sequim wa beaches and access (Seattle, Bremerton: transplants, hotels, buy)

[sean98125]

Dungeness Spit is about a mile walk from the parking lot. It is a fee use area, so you either have to pay a nominal fee to park or use your federal recreation permit.

The rural and pastoral nature of Sequim is changing as more and more land is being taken out of farm production and put into housing subdevelopments and strip malls. It is a beautiful area, but increasingly suburban in feel. Personally, I am sad to see the loss of yet another rich and productive agricultural region but I suppose we can always buy our food from China and Chile.

[charky]

We also are retiring to Sequim. We are from Boise, ID and will move on March 5th, 2013. We bought a house and are looking forward to the same warmth that we were greeted with on all three visits, including a short vacation in August. We got to experience Lake Crescent and the walk thru the Olympic Nat'l Forest. You might want to make sure that you apply for the National Park Pass if you are over 65.

We have family in Port Angeles and also the Portland area. We are looking forward to the golf and exploring the area.

Maybe someday our paths will cross. New friends are always great!

Originally Posted by Franklinway

My husband and I Just moved to Sequim this past summer. Absolutely love it!
We are close to the Spit we have a view of the water and see passing cruise ships and barges on the straight daily as it is part of the main shipping lanes for the Puget Sound and Canada. We live in the Mains Farm area. We have so many deer in our yard that we have to buy bobbex to put on our plants so it will discourage them from eating the flowers. One day this summer I counted 7 deer in my neighbors field. My husband said "Look up" I looked up straight ahead at the water as two huge cruise ships passed by.
We fell in Love with Sequim when we arrived here in June. We had looked for years for a retirement home in Anacortes, Laconner, Mount Vernon and Port Townsend. However, we had never went past the Port Townsend turnoff on 101. When we came into Sequim we were coming to look at a house for sale on Craigslist. It just sounded too good to be true. On arriving in Sequim we immediately fell in love with the area. It is beautiful. I told my husband "Wow I think God kissed Sequim" The Olympic Mountains to the south and the Straight of Juanda Fuca to the north with this gorgeous fertile valley sweeping between with beautiful large size lots and homes with acreage. So, sooo pretty. My husband and I just looked at each other. We couldn't believe the beauty. Arriving just before dusk we spent the night in a local motel. We were impressed by the friendliness of the locals that evening and the next day. We traveled out Sequim avenue towards the spit and the house we were looking at. We loved that there was minimal traffic. We just drove around looking at the area awestruck. We had so little traffic to deal with that we just flipped a U'ie in the middle of the road a few times to go down a road or lane we missed that looked enticing. When ever we saw anyone outside they all smiled and waved. I told my husband "This place is like Pleasantville WITH COLOR." (You have to have seen the movie.)
We arrived at Mainsfarm fell in love with the house too. Made the deal on a FSBO with a WORD and a HANDSHAKE. One month to the day later we moved into our home. What a great experience. I could go on and on about the people we bought the house from and how much they made us feel at home with all the little touches that you would never expect to get when you buy a home, but we did, because they were awesome. There is so much to do here. So much of what God has given us to appreciate. Its all free. The little town of Sequim is cute with its quaint shops and boutiques. There are 66900 people who live in the Sequim Dungeness ValleyArea The Chamber lists Approximately 25 square miles, of which 4.8 is in the City of Sequim, 7.8 in the City's Urban Growth Area and 12.4 in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley.
Here are a few statistics from the Chamber:
Population Profile
Approximately 5,030 of the county's 66,900 residents live in the city (2006).
Median age for this area is approximately 46 (2006).
Average single-family home - New $250,043
Average single-family home - Resale $241,639
Average single-family home - Rental $600/mo
We can't wait to explore and fully embrace in the coming year what the area has to offer It is so unique. We live in the 'Sequims Blue Hole' We experience this weather phenomenon on a regular basis. Its December 20th and we moved here July 13th. We are still awestruck. We have been blessed.

[freepelican]

Where exactly is the Mains Farm area?

I visited Sequim in Dec and after a great deal of effort finally found the parking lot for Dungeness Spit by going through the large country park to the southwest. However, after studying google map, it looks like there may be another way to get to this parking lot by going west on W. Anderson Road. Is this true or is the access blocked off before you get to the spit parking lot?

