Port Townsend questions (Sequim, Port Ludlow, George: living in, prices, military)

[goinglikesixty]

Hoping to hear from Port Townsend residents. Thinking of a move there and my priorities are good access to a yoga community, volunteer opportunities to help with Puget Sound environmental concerns and nice, progressive folks for new friendships. I am a very active single (widow) in my early sixties. Am also wondering about the Cape George and Port Ludlow communities. Thanking you in advance for your input.

[mev]

Yoga - Yes!
Volunteer opportunities - Yes! (especially with regard to the environment)
It is very progressive and I find it to be a very courteous and friendly place.
Port Ludlow is booming as it is more affordable than Port Townsend. Housing prices here in PT are getting ridiculous

[goinglikesixty]

Thanks for responding. Yes, the housing prices in PT are high. I am planning to look in Port Ludlow specifically because of the better prices. But worried about how long it would take me to drive in to PT for so many of the activities I love. PT Ludlow seems more like a nice development than a vibrant town. Housing prices usually go WAY up in very desirable areas. Also, a realtor told me that PT gets lots more wind than Port Ludlow...thoughts?

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, I was just there, and scouted out Pt Ludlow and Pt Hadlock, as well as Pt Townsend. The first two communities don't really feel like communities, but mainly developments, as you say. There's not really any "there" there. No "downtown" or village center, noplace for people to be out and about, run into neighbors, meet new people, etc. That said, I have friends whose relative from CA lived out the last 15 years of her life in Pt Ludlow and loved it. She loved the fresh air, the views, the marine environment, the quietude. She had to go to Pt Townsend for most of her shopping and her activities, though. It's about 1/2 hr. drive, or maybe 20 minutes.

To me, it looked too isolated. I'd prefer Pt Townsend. Sequim can also be good; there's more of a community there. And people say that Pt Angeles is really coming along, and starting to be an activity hub on its own, hosting summer festivals of various sorts. And it's a much bigger community than any of the other two, while still a small town.

[goinglikesixty]

Thanks Ruth. Are you thinking of moving to the area? I will also look at Sequim, but feel that Port Townsend may offer a better "age mix" ratio. The older I get the more important being in the company of younger people becomes.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by goinglikesixty

Thanks Ruth. Are you thinking of moving to the area? I will also look at Sequim, but feel that Port Townsend may offer a better "age mix" ratio. The older I get the more important being in the company of younger people becomes.

Everyone says Pt T has a better age mix than Sequim. So, yes. And undoubtedly a better age mix than Pt Hadlock and Ludlow. And yes, I'm considering a move there.

[Jumpindogs]

Originally Posted by goinglikesixty

Thanks Ruth. Are you thinking of moving to the area? I will also look at Sequim, but feel that Port Townsend may offer a better "age mix" ratio. The older I get the more important being in the company of younger people becomes.

Sequim definitely has lots of retirees but when we visited we found people of all ages along with quite a few "young in spirit and body" retirees to chat with.

[goinglikesixty]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Everyone says Pt T has a better age mix than Sequim. So, yes. And undoubtedly a better age mix than Pt Hadlock and Ludlow. And yes, I'm considering a move there.

Thanks Ruth. My move will be spring/summer of next year. My trip in January will help me get a "snoot full" of the winter weather and help me with my final decision. Good luck on YOUR journey!

[Ciara Knightly]

Port Townsend is a nice place to visit, but living in PT is a whole different ballgame.

1.) Even though Chamber of Commerce types regularly do "air quailty tests" and tell
us the air quality is "great", the air quality is NOT great if you actually live here. The
paper mill puts out noxious, toxic fumes which have caused many people to have
to move away. Speaking for myself, the fumes from the mill put me into respiratory
distress, and at times induce vomiting because my body is completely overwhelmed
by these "completely safe" fumes.

