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Welcome to Orcas Island
The Gem of the San Juan Islands
Overview
The archipelago consists of 172 uncommonly beautiful islands, protected from ocean storms by the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island.
The Olympic Mountains create a "rain shadow" which moderates the rainfall in the islands. Orcas has 26 - 28 inches of rain per year and as a result, enjoys a mild climate year round.
Compared to Seattle, Orcas has 50% less rain and forty additional days of sunshine. Prevailing winds are from the southeast during the winter and from the north and south during the summer season. Winds above 30 mph are unusual.
Orcas is the largest island in the San Juans with 57 square miles in the shape of a horseshoe. It is considered by many the "gem" of the group. Its hilly topography, cut by deep sounds and bays, offers marine views and shoreline exceptional even for this area. Much of the island is forested in Douglas Fir and Cedar with Madronna common along the shores. Moss covered rock outcrops offer contrasts with the forest, providing exceptional views of the surrounding islands.
The island community is populated by many successful, well educated, independent, environmentally sensitive people from various areas of the country. The permanent population is about 4,500.
Fortunately for those of us who love these islands, they remain relatively unspoiled thanks to the careful stewardship of those who came before us.
Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands off the northwest coast of Washington State, encompasses some of the most inviting real estate in the world. Unspoiled, uncrowded and untroubled, it offers a quality of life difficult to find in the modern world.
Favorite Orcas Island Links
HOW TO GET HERE SOME PLACES TO STAY |
GENERAL INFORMATION SCHOOLS CAR RENTALS
SOME THINGS TO DO |