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Alan
There’s always a great assortment classic wooden boats in the region.
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Rachel Samanyi
Port Townsend is a boating haven with boats of all kinds and many services.
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Joe Wolf
A bird’s eye view of Port Townsend.
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Joe Wolf
A portion of its downtown.
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Joe Wolf
Many locally-owned shops adorn its downtown district.
Words by Scott Wilson
Located approximately halfway between Victoria, BC and Seattle, WA, Port Townsend awaits boaters traversing the Salish Sea. With its ideal location, easy accessibility – not to mention a unique culture and array of marine services – this community by the sea is a true haven that can enhance your trip with every visit.
For instance, Port Townsend shares its historic Victorian architecture with modern vibrancy. It’s full of entertainment, specialty shops and great marine services. Similar to Victoria, Port Townsend got its start in the mid-1800s. The ornate architecture of that era still dominates the downtown landscape. Even as a smaller city – with a population of just 9,000 – it draws a sophisticated level of arts and entertainment throughout the year.
As an example, it’s the home of Centrum, a non-profit arts foundation that attracts world-class musical and literary talent. Port Townsend also has rich local night-life, with great restaurants, music, live theatre, charming movie houses and notable art galleries scattered among the eclectic shops of the downtown area.
The charm of Port Townsend has been repeatedly highlighted through “Best Of” awards, generated by regional, national and international publications. These well-traveled folks are not wrong. One of Port Townsend’s unique features is that almost all the stores are locally owned and operated by people with a passion for what they do. There are few chain stores and none are located downtown.
As a result, the quality of goods is high, the service is friendly and the town welcomes folks who visit. Port Townsend is, after all, at the end of a road, situated amidst the southern portion of the Salish Sea. You have to want to go there.
Boaters’ paradise
For boaters, Port Townsend is especially unique. Thanks to the annual Wooden Boat Festival, it is a mecca for those interested in traditional boats. From Sept. 6-8, 2019, the festival will again take over the charming Point Hudson Marina at one end of Water Street.
The festival’s operator, the Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC), is active all year, offering workshops and boat-building venues. The NWMC also manages other events such as the human- and wind-powered Race to Alaska (R2AK). It launches next on June 3, 2019. For more information, visit www.nwmaritime.org.
At the other end of town is the Port of Port Townsend’s fully equipped and ultra-capable Boat Haven. Many of the best marine trade workers of the Northwest Pacific coast work there and can handle any size job. Visit the Marine Trades Association website for professional options at www.ptmta.org.
The Port of Port Townsend has haul-outs up to 300 tons and includes a fuel dock, laundromat, showers, a dump station, marine parts, Coast Guard station, nearby restaurants and grocery stores, and within a half-mile, the historic downtown.
Both the smaller Point Hudson Marina and the larger Boat Haven have guest slips available, including water and power. Both have staff on-site and are served by local transit. For more information, visit www.portofpt.com, or call (800) 228-2803. The Port monitors VHF Channel 66A.
Special events
Boaters may want to time their visits around frequent festivals and special events. Among them include:
- Port Townsend Farmers Market is one of the best in the Northwest and is held every Saturday April through December in the Uptown District. It features fresh food raised by the region’s artisan farmers, along with hand-crafted goods. www.jcfmarkets.org.
- The Rhodendron Festival and Parade, a great small-town celebration is held the third week of May.
- Brass Screw Confederacy and Steampunk Hootenanny is hosted every June.
- Centrum’s week-long festivals of Fiddle Tunes, Acoustic Blues, Jazz, Chamber Music, Ukulele, Voiceworks and Literary Arts take place throughout the summer. www.centrum.org.
- Concerts at the Dock is a regular downtown Thursday evening event during July and August. Dance with the locals.
- Port Townsend Film Festival takes over the downtown with several venues for eclectic films. In 2019, the dates are Sept. 20-22. www.ptfilmfest.com.
- Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race showcases human-powered machines that must master water, mud and steep hills. It’s held Oct. 5-6, 2019. www.ptkineticrace.org
If quieter pursuits are your preference, Port Townsend presents miles of bicycle trails (bike rental shops are located downtown), endless coastline for kayak exploration (kayak rentals available), and historic architecture everywhere for walking tours.
By sea or by land, Port Townsend awaits you. Don’t miss it.