The Orcas Island Adventure

[webspinner]

Also, think about your water supply. If it's from a well, there will be a pump involved that requires electrical power. Prolonged power outages can have a detrimental effect on one's ability to flush a toilet. What's your water backup plan?

[kingfisher24]

but….as the saying goes…not a drop to drink..

It is an island…a lot of the areas are served by some sort of municipal water supply…most properties are on individual wells…..

there is only, he says26 inches on rain reported on Orcas; however, some area are drier than others…..it seems wet all the time…everywhere

so, i am lead to rainwater collection…and treated so as to be potable….

other than that all one can do is get a professional assessment of the wells capacity…before you buy

[kingfisher24]

way too much sunshine….was supposed to rain yesterday…it did some and then the sun came out: and saturday it was gloriously sunny…and today was beautiful…

this polar vortex that is attacking the rest of the nation…i think is making our weather glorious…sunny and forecast lows during the storms passing of 31…32…no big deal….

the weather in this area…the islands…and the peninsula, the hoa rain forests, the cascade valley..is peculiar ….to me and a great change of the sameness of texas and the south and west…..

i'm loving it…..

[kingfisher24]

has had some affect on the weather on the island…it has not rained for days…...

it has been much cooler and lots of wind swirling in all directions….it is cooler on the east side of the island…forecast lows are in the mid twenties…but by 9am it is 37 or so and sunny…

this system and the next have a large high pressure system keeping the rain away……

too bad…...

[Tomy]

This is unusual weather we're having, but I'm not complaining. You learn to take advantage of any sunshine you get in the NW.

It's interesting that I have become more of an outdoors person since I moved to the NW. The summers in SC were so hot and humid that you stayed inside in the AC for most of the day. It would cool off a bit in the evenings so you could come outside and be eaten alive by the mosquitoes.

Don't know about the islands, but Seattle doesn't have mosquitoes.

[daveswenson]

Originally Posted by Tomy

Don't know about the islands, but Seattle doesn't have mosquitoes.

Oh, but we do.

[Rocinante]

Oh, WA has them. The campground at Taidnapam has so many that given the chance they will carry you away. It's a shame, really, because otherwise it's a really nice place to camp.

Tacoma Public Utilities Taidnapam Park

[Tomy]

We used to use Avon Skin So Soft in SC, but it seems it is one specific type that is a clear oil, rather than the regular lotion. I remember camping above Table Rock in a place where the mosquitoes were so thick you had to cover your mouth to keep from breathing them in, and not a single bite. Don't know if it is still available, this was in my ancient youth.

[Rocinante]

Our repellent of choice, battle-tested at Taidnapam: Anti-Bug Spray by Badger: Organic & Natural Bug Spray Repellent

The mosquitos were so thick we even had to spray it on our hands and rub it on our dog's face to keep them from coating his eyes and nose and getting in his mouth. Since it's non-toxic, we felt safe doing that and he seemed much happier afterward.

They were so thick that if you started your car, you had a gigantic fleet of them, almost instantly, hovering around your exhaust pipe. It's warm, humid and full of CO / CO2. I guess they can't tell the difference between CO and CO2. Good thing we didn't need a generator, as that would have drawn them from miles around.

[rmkrum]

Used to refer to them as blood sucking helicopters....


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Tomy]

Originally Posted by Silvery Moon

Our repellent of choice, battle-tested at Taidnapam: Anti-Bug Spray by Badger: Organic & Natural Bug Spray Repellent

The mosquitos were so thick we even had to spray it on our hands and rub it on our dog's face to keep them from coating his eyes and nose and getting in his mouth. Since it's non-toxic, we felt safe doing that and he seemed much happier afterward.

They were so thick that if you started your car, you had a gigantic fleet of them, almost instantly, hovering around your exhaust pipe. It's warm, humid and full of CO / CO2. I guess they can't tell the difference between CO and CO2. Good thing we didn't need a generator, as that would have drawn them from miles around.

Thanks for sharing this. We have a fenced back yard for our dogs, and went a decade without fleas. A few neighbors moved in with cats that wander freely, and our dogs got fleas. I have used Frontline successfully in the past, but it aged our pug ten years in one application. He is now losing the use of his back legs. I've recently found out that a lot of the natural solutions using cloves and other herbs are quite effective.

[kingfisher24]

once at an air force base near austin; one night
..aircrews rolled out and started to refuel what they thought was a B-52…

only to discover…..that it was a mosquito from the texas coast…that got caught in the traffic pattern and had to land….

but it's much too windy in the san juans for mosquitoes…blows all of them down to seattle…i guess

the OLGA STORE…now defunct

[kingfisher24]

brought us fair and cool weather….great cool sunny days…and dry

but now normalcy has returned……warmer and RAIN…….

and rain in the forecast as far as the eye can forecast

getting mentally ready for the trip next weekend….
taking the trailer …hookin up
getting on the ferry….. and traveling down to stay two nights at the tolt mcdonald park in carnation…
.enroute to dropping the trailer off at the airstream dealer in covington….

snow in the forecast for carnation saturday night…so we will dine at the mansion at rosario on thanksgiving……and prepare for the return to america…as the locals say

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

once at an air force base near austin; one night
..aircrews rolled out and started to refuel what they thought was a B-52…

only to discover…..that it was a mosquito from the texas coast…that got caught in the traffic pattern and had to land….

but it's much too windy in the san juans for mosquitoes…blows all of them down to seattle…i guess

the OLGA STORE…now defunct

Oh No! My Olga will be heartbroken.. she was looking forward to our post retirement trip to Olga....

