— from Hilary Canty —
As I drove to Orcas Village on Friday, I passed a long line of cars arriving from the mid-afternoon ferry. I recognized none of them, several towed boats or bikes. When I spoke to someone who had been on that ferry, they reported that it was 70% full and he, too, recognized very few people. Later, I saw so many clusters of folks, walking through Eastsound and on the beach, closely together and without masks. Needless to say, I skipped my planned trip to the Market and headed back to Olga.
Nonessential travel is not intended to open until Phase 3 of the Public Health plan put forth by the Governor. San Juan County is in phase 1- stay home, stay safe. While it is legal for hotels and short term rentals to provide housing for essential workers, clearly these folks were here for vacationing.
Where are all these folks staying? My neighbors Jim and Betsy Nelson, owners of Bayside Cottages, are honoring the rules and I am deeply grateful. If your neighbors are not being so gracious, please let the
authorities know (link to the instructions).
Inviting vacationers to the islands increases the risks for the entire community. It also will likely set back our chance to reopen officially, as the current rules require a three-week span of no new cases. San Juan
County has almost a week under our collective belt. We also know that our medical system is fragile and easily overwhelmed. Let’s not risk it.
If you need a mask, email masks4orcas@gmail.com. They have a great supply of locally made masks.
This is not a partisan issue, it is a public health issue. The more we follow the Public Health protocols, the sooner we can gear up our economy and invite folks back to the islands. Until then, please follow the recommendations.
I observed similar things in Eastsound and Moran Park, and along the road to Orcas Village.
Thank you for this, Hillary. I drove through town Friday morning and there were loads of young people at the Brown Bear corner, none of them with masks on people sitting at the picnic tables at Brown Bear without masks. I did not recognize them but I don’t know everybody of course. It was just offputting. Thank you for the information for checking about unauthorized visitors. There are people in the rental next door and I highly doubt they are here on essential business.
thank you for writing this Hilary. I agree. It’s concerning. I wonder if the county couldn’t establish some kind of rule about wearing masks when you’re not social distancing. Put up signs around town? Or perhaps businesses could establish rules that patrons must wear masks or they can’t be served.
Hilary–very well said. I would urge anyone who has a neighboring rental to report its use via your link if it appears to be non-essential. There’s no way that vacation rentals will likely ever be banned outright, nor should they be, IMO, but the bad actors can be sanctioned and their permits revoked. Also, the enforcement officer can collect data about types of issues, etc., for further refining the vacation rental rules. If the VR owners continue without a permit, they can be fined. And that fine needs to be raised.
Locally made masks can also be picked up, free of charge, at Ray’s Pharmacy, Island Hardware, and ordered with your food order from the Orcas Food Co-op. We suggest, if you are able, that you pay it forward by making a contribution to the OICF Community Emergency Response Fund.
When can those of us that have seasonal vacation homes return? My wife and I have been delaying our return to see how things are going and and not be part of the problem. But if tourist are allowed to come to OI, can’t we?
Thank you for you letter, Hilary. FYI I was in
Anacortes on Thursday for a medical appointment, and wondered on the morning trip at the increase in ferry traffic, people taking pictures, etc. When we got to the ferry for the return at 3:05 the ferry was full, and we were told we would have to wait until 7:05 to return! We have been over there for some tests and appointments in the last few weeks and the ferries have been virtually empty. Yes, I think there has been a rather sudden increase in visitors. How can these people be required to wear masks and social distance? I would hate to think the care everyone has taken on Orcas should wind up being for nothing….
f
Steve O., I should think you could come “home “ any time you want to.
Hi, Hilary — Driving down Cascade Way in Rosario today, I noticed that most of the houses are occupied, an unusual state of affairs. Suspect many people who own homes on Orcas are in them now, possibly working from home.
I urge residents who notice occupants in transient rentals to notify the sheriff’s office tips line as referenced by Hilary. I knew of a situation and contacted the hot tips line and the response from the sheriff’s office was very timely. They are not ignoring these tips. I don’t understand why the ferries can’t prevent non-residents from coming to the islands. There are such gate keepers at other places in the US where tourists present a definite danger to isolated places.
Springtime on Orcas. By next week there will be no more parking spaces in Eastsound. Orcas is an escape from CV for mainlanders. The tourists are coming! Ferry tallies should confirm the increase.
Hilary,
Your take on this sounds sane to me. Orcas Island is not yet open for business, so what’s going on?
We have had two families return home to our road- both have homes elsewhere. They called us beforehand (nice but not required) and asked what would work for the neighborhood. We discussed appropriate social distancing and protocols, as well as our limited medical services (if you are ill, don’t come). They have come, it has worked. Seems workable for those who own and occupy a home here. Opening that home to visitors is another deal altogether.
