My Cabin: Island Paradise

Fourteen years ago, my wife, Elizabeth Ann, and I were looking to escape Traverse City, Mich., and find a place where our five children could explore and learn about Mother Nature firsthand. A friend of ours had just purchased property in Ontario, Canada, and he educated us on the rules and requirements of buying land up north. In Canada, all land purchases are handled through attorneys. This made us very comfortable with ownership and making our own investment.

We purchased 100 acres on St. Joseph Island, a large island near Sault Ste. Marie that is accessed by road bridge and has its own hospital, restaurants, stores, harbors and a credit union. And it’s only 212 miles from our primary home.

Our property is on a seasonal road, one mile from the main highway. The parcel was perfect for us because of its remoteness and price, and newly made logging trails made exploring a snap. The first spring, we pitched tents, hauled water and cooked over a campfire. We were completely content, until fresh moose tracks appeared overnight right next to our tents. Time to build a cabin …

After many years of slow progress, we now have a beautiful 26x30-foot cabin with a full walkout basement and a covered wraparound deck that overlooks a small pond. There are no public utilities, so power is provided by the sun, wind and a propane generator.

If the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow for three straight days, then the propane generator will kick on for about three hours to charge the batteries and keep the refrigerator running.  

In our seclusion, we are surrounded by all kinds of wildlife, including deer, moose, black bears, wolves, otters and more. This is our Family Island Paradise, where there is always a project to undertake, nature and scenery to view, and plenty of peace and quiet to enjoy.