The World of Marina Colleen : So Where Is This Place?

Thimble Fingers is the first in my series "The Orchards of Marina Colleen". The Orchards is the outdoor mall just north of the fictional town of Marina Colleen on Vancouver Island (which is not fictional).

If you look at a map of Canada, you'll see a fairly large island in the Pacific Ocean, the southern end is nestled in the state of Washington and is west of the Canadian city of Vancouver. Vancouver Island belongs to the province of British Columbia and the capital of the province, Victoria, is on the southernmost tip of the island. Most of the population is fairly well protected on the east side of the island or down around the area surrounded by the states.

Marina Colleen lies north of Qualicum Beach and south of Comox along the east shore line.

The Island is one of the largest rain forests on earth and is covered with various evergreen trees. Orcas and seals live in the water. The harbors are filled with fishing and pleasure boats. Sea planes land and take off here. The metropolis of Vancouver is a two hour ferry ride away.

The temperature is mild all year and in winter warmer than some of the northern states. In summer there are rocky beaches for beach combing, and sandy beaches for beach bathing. Hot summer days can be alleviated by going down to the ocean where gentle breezes caress tanned skin. Prolific blackberry bushes offer free desert, and the locals laugh at the tourists while at the same time appreciate them and are proud to show them their home.

In autumn the leaves on trees and bushes slowly change from green to glorious reds, oranges, and yellows, the colors often set against bright blue skies. The leaves cling to the branches as long as they possibly can like a climber on the edge of a cliff, reluctantly letting go when they finally tire and can hold on no longer.

The people of the island are not as hearty as regular Canadians. They start complaining about the cold before it gets to zero even though the flowers are still in bloom. Islanders are not true Canadians, because unless they’ve lived in one of the other provinces, or further east into BC they have no idea what a Canadian winter is. For an Islander, a toque is a fashion statement, boots are for rain, snowsuits are for skiing, and an umbrella is a winter accessory. Sure there may be frost on the car windshield first thing in the morning, but there aren’t piles of snow to be brushed off before they can find the door. Snow shovels are not found in the garden shed never mind kept at the front or back door. There are no plugs on cars unless the cars are electric. Snow is a treat to Islander kids who often don’t have snow pants and who make sleds out of cardboard boxes.

Spring is early when daffodils show their yellow headdresses in February. Before long, the trees are covered in blooms, the flowers have escaped their dark coffins underground, and the rain is plentiful, but still allows for the sun to shine to help the young vegetation grow. The tourist season is pretty much all year long, and the major cities often host Americans from the luxury cruise ships that stop on their way either to or from Alaska. It’s a little known gem in the world, not as famous as the more prestigious Paris, London, or Rome, yet it can hold its own in comparisons, offering a plethora of activity, restaurants and scenery. High fashion and ancient buildings may not be here, but it’s a gathering place for artists, horticulturalists, dare devils, and nature enthusiasts.

There is no real fear of tsunamis. Most of the population is protected by either American land, or by the Canadian mainland. The middle of the island is mountainous and ski worthy and it’s unlikely that there would ever be a tsunami big enough to spread a wave across the entire island. The real natural disaster threat is that it sits on a major fault line and the joke throughout Canada is that one day Canadian Paradise will have such a major earthquake that the entire island will sink into the ocean and forever disappear only to be remembered as legend. Like Atlantis. Islanders don’t care. They get to live in paradise. There are worse ways to die. Besides, the rest of Canada faces fires, floods, tornadoes and crippling ice and snow storms. A possible major earthquake is an acceptable minor risk in comparison to living in a place where other people wish they lived. Sure they complain. The Island can be an expensive place to live. The ferries have long waits in the summer and are costly all year long. The drivers are rude and impatient. The homeless naturally gravitate to the warmest climate in the country. Drugs are prevalent. But most Islanders would not leave because the rest of Canada is cold and snowy for half the year, and most of it is not near an ocean.

It’s here that the story takes place.