The rocky beach view on the far side of the island.
A private island, the very thought is surreal. Arriving on a small boat as the late afternoon fog rolled in was both beautiful and calming. The house stood facing the sea, made of gray shingles common to homes in the New Brunswick area. The island was an amazing sight, with it’s rock strewn beach and the tide going out. It was the start of my vacation adventure.
Friends had invited me to spend some days with them and their two boys at their family’s island cottage. The cottage has been in the family since my friend was a child and for him it was a part of home. For me it was an unbelievable adventure. The island, the beach, and the house were straight out of what I would expect on Martha’s Vineyard. The house was old; with many rooms and beach memorabilia everywhere. There were buoys, shells and beautiful rocks placed throughout the living area. They were obvious treasures collected over the years from the shores of the island.
The house was filled with old furniture, antique beds, rag rugs and a pot belly stove in the main living area. The stairway charmed me, it was arranged with old beach buoys to lead you up or down. The bathroom walls were covered with signs and cards from hotels and airlines around the world. Tokens Rick’s father Taylor had collected. The house had an air of another generation with kerosene lanterns for light and wood stoves for warmth and cooking. There was no electricity, it was truly like walking into another world. I would have five nights to enjoy this surreal existence. The morning would bring another adventure, an outdoor shower overlooking the water and beach. That was the icing on the cake.
The view from the outdoor shower.
The view from every window was gorgeous. From some you could see water, from others you could see a field of wild flowers where we later watched bunnies play. From still others you could see the forest that lies beyond the backyard. It was an incredible experience to live for five days in simplicity. We cooked lobster on a wood fire stove. We sat around the pot belly stove in rocking chairs in the morning enjoying warm drinks while marveling at the fact we were actually chilly in late summer. We did our laundry in a plastic tub and hung the clothes outside to dry.
For five days I wore no make up, did without a curling iron and used my cell phone sparingly. Yes I actually had a signal! I charged my cell phone on the day we took the boat to a Grand Manan and visited a local coffee shop. We enjoyed simple evenings playing cards and games using kerosene lanterns, candles and one solar light to light our living area. Going to the bathroom meant going to the first floor and then through the living area and kitchen to the very back of the house where there was a toilet that you primed and flushed, which whooshed like an airline toilet. The trek downstairs in the dark with only a single lantern was…. daunting. I hate true darkness and especially in an unfamilar place. Top that off with a toilet like none other I’d experienced. The trek to the bathroom in the middle of the night always made me happy to see the morning light streaming in my bedroom window.
Sunset on the island
The stars were nothing short of spectacular with no electricity interfering. Our beach bonfire was stellar as was walking on an empty beach with unique and interesting rocks and beach glass. During our five day adventure we saw thick fog, screaming seagulls, wild iris, rabbits, sheep (brought to the island by the previous owner) and at least a hundred seals sunning themselves offshore on the far corner of the island. We took walks through the forest to the other side of the island which was wild and gorgeous with a rocky coastline and wild waves. In all it was a tremendous adventure.