Dungeness River Festival

After our good news for potential Sequim residents that Sequim got listed as one of the Best Retirement Towns by the Water, let's see what is happening this weekend in Sequim. Everybody who visits Sequim or lives in Sequim as attracted by the Dungeness River. If you are around this September weekend 9/26 + 9/27/08, come and visit the Dungeness River Festival.

What is it what attracts us most to Dungeness River? The people of Clallam County community of Sequim, Carlsborg and Dungeness love the river, the wildlife and beautiful scenery around it. We love to walk along the Dungeness or just stop on the Railroad Bridge at Audubon Center to take in the beautiful scenery watching the running river and listening to nature before we continue on our walk or bike ride along the Olympic Discovery Trail.

The River Center, River Center Foundation Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society are hosting the event from 10am to 4pm Friday and Saturday at Railroad Bridge Park, Hendrickson Rd. Admission is free. The 2-day festival is not only celebrating nature and the great outdoors but educates and entertains visitors and residents of all ages. Come and join us at the Dungeness River. You might be lucky and spot some salmons in the river. See you at the River tomorrow. We will be there with our bikes!
p.s.
This Sequim blog post includes the first photos taken by our new friends, Ron and Mary Nell from Texas, on their recent Sequim Vacation. They fell in love at first sight with Sequim and its beautiful scenery of the Olympic Mountains and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Our blog visitors will get a chance to read and see what Ron and Mary Nell did on their Sequim vacation. Thanks guys for allowing us to use your photos!

If you plan a Sequim Vacation or buying real estate in the Sequim area because you want to move to Sequim, come back for more beautiful Sequim photos from Ron!

Tags: Sequim, Travel, Vacation, Olympic Peninsula, Olympic Discovery Trail

Cheap Sequim Vacation

For all those who have come to Sequim, not just for the Lavender Festival weekend but for an extended Sequim vacation, there is great news for saving money on gas when using the public bus service of Clallam County and Jefferson County. I could not believe it when I read the article on the Peninsula Daily News 'Peninsula public transportation scenic dropoffs'. A day pass for Clallam County bus transit costs $2.00 and for Jefferson County just $1.25 and best of all, the bus can take bikers or hikers close to some of the prettiest spots of the Olympic Peninsula, from waterfalls to wild beaches in La Push and stunning Crescent Lake.

When reading the complete article about using Clallam County bus for exploring some great sightseeing spots on the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic National Park, we noticed that quite a number of Peninsula attractions which can be reached by public bus are our favorite destinations too, such as the trail to 90-foot Merymere Falls, Crescent Lake with Crescent Lake Lodge for refreshments (I love having a cocoa and sit out side on the wooden chairs watching the kayakers and the beautiful lake scenery) or First Beach at La Push. By the way, if you did not know it yet, Marymere Falls have an optical illusion: Stare at a ledge to the side, about the middle if the falls for about 1 minute and then look back at the falls, and you will see the falls go upwards. This is no joke!

Hey, hikers and bikers in the Sequim area, it gets even better. If you don't want to plan your sighseeing tour according to the Sequim bus schedule, you can plan your own schedule with 'Dial-a-Ride' from and to the Sequim Transit Center. Just make sure that you call 24hrs ahead to make your reservation.

The Dial-a-Ride' bus will take you out wherever you want to be in the Dungess Valley, including the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge's beach and other trails and points along the Olympic Discovery Trail such as the Dungeness River Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park, which is our favorite point for starting bike rides and easy walks with friends who visit us in Sequim. Believe it or not, Dial-A-Ride trips are covered by that $2 per person day pass. Children 6 and younger are free. That will save you and your family between $10-$40 depending on what car you drive.

Check bus schedule and route or make reservation for Dial-A-Ride online for Clallam County or call 360-452-4511 and for Jefferson County or call 360-385-4777. BTW, both bus systems offer a youth pass that covers unlimited rides all summer for $10. Again, when taking off on the regular bus route for a special area destination, tell the bus driver where you'd like to be dropped. Good planning is key for full success riding the public bus on vaction in Sequim.

Tags: Sequim, travel, vacation, Sequim vacation, best, Olympic Peninsula

Restaurant at Sequim Bay Marina

Greetings to everybody who is interested in moving to Sequim or a Sequim vacation,

I guess we told you that a great resource on events, happenings, jobs and real estate in Sequim is the Sequim Gazette. Before we moved to Sequim last year, this was one of our daily references and resources staying in touch with Sequim. It still is these days. Today we found a great information we would like to share with our Sequim town blog readers.

