Forum Discussion
30 Replies
- jamesuExplorerThe best time from Smokey Point (norfh of Marysville) to Olympia via the I-5/405 monster: 3am. That's how I now get to our campground at the ocean from up here north of Everett. Same thing coming home. There is NO predicting a "between rush hour" lull on that quagmire anymore, even on weekends.
- rhagfoExplorer IIIWell got to thank this post, DW and I on way to Orcas Island via the Olympia - Port Townsend route. Due to ferry loads and schedules drove from Portland to Port Townsend Thursday, just 4:30 minutes of very relaxing driving. I forgot just how beautiful the drive from Olympi to Port Townsend is, speeds slow at times, but light traffic and just far less stress than going through Tacoma and Seattle!!!
- pauljExplorer IILane width in a ferry is fixed; crews can't squeeze more RV's in side by side even if they wanted.
I'm sure the center deck of all ferries can handle 18 wheelers in each lane. I can imagine being too close to an outside wall (that contains footwells to the upper decks) to open the door if you are in a wide RV. I'm skeptical about both sides, unless there was another RV on the other side, or maybe the box of an 18 wheeler.
The tightest packing that I've seen was on an inland BC ferry, the one east of Nelson. On one trip, the back of the deck was largely occupied by half of a prefab house.
For a while the Port Townsend route had a smaller boat that was borrowed from a run down south (Tacoma), but they've had new boats on that run for several years. They aren't as big as the ones used closer to Seattle, but I doubt if they pack them in tighter.
https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/infodesk/faq/general_info/trucks.htm
8'6" is considered the maximum width without special permission. - rhagfoExplorer III
Tom/Barb wrote:
rhagfo wrote:
2gypsies wrote:
We also rode the Port Townsend/Whidbey ferry last year and had no problem opening the door to go on deck. Perhaps it depends on how loaded it is.
The ferries in the area are an excellent, relaxing way for alternate routes.
X2
We will see I a couple weeks as going that way to the San Juans. There are heavy traffic times when the crew seems to have the worlds biggest shoehorn.
Don't confuse the Coupville to Port Townsend ferry with the San Juan ferries which are a different class of ferry.
Not confused at all, just going to use them both.
Weekend retreat to Orcas. - NEOKExplorerTo clarify my initial post, I talked to the Black Ball Ferry Line and they said if you are inside the gates between 7:30pm and 8:30pm you can spend the night on the parking lot. I'm curious if anyone has done this and what was their experience.
Sorry, I posted this on the wrong thread - Tom_BarbExplorer
rhagfo wrote:
2gypsies wrote:
We also rode the Port Townsend/Whidbey ferry last year and had no problem opening the door to go on deck. Perhaps it depends on how loaded it is.
The ferries in the area are an excellent, relaxing way for alternate routes.
X2
We will see I a couple weeks as going that way to the San Juans. There are heavy traffic times when the crew seems to have the worlds biggest shoehorn.
Don't confuse the Coupville to Port Townsend ferry with the San Juan ferries which are a different class of ferry. - rhagfoExplorer III
2gypsies wrote:
We also rode the Port Townsend/Whidbey ferry last year and had no problem opening the door to go on deck. Perhaps it depends on how loaded it is.
The ferries in the area are an excellent, relaxing way for alternate routes.
X2
We will see I a couple weeks as going that way to the San Juans. There are heavy traffic times when the crew seems to have the worlds biggest shoehorn. - donkeydewExploreras long as you don't catch up to Granny doing 25 in the 50 zone.
yep i think she patrols the road 24/7 as i get behind her every time i go up there - 2gypsies1Explorer IIIWe also rode the Port Townsend/Whidbey ferry last year and had no problem opening the door to go on deck. Perhaps it depends on how loaded it is.
The ferries in the area are an excellent, relaxing way for alternate routes. - Tom_BarbExplorer
rhagfo wrote:
romore wrote:
We took the Whidbey Island-Port Townsend ferry last year, the vehicles were so tightly packed we couldn't open the doors to get out and up to the deck.:R Still, the Olympic peninsula is a lot nicer drive and less stressful than the I-5.
:h
Rode the ferry's for years doing computer repair in a full sized van and never had an issue getting doors opened.
The new PT ferry is much smaller.
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