The Three-Year Local Trap

Some small towns are tourist traps, coercing visitors into spending unwisely and enticing them to come again soon. Here on Orcas, things may seem to be as they are in any small town, but as you settle in, you begin to notice that things are more than just a little different.

The beauty beckons visitors from near and far, with the island's serene beaches, forested shorelines, and panoramic views that make you feels as if you're on top of the world. But beneath the surface of the local beauty is a trap that few see coming - or ignore the signs of danger as a sailor allows the drawing suction of a siren's mystic song to carry him off to sea.

The people seem so inviting and friendly, waving to one another as they pass on the streets, passing smiles back and forth in local shops. People want to stay, but misunderstand the process of becoming a local - and the impending doom and dire consequences of giving in to their desires of living in such a place as Orcas Island. The unwritten rules of becoming a local islander require at least a three-year extended stay. But when you begin to take a closer and more intimate look into the lives of the people here, it becomes more apparent that the locals are... well, for lack of a better phrase - a little strange. Some are even deserving of a grander title, such as insane. Somewhere along their journey to becoming a local - they seem to have lost their minds.

Now, I'm sure most people didn't start off that way, or at least I like to hope they didn't. While some people seem perfectly normal by societal standards, others just don't quite seem to establish a life of normalcy on the island, but can't seem to bring themselves to leave, either. The draw here is intense, and the desire to leave becomes a passing thought as time draws you further into the island's hypnotic energy. By the time you realize you've endured three full years here, earning you an honorary local badge, you might not even notice that you, too - have lost your mind somewhere on Orcas Island.

The Minds of the Mutually Self Serving

I'm sure that when Orcas Island developed it's reputation for being such a wonderful place to grow up - it probably was. But something entirely different seems to be happening here now, and whether or not these things are occurring on the mainland isn't known to us here on the island, because . . . well, we're on an island.

While Orcas is definitely a place with an undeniable natural beauty, it is also has a strange draw to it, while at the same time - it creates a feeling that you just want to get away, but can't. The truth is, here on Orcas, boredom and desperation collide. The result is a vile and disgusting revelation of the minds of humans that are truly bored. Let's face it, this isn't Gilligan's Island. While we may have a similar combination of opinionated rich folks, the famous and selfishly materialistic, the educated thinkers, the hardworking rough-hands, and even simple-minded do-gooders, we all seem to share a mutual feeling of being stranded; yet, you just don't get the impression that everyone is working together - or even towards the same purpose. Let me rephrase that: It quickly becomes apparent that everyone DOES seem to be working towards exactly the same purpose: To serve "self".

Is There Nothing to Do on Orcas Island?

Tourists arrive on the island excited and ready for an adventure... But for those of us who live here, the general consensus is that there's nothing to do on Orcas Island. While many of the locals try to entertain themselves by saying that it all depends on what you enjoy doing, most people find themselves without much to do in the evenings, other than perhaps a meal out... And yet, the island offers all the indulgences one could seek, if they knew just where to look for such experiences.

There is simply no comparison between what people do in the big city, and what one could encounter on Orcas Island. There really isn't much to do on this island, except maybe the three things people do most often... Drink, do drugs, and have sex. Usually in that order. It's what so many people do with their winters, although none of it warms anyone up enough to stop complaining about the temperature.

To be quite honest, Orcas Island has many of the modern conveniences of most middle-American towns... You can go to the gym, get a tan or a beehive at the salon, play a few rounds of golf, have one of several beers on tap, join a local sewing circle, or whatever floats your boat. Which reminds me, there are plenty of boating enthusiasts, kayaking groups, and yacht clubs to join, as well.

For the kids, Orcas offers a movie theater playing a new movie every weekend - or sometimes even two. There are DVD rentals, the Fun House, roller skating on Saturdays, and of course - school sports. But there are a whole breed of kids who enjoy the dark side of the island. Trouble is something the kids of Orcas Island know all too well. If you get to know the kids of Orcas, you'll find a dark underworld of drinking, drugs, and random sex acts with anyone willing. By the time the teenage years are gone, so is their innocence.
Most of them have a healthy attitude about life on the island. They say there are the good kids, but the bad kids, it has been said, are really bad. The same could be said for the adults inhabiting the island, seeing as how there isn't much in the way of entertainment. But as they say, it's all about what you enjoy doing. Poker on Sundays or Thursdays, go see the current show at the performing arts center, or maybe just take a walk along one of the many local trails. There are a lot of beautiful places to go, and quite a few things to do here on the island. Just don't be too quick to let people in - for the walls hear and the floors talk. This sure isn't Vegas, so remember this: what happens on Orcas is everyone's business.

That's Life on Orcas Island

With an endless number of gorgeous views, beautiful inns, and stunningly irresistible photo opportunities, visitors flock from around the world to experience summers on Orcas Island. Although the winter, spring and fall months have an equally inspiring beauty, only a brave handful of locals call the island home all year long.

It's easy, once you're here for a while, to let the veil come down around, sheltering you from the very existence of the rest of the world. No fast food, no Walmart or chain restaurants. The streets are lined with an array of local restaurants and eccentric retail stores, and there isn't a single traffic light anywhere on the island. Many people come to the San Juan islands seeking an a pacific northwest paradise. Orcas Island offers just that. For those strong enough to endure the long, dark and rainy winters, the island becomes the type of place where every face is that of someone you know - and for me, it seems as though everybody knows my name.

I have the type of job that offers a steady stream of local traffic, and although I haven't been here long - I have heard the island referred to as many different things to different people. For some, it's the peace they had been seeking in their lives. Some call it Atlantis or Avalon. Others feel sucked into a vortex of boredom, depression or daily drinking, sometimes referring to the island as Orcatraz. Still to others, Orcas Island is a beautiful vacation island; a pacific northwest gem - where the forest meets the ocean, and the island views reach the setting sun.

One way or another, the island life seems to grow on you. The answer to every question seems to be, "That's life on the island." If you're here long enough, you begin to realize the island, along with it's inhabitants, seem to exist in a world of their own - a place few people are brave enough (or lucky enough) to experience island's true, year-round beauty. Those who do make to the lofty status of being a local also earn the right to call themselves an islander.