West Sound Guide 2018

WEST SOUND NEIGHBORHOODS
Olalla, Southworth
are nothing short of
charming, welcoming
Blink and you may miss either of
these two small South Kitsap communities,
but both charming settings are inviting
if you take the time to look.
Olalla’s stationed between Gig Harbor
and Port Orchard, in a pastoral area
dotted by barns and historic homes. Al’s
Market is the place everyone must stop,
whether to pick up snacks or check out
the view of Colvos Passage and Vashon
Island. Down on the shore of Olalla Lagoon,
it’s where you’ll find locals on
pleasant days as well as in the middle of
winter — a neighboring bridge hosts the
annual New Year’s Day polar bear
plunge that draws folks from across the
region.
The Olalla Community Club is also a
home away from home for locals, with
events like an annual swap meet or
weekly bingo nights.
The community club also hosts a
concert and writer's series that, perhaps
inevitable in this community, include
potlucks. Check www.olallahouse.org
for a schedule.
Not far down the road is the hamlet of
Southworth, a waterfront community
for around 2,000 residents perched at
the end of a scenic drive that winds
along the South Kitsap shoreline to Port
Orchard. Kayakers bound for Blake Island
and beachcomb-ers are drawn to
the waterfront, where scenic views
abound at every angle.
The Southworth ferry terminal is a
jumping off point for travelers and daily
commuters bound to Vashon Island and
West Seattle, creating a burst of traffic
every hour or so. The tiny but wellstocked
Southworth Store and the longstanding
post office are the hub of the
community. Artists working from home
studios have clustered here, and little
farms like Rodstol find a place among
the peaceful scenes.
Kohlten Dunn, formerly of Olalla and
now a resident of Orting, returned to
make his eighth annual plunge,
executing a flip as he eyes the water
waiting below. RIC HALLOCK
WEST SOUND GUIDE
OLALLA AND SOUTHWORTH
GOVERNMENT
Unicorporated Kitsap County; Kitsap
County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido
614 Division St., Port Orchard;
www.kitsapgov.com
FESTIVALS
Olalla Polar Plunge: Jan. 1, Olalla Lagoon
SCHOOLS (South Kitsap School District)
Olalla Elementary
South Colby Elementary
Sedgwick Middle School
South Kitsap High School
BR-1970965
44 ❚ MAY 2018 ❚ KITSAP SUN WEST SOUND GUIDE