Do You Need a Boat to Live on an Island?

“So, I suppose you need a boat to live on an island?”

We get this question so often when we share that we sell property in the San Juan Islands. Most people equate island living with boating, which is true for some people, but is not necessary.

I lived on Orcas Island for three years before I ever went out on a boat other than the ferry. Only a few people I knew had a boat. Now, we live on a non-ferry island and only use our open boat in the summer. You can have a wonderful lifestyle without owning a boat.

Two water taxi companies operate from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm, in the late spring and summer months and from 8:00 to 3:00 pm the rest of the year. We use them to travel within the islands as well as to the mainland and they provide amazingly efficient service. We can get on the boat at Skyline Marina and be in our kitchens 30 minutes later. They’re warm in the winter and you can sit out on the deck in the summer and enjoy all the island lifestyle has to offer. It’s GREAT!

They can also deliver fuel, prescriptions, groceries, building materials and appliances for a nominal freight charge. You don’t need to have your own boat unless you want to use it to cruise or if you’re an avid fisherman.

Don’t let not having a boat deter you from living on an island.

Life is wonderful out here!

Paraclete Charters leaving the dock