If you don't intend to retire in Sequim and are actually in the restaurant business, here is a great business opportunity for starting a new restaurant at Sequim Bay John Wayne Marina. It's a great location with big windows overlooking beautiful Sequim Bay. And most of all, there should be no shortage of visitors to the restaurants with all the boat owners being a round and Sequim Bay Marina being a nice sight seeing spot for people vacationing in Sequim.

Unfortunately, the old restaurant closed. The Port of Port Angeles is accepting applications from restaurant entrepreneurs to fill an opening the John Wayne Marina building overlooking the Boat Haven and Sequim Bay. Earlier plans for the building indicated the possible commitment toward a high-scale restaurant. McChesney said that demographic studies led the port to try and fill the vacancy with the best idea rather then holding out for a five-star restaurant. More information on this new restaurant project in John Wayne Marina.

Those interested in applying for the location can contact the Port of Port Angeles at 417-3456 or visit the Web site portofpa.com and click on marinas at the top for additional information.

We, Sun Meadows and Sequim residents, would love to see a new restaurant at Sequim Bay Marina opening soon. Not necessarily a 5-star restaurants, so visitors have to think twice whether they can afford a visit. Cafe style would be perfect, if you ask us. Enjoy Spring in Sequim. The Sequimers

Technorati Tags: Vacation in Sequim, Sequim Bay John Wayne Marina, Sequim Sights

Sequim Elk Herd

When talking about Sequim, one cannot forget to mention the Sequim Elk Herd. Even if you won't see them on your visit to Sequim, you will be made aware that they are around. The Sequim Town Welcome sign says it all...this is the town where the elks (still) live. It's not to everybody's delight.

As the Sequim elks are roaming around freely and don't know any boundaries, they are not really that welcome by the farmers or gardeners. Sequim town is growing fast, so the area where they can hang out without interfering with residents' life gets smaller and smaller. For quite some time, there have been talks to relocate the elks to another area. For now, they are still here.

The Highway 101 flashing caution lights remind us of their presence and the need for caution on this stretch of highway.Some of the Sequim elk wear transmitting radio collars. The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife monitors the herd by using portable receivers with directional antennas. In addition, collar signals are sent to an innovative system of receivers along Highway 101 just east and south of Sequim. These receivers pick up the elk signals, triggering flashing lights on elk crossing signs to warn motorists when elk are close enough to be a collision danger.

The Sequim elk herd is comprised of approximately 100 Roosevelt elk who consider the Sequim area part of their range. They move about in the foothills east of the Dungeness River, south to approximately Blyn, east of the City of Sequim and north to Port Williams Road. When not in the forest, they graze in farm fields and lawns. Fences do not normally bar their movement. We got a good look at the elks, just the other day when they were hanging out on a big open meadow off Sequim Bay Rd which leads to Sequim Bay Marina.

Luckily, I had my camera and got a few nice shots. A camera with a telescope would have been better but we take what we get. Of course, we were not the only people who stopped to have a good look this amazing picture of the Sequim elk herd. We were happy to see them so close but definitely everybody tried not to agitate the elks and keep a nice distance to the elks. The Sequim elk herd is not tame, although they may appear to be. Normally, they avoid close contact with people and generally move away when approached. However, they may show signs of agitation if people get too close or when people or cars block what they consider to be an escape route. The elks can move very rapidly when reacting to danger.

Let's enjoy the Sequim elks as long as they are around. Have a great weekend in currently not so sunny Sequim!
p.s.
Hope you had a chance to visit the Sequim Garden Show last weekend.

Tags: Sequim Sights, Sequim Elk Herd

Sequim Lighthouse

Sequim Lighthouse
As this blog is not just referring to our life in Sequim but also is supposed to tell Sequim visitors about things to do and places to go, we are starting a few Sequim Sightseeing posts.

One of our trips when on vacation in Sequim was a hike to the Dungeness Spit. It was quite foggy that day (at least by the ocean), so we were quite surprised to find other hikers and even kayakers taking off from the beach. We were not sure how many of the tourists who started their walk on the beach along the the Dungeness Spit in the direction to the Sequim Lighthouse ever made it. We are still planning on doing the 5-mile walk to the end of the Dungeness Spit and resting at the Lighthouse. Summer time will be the right time to go on the adventure.

For now, let's share some information on the Lighthouse. First of all, the Lighthouse is still working because of the New Dungeness Light Station Association. Association members pay a 'keeper's fee' for an opportunity to live and work at the historic lighthouse. Annual membership family membership is $30. The Dungeness Light Station is completely maintained by the volunteer keepers, many of whom stay a week at a time at the station. To find out more about the schedule openings, go to Dungeness Light Station Keepers.

The sound of waves softly rolling ashore and eagles soaring overhead are awaiting you. Serenity now! Have a fun vacation in Sequim. The Sequimers

Tags: Sequim Sights, Sequim Lighthouse, Sequim Vacation