The Orcas Island Adventure

[webspinner]

Originally Posted by gpt

... the ferry costs to and from are nothing to sneeze at. to get my truck and 25' up to the San Juan island will set me back $250 each way. folks who live on these islands will be quick to inform you about these costs...

Visiting the San Juans is steep, but not quite that steep. We take our Airstream to Lopez every summer, and the fare to get to Lopez is about that.

But ferry fares to the San Juan Islands are only charged on one direction. The trip back to the mainland is free.

[reelfastgreg]

Originally Posted by webspinner

But ferry fares to the San Juan Islands are only charged on one direction. The trip back to the mainland is free.

actually that is not true. you can check this out for yourself, online.

[reelfastgreg]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

people like GPT get to roam the earth without a leash or some other restriction on what they are able to do…..

this not a discussion forum about the difficulties of your travel in the san juans……

don't go…don't complain in my adventure…..

hey hey he he /...get off my cloud…..

not complaining only pointing out a person who does not take the time to inform himself about the local names or who can't spell. i always found it useful to inform myself about the places i intend to visit in advance.

have fun, spend lots of money.

[reelfastgreg]

here is the ferry pricing link:

WSDOT - Ferries - Fares: Anacortes to Orcas Island

can't tell you exactly what it would cost you as with a trailer it will be by overall length. once you pop over 50' overall, the pricing takes a jump. as you can see, this pricing is ONE WAY so double the cost or simple change the terminals you have in mind and run it again.

its also important to realize that a ferry going to an island makes multiple stops so loading of any single ferry is determined by volume going to any one of the stops. what that means to you is you may be sitting in line for a long time.

but, on January 1st, for the first time ever, you will be able to make reservations for island travel.

and you do return at no fee from Orcas to Anacortes.

[Oregon Ms]

I'm always correcting the anacondas/Anacortes autocorrect.

Lighten up, GPS.

[kingfisher24]

GPT…THIS IS NOT A THREAD ABOUT YOUR DIFFICULTIES IN TRAVELING THE SAN JUANS.

so get off my cloud….

if it is too expensive for you….then don't go………

once on orcas, lopez, shaw or others…..you leave FOR FREE…..

IT IS MY ADVENTURE…and GPT you are not invited…..

[barts]

Originally Posted by gpt

actually that is not true. you can check this out for yourself, online.

I have personally been using the ferries in the San Juans annually since the mid-seventies and can assure you that:

* The fare from Anacortes to the islands is always round-trip; once on the islands, the return trip does not require additional payment.
* International runs (Sidney <-> San Juans) do cost ($$$) in both directions.

Note that the ferries are significantly more expensive in the summer season.

- Bart

[reelfastgreg]

Originally Posted by barts

I have personally been using the ferries in the San Juans annually since the mid-seventies and can assure you that:

* The fare from Anacortes to the islands is always round-trip; once on the islands, the return trip does not require additional payment.
* International runs (Sidney <-> San Juans) do cost ($$$) in both directions.

Note that the ferries are significantly more expensive in the summer season.

- Bart

yeah Bart, i corrected my error in the post above. fares are R/T.

PS-i have zero difficulties travelling the San Juan's, i simply point my boat ENE and hit it. about 45 minutes and Roche harbor. BIL has 10 acres on San Juan island set up for a trailer to come visit along with their horse barns and so forth. but, an island is an island, not much to do and once you have seen the sights a time or two, boring. but, they are noted for their proximity to Seattle and the sailing opportunities they afford, can't beat that.

[kingfisher24]

this is view from top deck////.…the georgia strait ….as it joins the rosario strait headed down into the admiralty inlet

[Lily&Me]

Yeaaayyyy!

Congratulations, you guys!

What a view. You may never want to leave, and end up selling that trailer.



Maggie

[LandSailor]

Congratulations on securing your Orcas Island dream!!! Orcas Island is not "just an island" it's magic! So happy for you. We're heading up to Blakely tomorrow - planning on making the boat run across Rosario Strait mid-afternoon between the Small Craft Warning and the Gale Force Warning, it's supposed to calm down to manageable sea state between the two systems - Silver Fern is staying parked in Portland for a bit- Boat and Island Time on the agenda for a while. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and it sure looks like your New Year will be fantastic!

