Port Townsend-Sequim Washington?

[Mark Fogleman]

Looking at a possible re-location to the Port Townsend-Sequim area and would like to connect with any forum members with knowledge about the area. We'll be there next week for a few days and would appreciate getting a local's point of view about the area, housing, etc. 

Thanks!
Mark

[Mike Kolb]

My parents lived in Sequim (right between Port Angeles and Port Townsend) for years. It's a real nice little town. You'll find it's very retirement-oriented and the cost of living is below the Seattle area.  

Weatherwise, there's not as much rain as you might think, since the Olympic mountains provide what the locals call a "rain shadow" effect.  

From talking to folks at a few GAL conventions in Tacoma, there seems to be a fair number of independent instrument-makers in the area... although how many (or whether they've stayed) is a question.

To be sure, it's a gorgeous area. There's a certain "isolation factor" with being on the Olympic Peninsula, and that may or may not be a plus for you.   All in all, it's a nice neck o' the woods. 

Good that you're going up for a "look-see" in the winter, as that's the bleakest time... everything else is certainly uphill from there!

[Mark Fogleman]

Thanks for your reply Mike!

The Rain Shadow is what put the area on our radar and the isolation factor is a plus.  It does have a steady schedule of music festivals so we won't be too isolated.  

[LARRY KLOSE]

I've been there a couple of times and met some of the locals.  I attended two different Brazilian choro workshops at the Centrum Center, an arts center on the grounds of a former army base in PT, Fort Worden.  Centrum has numerous music and arts programs and workshops in nearly every genre throughout the year.  Google "Centrum".  I'm sure there's a whole lot more music going on around there.  A friend, Al Bergstein, is the major organizer of the choro workshop every year and I met a luthier friend of his, Dave Llewellen, who also lives there.  Send me an alert off forum with your email and I'll give you some contact info.  Weather was very nice in April, during the workshops, although it can rain intermittently.  No problems with low humidity there.  

Sequim is considered a "banana belt" because of the rain shadow, according to a relative who investigated and considered retiring there once.  Someone I met in PT said that the local joke is that Sequim populated with retired pilots because it's often the only place in the area where it isn't raining when they land and leave SEATAC.

PT is a very artsy town with a lot of historic preservation, galleries and the like.  Interesting place.  I'd strongly consider a summer home there if I could afford it.

Larry