Waves quietly lapped the peaceful shores of Case Inlet recently when the Squaxin Indian Tribe celebrated, as is their tradition, the first salmon catch of the season, where tribe members and the general public gathered to witness the respect shown by the tribe to the first-caught salmon.

The Antarctic continent and its many waterways was discovered during the Wilkes Expedition of 1837 to 1842. Lieutenant Augustus Ludlow Case and his crew set off to explore the inland passage, during which they discovered Case Inlet, just one among the many inlets the area is home to. Case Inlet, located in North Mason County of western Washington State, was named after Augustus Case.

Case Inlet is located about ten miles north-northeast of Olympia, and its fine gravel beaches flank a maze of bays and passages that make up this peaceful boaters paradise. Case Inlet is nearly 20 miles in length and it's warmer shallow waters of North Bay are bordered on the west by the small town of Allyn and on the east by Victor. Pickering Passage separates the mainland from Harstine Island on the south along the small community of Grapeview.

The unique communities of Treasure Island and Stretch Island, located along the shores of Case Inlet, are pleasant and peaceful, offering a large measure of privacy to its property owners along with natural settings and the unsurpassed rural beauty of the northwest. Vacation rental homes are often found among the many spectacular waterfront homes nestled among the tall native hemlock, cedar and fir trees.

Fair Harbor Marina is located on South Puget Sound in Grapeview and features 350 feet of guest moorage, 68 permanent slips and 10 covered slips ranging from 38 to 50 feet, regular fuel, and 20 and 30 amp service. Plush restrooms and showers are available, along with a complimentary shuttle between Fair Harbor Marina and LakeLand Village Golf Course for overnight guests. You'll want to take advantage of the country store with its unique gifts, furniture and local art, along with groceries, espresso, bait and tackle.

Easily accessible from Pickering Passage is the privately owned Jarrell's Cove Marina is located on Harstine Island near Jarrell's Cove State Park. Jarrell's Cove Marina offers RV sites, showers, a dump station, and small grocery store.

The nearby town of Allyn is host to several quaint shops, Leonard K's restaurant, home of the Big Bubba Burgers, and has a chain-saw carving outlet, including a gift shop, that is a buzzing hub of the community during the summer months. A grocery store, hardware store, provide the necessary staples for the local residents and visitors. The Port of Allyn has built a peaceful waterfront park where visitors can moor their boats for the day and walk to Allyn's shops and restaurants. The pavilion, totem pole, playground, single land launch ramp and picnic tables along the waterfront are available for day use. The Fair Harbor Marina, located in Grapeview, offers deep mooring facilities.

Visitors and residents can spend hours watching harbor seals and the occasional gray whale in Case Inlet or Pickering Passage and the neighboring waterways are bubbling with recreational activities most of the year, rain or shine. Local residents and visitors delight in exploring the beach at low tide or taking the opportunity to gather oysters, clams, Dungeness Crab fresh off the beach.

While many residents are seasonal, others who prefer waterfront vacation rentals come from nearby metropolitan areas of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Olympia, and other states as well, and will come back annually just to enjoy the peaceful tranquility of Case Inlet's many waterfront communities.

To the south of Case Inlet the majestic beauty of Mt Rainier dominates the skyline against the bluest skies you've ever seen. Mt Rainier, one of the world's largest volcano's and the tallest peak of the Cascade Mountain Range, is the highest mountain in Washington State at 14,410 feet, and is less than a three hour drive from the Seattle area.

The I-5 corridor offers easy access for the many Case Inlet waterfront residents who enjoy the benefit of a fairly easy commute to nearby metropolitan areas, yet they can still come home to the peaceful and stress-free lifestyle of a friendly small-town rural community environment.