[kingfisher24]

so…in spite of what lawrence of arabia said…"that nothing is written"…it is written that i have found my home…

Doe Bay store/cafe reopened after some minor renovation and we we there for breakfast this morning…getting acquainted with our new neighborhood..

a very "foodie" establishment…nothing served there that is not grown on the island…all natural…all organic…all good…i had "buttermilk biscuits" with mushroom, rosemary and thyme gravy with rosemary potatoes…..

different than my mother used to make way down there in texas…

and that sort of what orcas is…sustainability…a core base that has that most important factor at heart….

there is about 3% collected on all real-estate transactions that goes to the land bank…so much of this island is under the protection…so nature can rule….

parts of this island contain areas of old growth unspoiled forests unequalled in the northwest in the pickett preserve….

recycling is the norm here…i am getting used to my recycling procedures….

in texas where (they think.. in the sort run) that land is cheap…and landfills keep expanding exponentially…and the peoples are not charged accordingly….disposal is cheap in texas…there is no penalty for our throw way culture…..

on the island…land is dear…..and STUFF HAS TO RECYCLE…my first attempt here was rejected…as i placed my recyclables incorrectly in the can…
…
and it is 4 times more expensive for trash pick up here as over on the distant shore,…....

and so it goes….first your money…then your clothes…...

[reelfastgreg]

welcome to a green state where the mindset is preservation of our natural resources.

[Oregon Ms]

Welcome to the PacNW. I'm so happy for you. We demolished our house on Fidelgo and are in the process of rebuilding. Our contractor is from Orcas. Maybe when we're both moved and settled we can do lunch. (Presently camping in my AS and on the way to AirstreamNW to deal with that damn recall). Hope your closing is smooth sailing.

[kingfisher24]

Oregon Ms……

the cold canadian air mass is upon us with winds swirling and gusting towards 50 mps from the fraser valley…

made for a beautiful dance on casade bay this morning…there were hundreds of …if on land they would be called dirt devils…but in the bay they were just mini tornadoes and rainbows were coming from several of them….

[Oregon Ms]

I'll PM you when I get closer to getting the tons of stuff that I don't miss out of storage.

Any day that the sun is shining is a good day. Nice pics.

[kingfisher24]

do they baby…bad times always pass with the wind…..

and the wind blew and blew and blew on Orcas …and this morning the sun shone gloriously and
a bright crisp 26 degree day dawned on Buck Bay

today.. i started my due diligence inspections on the dream house… I met a contractor at the house…his specialty is cleaning MOSS..living, growing moss off of ones roof

the roof on this house appear to be over an inch thick cement tiles…...

so i have 21 days to inspect the house and correct any deficiencies

this is such a house…we cannot believe that we can even get close to purchasing it…but peabody is leading thru…

a picture thru the trees in front

HAPPY NEW YEAR

[Lily&Me]

Looks beautiful, Carroll!

If it is meant to be, it will all come together.

Good luck!


Maggie

[kingfisher24]

and we are knee deep in scheduling and attending inspections of the new abode…
roof cleaners to mop the moss off the roof and treat it so it does not adhere as easily

the typical real estate home building inspection…to reveal any defects or areas of concern,….

roof is concrete tile…shake type concrete rectangles about an 1 and 1/4inches thick…….a lifetime roof they say….

house built here on the island in mid 1990's…it seems there was a housing boom here in the mid 90's as most seem to be in that range…

it has an oil fired boiler……20 years old…..soon to be replaced with an electric one…radiant heating in the floors and baseboard heat as well and two fireplaces and one wood burning stove….

original owner built... after husband died... and 10 kids were grown…lived in it 10 years and died…kids have used it as a retreat for the past 10 years …and they have deferred some maintenance items…like servicing the boiler….and painting so there are some issues to address

but nothing is simple…

but the reward in this case is great….

[Rocinante]

Very nice indeed. I guess on the island that electric is cheaper than oil? I'm also guessing with that fireplace you'll have a heat source if the island is without power.