registered and parked at Brookside I went outside to see if Howard needed any help and just happened to look up to see a good sized black bear crouched in the tree overhead.  I grabbed my camera for a quick pic, but ran inside when he started coming down.

Bear butt, use your imagination!

Our next encounter happened the following day just as we're approaching Dan & Heather's.  We heard 2 quick "thunks" and Howard looked in the rear view mirror and saw a large black bear running into the woods.  We pulled over and sure enough he had run into the MH which damaged the exhaust pipe, then bounced into the car for a bit of a dent.  We're now in the process of getting quotes from our insurance.

Come Monday we headed back to the border crossing at Sumas and on into WA.  The border crossing was unpleasant to say the least and this was the US customs.  Took about an hour for them to go through the MH and take most of our produce.

In Washington we decided to take the coast route 101 instead of I-5.  We stopped at Milepost 75 to visit one of our very favorites, the Artic RV Park.  The parking conditions resemble a beautiful rainforest and Annie's garden was bountiful and beautiful.  We picked tomatoes, kale, dahlias, green beans and cabbage.

We decide to stay 2 days at Artic ($25 dollars for full hookups) and take the loop drive down to Raymond and around to Grayland and Westport, returning through Aberdeen.  We stopped in Westport for lunch, a walk thru town, and a stop for fresh oysters on our way back.

Gray Harbor Light and along the Westport waterfront

With Labor Day weekend fast approaching we need to pick a location to carry us through the holidays as RV and state parks are filling up fast. We decide on Lincoln City and the Chinook Winds Casino.  RV parking is now restricted to a section on the lower level and we're all crammed in like sardines with generators.  Yes it is another "freebie" so we'll persevere.  We never once went into the casino!

Crowded casino parking

Marina madness; Anacortes, WA

Leaving Port Townsend we took the ferry via Whidhey Island to Anacortes, WA on Fidalgo Island, part of the San Juan Islands group.

Approaching Whidbey Island through very dirty wind shield

Some visual aid

Once again we are drawn to another boating facility,  Cap Sante Marina, centrally located for easy walks to town and great walking trails. Once again, as in Port Townsend, we did no major sight-seeing as in year's past.  No ferry to San Juan Island and Friday Harbor though you can read of past visits HERE.  We just lived normally with our usual schedule, a few projects here and there, walks/runs, Farmers Markets, eating good both in local restaurants and at our little casa mobile, and visiting with friends who migrate to this part of the country during late Summer to early Fall. I should mention that although there are devastating fires burning in WA, OR, and CA we are smoke free with temps in the mid 70s to 80.  I think we had one day of light rain in both Port Townsend and Anacortes.

Though the parking facilities contain no hookups for the approx. 20 sites and are nothing fancy just grass with dividers , it's the view and town that keeps us coming back.  Here is our view at the marina.

And from an overlook above~~

Cap Sante Marina from above overlook

Oil tankers waiting to load/unload

At Washington Park

Around the town:

Murals tell the town's history

Old paddle wheeler now a museum

Psychedelic espresso

Couldn't resist this sign

You Betcha

Big ship building town

Howard enjoying an old car show

More murals

Chess play for real!

We are now behind and playing catch-up!  We currently are heading into Canada's Shuswap area to visit friends, Dan and Heather, we met last winter in Anza Borrego.  But first there was a stop in Bellingham to catch-up with our old friend, and amiga we met in Mexico many years ago.

While spending our week in Canada we won't have internet unless we're fortunate to have wifi like we have now, at the Brookside RV Park, in Cache Creek, BC.