Bainbridge commute? (Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island: apartments, rental, home)

[dmacchiato]

What's the Bainbridge Is to Seattle commute like? I'm sure some people do it, but how practical is it? (I'd sure love to live in such a pretty place, but I figured it's out of the running). Note that we don't have jobs yet, plan to find them when we get there, and plan to rent on a shorter term basis since we don't know where we'll be commuting to. We do have some income in the meantime, and savings. Maybe we'll find jobs in or near Seattle, and commuting from Bainbridge for 9 months or so until we get a more permanent place to live would be OK. I just don't have a sense of it. (And that's odd because I've been commuting by ferry for years now in NYC). One more thing - I'm going to fly out for a wk, mid Jan, to locate a rental SOMEWHERE in the Seattle area, then I'll return home and we'll move on 1/31.

[nfdsouza2001]

This commute is doable. It is relatively short around 15-30 which includes boarding and disembarking. The ferry can be unpredictable due to tides, in the summer Seatleites use it as a gateway point to the Olympic peninsula. You can always drive around when you are in a bind. Bainbridge is a bedroom community. There are grocery stores and small boutique shops. You may have to go to Silverdale for your other needs. You can a short term lease but those are few and harder to come by. Check Craigs list but follow the necessary cautions.

[Inkpoe]

I never experienced the ride to be 15 mins... It has been always around the 30-35 mins mark, now it may take a short while to board/disembark, but not always.

You also have the option of walking on. If you do find jobs in Seattle DT, you'll come to find out it be easier that way (since you don't have to contend w/ traffic, parking, et. c) and it's cheaper to be a walk-on. You can either park your car at the B.I.'s parking lot... or use the buses.

There's a good number of people who do the Bainbridge Island-Seattle commute. Some even live further out, like Poulsbo or so.

[Hemlock140]

I have fellow employees living in Bremerton, Bainbridge and Poulsbo, but we work on the waterfront so it's a quick bus ride or 15 minute walk from the ferry. Due to the cost it's best to walk on, night take the car. It's going to be
at least 35 minutes on the water. You can walk right on but may wait 15-60 minutes or more to drive on. The ferry ride is relaxing, and you can
use your smart phone or laptop (wireless for a fee) or read the paper or do some work while en route. Those that do this commute say it's well worth it to live across the water.

[Ira500]

To put it in practical terms, the ferry ride is 30-35 minutes, but wherever you live on Bainbridge is not going to be inside the ferry terminal. At a minimum, you'll be ten minutes away, given that they ring the bell and not let people on a few minutes before departure. Then, once you're in Seattle, you won't be working inside the ferry terminal. It's possible you'll be employed just a few minutes away from the Seattle ferry dock, as a number of the skyscrapers are just a few blocks away. So in reality, it's for most people it's a 50-60 minute commute. A lot of people do it. The passenger only ferry to Vashon Island is a bit of a shorter boat trip, but there are less apartments on Vashon, and more of a rural, artsy/hippie feel.

[dmacchiato]

Very helpful, thanks. Much to keep in mind, including the advantages & disadvantages of living on an island. And I know from experience that a ferry commute includes all the time spent getting to & from and on & off the ferry, but I like the way you put it, Ira - the home & work places are not in the ferry terminal - funny.

[Malloric]

Depends if you're driving or walking onto the ferry. Walking on you can show up ten minutes before the ferry, less if you feel like pushing your luck. Driving? Add another hour to your commute waiting in line to get on the ferry. The same process repeats itself on the way back. So driving you're looking at about 3 hours on the ferry. That's one hell of a commute.

[deckard9080]

Weird thing happened on the commute yesterday. The hydraulic lift that brings the walkway up and down on the ferry malfunctioned. It wouldn't lift up so the boat could not leave. We had to take another ferry, and I was 1 1/2 hrs late to work. Just throwing it out there. Things happen.