Swimming to Vashon is easiest (but not easy) from the West side on a good tide with an exposures suit. There is a grass air strip. One resident commuted by helicopter for a while. Everybody else uses a car/passenger ferry from north or south end of the island for a 15 minute ride. Quartermaster is the best secure anchorage and only developed marina. Lots of residences but little "suburban sprawl" or housing subdivisions making Vashon one of King County's nicest suburbs with easy availability to both downtown Seattle and Tacoma as well as South Kitsap County. Goggle displays the island and Puget Sound Metro Area well.