[lady fern]

Not sure about the entrances to the Spit. The only time I went, I was not the driver and was not paying attention. It is about a mile from the parking lot to the beach, but it is a nice walk through the forest that opens up to the ocean. The walk back up with take you up a number of stairs, but I say it is worth it. The spit itself is 5 miles long and ends with lighthouse. It is a coarse sand as previously mentioned, which is pleasant when you consider most of Washington's beaches are rocky. The lighthouse is open for viewing and has a volunteer caretaker who stays at the house at the end of the Spit. For a small fee, you could volunteer there as well. The very tip of the Spit is closed off. Apparently there is a sea lion population who hang out there. You can get to it by kayak or sea canoe if you are so inclined though.
We saw tons of seals playing in the waves on our walk out there. From the top of the lighthouse, you can see for miles...all the way to Victoria, BC. Go on a clear day, it really is lovely and all flat except the first mile.

[rainforest338]

Originally Posted by freepelican

Where exactly is the Mains Farm area?

I visited Sequim in Dec and after a great deal of effort finally found the parking lot for Dungeness Spit by going through the large country park to the southwest. However, after studying google map, it looks like there may be another way to get to this parking lot by going west on W. Anderson Road. Is this true or is the access blocked off before you get to the spit parking lot?

No, the public cannot access the spit via W Anderson Rd. If you are part of the lighthouse society, you may get to use that portion of the road. That access is private property, and you will tick of the owner and he will chase you off...maybe even shoot you if you don't leave soon enough. The only people he lets pass through are associated with the lighthouse or the refuge.
For your other question, Mains Farm is all the land south of W Anderson Rd, with the exception of one water front lot 'common area' (at cline Spit Rd and W Anderson).

[freepelican]

That's really too bad because the entrance through the county park is seriously out of the way. It makes going to the spit an event... not something you'd do that often. Easy public access to the water is something that really improves a community. It's the one thing that I think CA and OR is much better about than WA.... and it's quite a significant thing in my mind. Has anyone ever talked with the owner about an easement?

[JGC97]

I certainly wouldn't want the public to have access to it, if the property was privately owned. Simply because it makes it more convenient for some, doesn't mean it should be done, imo. As for it being an "event," perhaps it should remain that way. Exploring and taking in the beauty of the area is a great way to spend the day.

California isn't all that reasonable about easements. Example: Years ago, farmers let the public drive on the levees that bordered their farms and ranches. It allowed access to some great fishing in the Delta. Littering and degradation of the areas caused them to put an end to it. There are very few, if any, farmers that allow it now. Sad thing is, the levees are starting to deteriorate. My theory is that vehicles traveling on those levees kept them compacted and less flooding occurred. Just my theory

[rainforest338]

Originally Posted by freepelican

That's really too bad because the entrance through the county park is seriously out of the way. It makes going to the spit an event... not something you'd do that often. Easy public access to the water is something that really improves a community. It's the one thing that I think CA and OR is much better about than WA.... and it's quite a significant thing in my mind. Has anyone ever talked with the owner about an easement?

Maybe you could get a personal exemption...take a six pack and a dime bag. But I think the USFWS wouldn't like it, they want people to come through the park. They got upset when I go down my pier and walk to the spit from the beach. The spit is a wildlife refuge and the USFWS likes to keep tight control on it. They are currently banning horses and jogging right now...but the state government might be fighting it. The gate to the park closes around dark, and they ask everyone be off the spit before sunset. There are other water accesses--Cline Spit, Dungeness River (a couple there), a park between Cline and the river, Port Williams Beach, etc. There are lots of accesses to beaches.

[barb2go]

I too am considering a move back west perhaps to WA. I live on OR coast for a short time and miss the water. Can anyone tell me if it really does rain less there (Sequim) and how much less in comparison to Seattle or Bremerton area?
How about the sun? Any more of that? I don't mind rain at all and love to be outside no matter the weather but I do need some sun in my life. I like 2-3 days per week.
What is the summer weather like? I live in MN so winter is drab gray here but summer is sunny except too muggy and buggy for me. So onto that subject....bugs? I considered FL but even if I got over the staying indoors in AC in the summer, the bugs lost out!
Thanks for any reply. Have a great day where ever you live.

[lady fern]

Here is climate data on Sequim:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

I lived in Olympia which got around 50 inches per year average. Although the figures state that there is less rainfall in Sequim than the US average, note the higher number of days with precipitation. I haven't spent a ton of time in Sequim, but I doubt there is anywhere west of the mountains in Washington where you can guarantee 2-3 days of sun per week all year. Winter tends to be wet and gray.

As for bugs, coming from the South I really didn't notice the bugs in Washington. Slugs were my nemesis...big enough that they could carry you off!