2.) Everything in town is geared for tourists. For residents? NOT SO MUCH.
There are some 200 souls living in the downtown area, and I daresay, these
people should all be deemed saints for what they put up with from this city.
5AM street sweeping begins. 6AM trash trucks. Never have I lived in a city
that cares so little for peoples' ability to get a good night's sleep. Not only
that, buskers begin their so-called "music" pretty much anytime they please,
at any volume they please. They play the same "songs" over and over and
over, ad nauseum, for hours. People who live and work in the area can do
nothing about it. Police will tell you there's nothing they can do. City won't
change any laws because all of this is supposedly "good for business".
Add on top of all this, the big joke that this is a "walk friendly" and "bike
friendly" city. There are few good bike racks to lock to, esp. if your bike
is worth more than $20 dollars. Walk friendly? The sidewalks are full of
buskers, trash cans, advertising signs, and people trying to convert you
to their religion or anti-religion. For anyone with a walker, wheelchair,
prosthetic leg, cane, walking poles, or any other challent, the sidewalks
are a nightmare. Tourists never see all this. They're not generally here
long enought to really realize what goes on. Lastly, to finish off the sleep-
less nights and chaotic days, tourists come out of the bars at night, and
have no respect for the fact that the "tourist area" of PT is also a residential
area. They fight. They throw things. They yell. They sing, (loudly and
badly,) and there's nary a person from this city, to stand up for the people
who have to endure this, simply so the "PT Main Street Foundation" can
gloat about how lovely their insane gentrification project is.

3.) The Navy and Army are planning to use this area over the next while,
for increased military practices. Including loud airplanes and on-the-ground
and on-the-waterfront training. Your vision of a vibrant "retirement+youth"
community that's all so happy and great is an illusion, and one that is
quickly fading for everyone, not just you.

4.) Cruise ships dock in Port Townsend in the spring and summer. Are
you aware of this? Do you know what it's like to live where cruise ships
dock? Ships that run their big, noisy, polluting diesel engines all night,
even though they're not supposed to? Where are the vigilant "air quaility
test" people on those days and nights?

5.) Parking. Any resident of PT who needs or wants to make use of their
own downtown area is just out of luck. From late winter til late fall and
through the winter holidays, parking after 10AM in downtown PT is the
stuff of nightmares. Bike friendly city? Are their any bike lanes downtown
to help offset the influx of vehicles? No. Are there ample bike stands in
the downtown area to serve tourists and residents alike? No. Is the traffic
full of people gawking at buildings instead of paying attention to cross-
walks and bike traffic? YES. You may love downtown as a visitor,but
if you live here, you'll find yourself avoiding it due to the stress of the
hassle. You may even find yourself leaving PT more and more often,
just to see and do things that aren't so expensive, stressful, and poorly
planned for actual residents of the town.

6.) If you need good, quality healthcare of any kind, avoid this place.
Seriously. Just don't do this to yourself. You're putting your health at
risk by being out here, both from the air quality, and the lack of good
quality healthcare on the Peninsula. I don't care what slick happyface
fliers they make up about how excellent healthcare is here. It isn't.
I'm sorry. It's just not.

My advice to you is to seriously consider that your idea of this place
is an illusion based on a desire. Which happens to the best of us.
But wherever you are coming from, probably isn't actually worse
than here. Save your money. Save your health. Save your sanity.
Do NOT move here because you have a vision of pristine beauty,
surrounded by quality, steadfast people. It couldn't be further
from the truth.

Here's wishing you many truly happy, healthy years, and a safe
wonderful place to land, that really IS what you're looking for, not
just the cumuluation of a lot of slick marketing that is nowhere
based on reality.

[Ruth4Truth]

Thank you, Ciara, for the reality check. The message I get loud and clear, is "don't live downtown!" It sounds pretty bad. Also, the health care availability issue has been a concern for me in considering Pt T, as well. And I don't know what your take on local rents is, but Pt T used to be very affordable, but that is changing--rather suddenly, and somewhat radically. It's kind of shocking, actually.

You'd think that with so many people moving into the area, the hospital or other medical services would be expanded. I suppose something will eventually be done about that after the fact, i.e. after all the newcomers will have suffered for so long, and more keep arriving, that finally someone will realize Pt T is no longer a tiny isolated town.

Yes, I've been forewarned about the paper mill fumes (advised to live in the north end of town), and the growler jets. I had a growler jet thread up last year sometime, but no one posting knew much about it and everyone said they haven't heard any noise of that nature. So please, tell me more. Is the activity expected to intensify in the future, and come closer to town? Why is there such a lack of awareness of this issue among our posters on the Oly Peninsula? According to my activist friends in town, the issue is a very big deal.