Packing

Packing

If you've read the weather/climate page, you know that temperatures are quite mild, with winter days typically in the 40s, and summer temperatures almost never higher than the 80s. The warmest night on record is 68 degrees. While the local climate is quite dry, we're surrounded by some very wet places, with the rainforests to the West, Vancouver Island to the North, Olympic Mountains to the South, and Seattle to the East. So, bring your rain gear, just in case. Think of the climate as costal, with the uncertainties that implies.

On the warmest days, you'll want shorts for part of the day. But come evening, long pants will feel more comfortable.

Ferry trips can be chilly, and you will want to be out on the decks if the weather is at all good. We generally foot ferry to Victoria to save the high fees for taking a car. Please pack your passport for trips to Victoria. Going to Canada is quite different since 9/11.

Our house is built on land that was once beach. It's sandy, and gets tracked in when a bit damp. Bring old shoes that you can leave outside. We walk a lot, and will probably want to show you some of our favorite spots that you just can't see by car. The trails are very gentle; we're less than 100 feet in elevation - so how bad can it get?.

We front on the fourteenth tee of the Dungeness Golf Course. It's open to the public, and a beautiful place. If you like to golf, feel free while you're here. We're not golfers, so we can't comment on the fees or course difficulty.

You'll find cool nights throughout the year, so you'll need a light jacket, even in the summer. On the other hand, sweatshirts and jeans work with a windbreaker for most of the local weather, even in the winter. If you're planning on going to the Park, you'll want snow gear and possibly four wheel drive in the winter. This winter has been really dry, with no snow at all at Hurricane in mid March. By April, the Ridge was back to 46 inches, but still a tiny fraction of what they usually get at 5000 feet. Here at sea level, winter snow is rare indeed, maybe a few inches a year at most.

We just don't dress up here. We might head out to dinner, but even that is not a dress up event.