It’s time to defend the honor of Orcas Island.

If you’ve read the mean-spirited Seattle Weekly blog about Orcas Island this week, you were likely left with a feeling of “What? He can’t possibly be serious!”

We generally find our island the subject of stories like “One of the top 10 places to see before you die” or “Paradise found on Orcas Island.” Instead, Orcas was the subject of this five-page blog on seattleweekly.com: “Welcome to Orcas Island: Keep The F— Off My Property.”

Ouch.

Instead of balancing his countless photos of “no trespassing” signs with the many places that ARE available to the public, the writer painted a grim picture of Orcas Island: we want your tourist dollars but not your footprints.

It’s sad that this visitor, who is also a journalist, interpreted our community this way. Private parking lots and private property are just that: private. What about Moran State Park? Crescent Beach? Turtleback Mountain? Land Bank trails? Farm tours?

We’re curious: what communities don’t have fences and no hunting or no trespassing signs?

It’s a sense of entitlement displayed by some visitors to our island that has produced this apparent proliferation of unfriendly signage. Ask any long-time islander, and he or she will likely relay a story of “one time this person camped out in my backyard” or “because my driveway is near town, people turn around in it all the time.” When you are part of a small community inundated with visitors, balancing the “welcome” sign with the “respect my property” sign is a challenge.

We hope future visitors aren’t deterred by this blog. All of the San Juan Islands offer plenty of public hiking trails, beach access, and outdoor activities. While we may not want you on our property, we welcome you to explore our islands.