WSF was asked and declined to post that the SJ islands were open only to essential travel. I believe the Governor could require them to do so. Until then, we depend on folks making informed decisions. Unfortunately, from a distance the 15 count case report sounds great compared to Seattle. What the average visitor does not know is how little testing has occurred and how fragile our medical supports are. Adding risk to this community at this time is not helpful.
I hikes Mountain Lake for Mother’s Day and both the Mountain Lake and Cascade Lake parking areas were full. I saw BC, Ohio, Minnesota, Oregon, etc. license plates and we experienced only one hiker on our trail that looked like a local.
Yes. The tourists are back and It’s 100% preventable at the Anacortes ferry landing.
Many families are able to afford their “dream” vacation home by renting it out part of the time to offset expenses. They may not be able to rent their home now, but I think they have every right to use it themselves. We don’t hesitate to issue building permits and are more than happy to collect their property taxes…..we need to be prepared for those houses to be occupied.
Those who own second homes on Orcas Island can and should do as one such couple I know did: self-quarantine for 14 days before going out in public. Another friend did so after a (forced) return from Europe in March. Of course, they need to be prepared to do so by buying groceries on the mainland before getting on the ferry. And if they must go to the story for forgotten items, please wear your masks.
After carefully reading the article, and all of the comments, one thing kind of jumps out at me. What does a “Local” “Look like”? What does an “Islanders” car “Look like”? I found those comments a bit humorous, and maybe a little bit disturbing. In my course of work, I come in contact with thousands of different people each year, most of whom own property on this island. And even after 24 years of this, I’m not sure that I’ve developed an “Islander” radar like sixth-sense. While hiking in the park, my family will often strike up a conversation with strangers that we meet, and often they are life long islanders, that I don’t recognize. Similarly, when there is a car parked at the VRBO down the street, how do you know if that car belongs to a paying guest versus the owner of the property? The vast majority off people who own vacation properties here are on-island right now, sheltering in place at their second homes. What do they “Look like”and what do their cars “Look like”?
Even in Phase II, travel is limited to “essential travel and limited non-essential travel for… permissable activities.” (See the very helpful document https://coronavirus.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/PhasedReopeningChart.pdf.)
But we are still in Phase I, as of now. So why are tourists coming here in the first place, and where are they staying? They can’t all have been here just for the day! Also, do the tourists know that our “hospital capacity” is in Bellingham and Anacortes?
to the editor:
why was Buddy Wright’s comment removed?
please explain.
Buddy, you are so right, there is of course no way to confirm who is local and who is not from a glance. But seeing ferry ridership grow from a low of 12% 5 weeks ago to 70% this weekend while the shelter in place rules are still active leaves me to wonder. Taking selfies in front of the Arch at Moran is also a likely sign. I suspect many of the cars I saw in that line heading into town were visiting. Again, we are in the middle of a public health crisis. Following the recommendations of our Governor, Public Health Doc, and OIFR seems like the least we can do. If you have a rental and are inviting non essential visitors to rent, that is not abiding by what is best at this point. As I mentioned, I am deeply grateful that our neighbors are following the recommendations and I will help them recover by encouraging folks to stay with them when the time is right. Stay well.
Hi Hilary. I do agree that we should be following the rules and guidelines, and I certainly was not in any way implying that people should break the rules. My first comment was meant somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
But, I did a double take when I read the comment that “While hiking around the lake, I only saw one person that “looked” local.” And this started me thinking about the implications of using the sheriff’s department tip line to report people who don’t “look” like they belong here. What is it that we’re going to judge these people on? Their clothing? If their car is cleaner than mine? It seems to lead to a place that I don’t want to go.
But, on the lighter side, it opens up a great publishing opportunity. A whole set of field guides on identifying islanders. We could have chapters on their plumage, behaviors, preferred diets, mating rituals, nesting grounds, etc . . . How to tell an Doe Bay variety from a Deer Harbor specimen? Perhaps a limited edition coffee table book, with big glossy photos! Or, like the airplane identification playing cards form World War II, we could make spotting cards for quick reference in identifying an islander from a tourist. That would help us avoid them even faster.
I don’t suppose a secret “islander” handshake would be appropriate at this time.
Well, on the 3:05 to Lopez, Shaw and Orcas, just under an hour before the sailing, there are only 30 drive-up spaces available. That’s pretty near full. Can’t be sure of course but it is doubtful that even half those are returning islanders. (Oops, only 25 spaces now.)
It could be informative to see the running results from the Crime Line. The suspected violators I have seen randomly in the Sheriff’s Log were deemed 100% compliant. Are the data changing?
Hypothetically (and separately), are volunteers willing to form a greeting party at Orcas landing to heighten travellers’ awareness?