[LandSailor]

G'Day Kingfisher24,
The weather Gods have smiled on the San Juans once again and we have a glorious sunny day! We finally made it up to Blakely from Portland and will be here 'til after Thanksgiving then back for Christmas and New Years. Got our Tailgater up and running, so happy with that! Yesterday was rather windy and rainy, but sitting by the fire was wonderful. Looking over to the "Big Island" from our front room. We think it's glorious here not matter what the weather - 16 years today and loving it still. Keep warm and dry. Cheers!

By the way: The Olga Store site re-invents itself quite often, becoming a store, a restaurant, and ice cream shop and/or an art shop. Maybe next season it will open again. Lovely location and we enjoy visiting it no matter what it becomes!

[kingfisher24]

the weather is beautiful…sunny, still, calm ….bright rays beam off cascade bay brightening the entire world…i bet….i can see blakley island from here…i think…

whatever i see it is beautiful….different ...each moment of the day…the clouds…the water….the fog….

the dogs and i walk around the bay…marina and the resort grounds each day…

and yesterday as we were walking around the marina…we spotted a black and white…roan 6ft harbor seal………amazing…...

can't wait for thanksgiving buffet at the mansion at rosario….will walk down about 3pm and dig in….

[kingfisher24]

as intense winds howl down the fraser river valley deep in canada to collide with the cascades and make an abrupt turn westward and strike the northern edges of orcas island

we sit here at the bottom of the rosario hill…0 feet mean sea level…at about 20 degrees F.…not to get much higher today…but alas…it is not raining…or snowing and a warmup begins on monday….

sort of like texas weather…..

we weenyed out of our trip…our sled dogs did not want to mush…..

got a call before thanksgiving from the folks at tilt-mcdonald park…where we were going to stay this weekend…it is on the sakagit river in carnation, wa.

said river was at flood stage and park would close…..don't think it flooded…but was one reason for not going….

and it is cold…

so toughing it out here:

thanksgiving feast at the rosario mansion thursday was a treat…..

buffet…great food…bottle of wine…..

lost in the ozone again…..

such a unique climate here in this corner of the PNW…so many influences right at the core of all these diverse systems….

and the result is a relatively mild, at both ends, diverse climate that is nothing short of perfect…..

at the buffet…the other night…there was, well ..a conspicuous individual…not out of place…but just stood out …like someone from austin, tezxas….sort of hippyish…but prosperous…and mildly aged..
thought nothing more about him…..

next morning 7:30 am local…walking the dogs…down by the marina…as we were walking by…this

it really was…ghostly looking sail boat…almost a mirige…was ..pulling out of rosario…rippling silently out into the bay headed for open water……


could not see name of vessel but was a Port Townsend…craft….

such a beautify site …as this old man…put out to sea….

a nice thanksgiving trek………my dream

[aftermath]

Kingfisher,

I haven't been following this thread much until just lately. Congratulations on your decision and move. The last thing I remember, you were talking about settling in the Sequim area.

As an Air Force brat I went to elementary school in Alaska, moved to the Mojave desert until my last year in high school, then came to Spokane. After 4 years in Central Washington I married and we moved to the Oregon Coast. I have lived in all sorts of climates and all of them have their drawbacks. It will come down to how willing and able you are to cope with the downsides.

I could not deal with the extreme heat you face in the south, the extreme humidity of many locations and the insects you find in some of these places. The Oregon coast did get a bit dreary at times as do the winters in Spokane. The issue for me is that these don't last all that long and when they pass we get some very excellent weather.

If I were searching for a place to retire Sequim might be a great fit for me. While it is pouring on the island, Sequim would remain relatively dry. It is never too hot nor too cold. It rains, but not much and you don't have to deal with the ice and snow that creates some real challenges for all of us as we age.

The San Jauns are a beautiful place but just remember, all the greenery you enjoy is possible because of all the rain you must endure.

Dick

[kingfisher24]

while the entire olympic pensula and the san juan islands form the hole in the doughnut…the rain shadow…..

sequim is driest…with 16 inches…almost desert like in the mists of plenty…while the rest of the shadow gets in the mid 20 inch range…say 26 inches….which is just right…..

if i wanted desert and sunshine …i would….well i wouldn't…..that is too much like texas…..

i love the weather here….bring it on….

its an island…that's the HOOT…with perfect climate…..

[kingfisher24]

the tolt-macdonald park at carnation is on the snoqualimie river not the skagit river as that is up near richardson….

and the river at carnation is above flood stage……and my aluminum don't float…….

good call...