Anyone live on an island full time, ferry only?

Jumping the gun here but an opportunity to live a pretty nice life on Daufuskie Island may be coming up. A chance to build my tiny home and have a big organic garden, etc. A long story so I'll skip the details until/if it actually happens.

I'd like some input from some islanders as far as the negatives and positives. I've lived on Hilton Head but it has a bridge. Daufuskie is between Hilton Head and Savannah and requires a ferry. Everything is a bit more expensive but what concerns me the most is not having anywhere to drive. Flat straight roads and maybe 35 or 40 mph speed limits. Employment probably won't be a problem. What else?

Buy a scooter or a bicycle for on-island transport.

I haven't but I want to live on ocracoke which is only accessible by ferry

I live on an island, but there are two bridges to the mainland. There is an island locally that is ferry only and it is carless. Sounds like it could be a good thing for you. I'd expect that things would cost a bit more, especially if you have to take the ferry over to get them. How about things like access to emergency services? Any special medical needs in the family? Sounds like the ferry is a car ferry, but how many cars do you own and how many would you keep on the island? Do you already own a boat?

I live on an island but it's nothing like the one you're looking at. Very remote, has two tracks and a 4-lane highway system on it, and employment is probably the biggest problem.

skierd wrote: Buy a shifter kart for on-island transport.

Fixed that for you.

My parents had a chance to buy land on Hilton Head BEFORE there was a bridge. "Who wants to buy land you can't even drive to?" they said.

First of all, can you build a small home on Daufuskie? I figured the richie rich types had so many rules and covenants you couldn't.

I have a friend who lives on a small island in Maine. He's been there for 20 years. You can adapt to the lifestyle. You are at the mercy of the ferry boats, of course. This can be a challenge in bad weather or when the bars stay open an hour past the last boat.

Old cars are actually one of the problems out there. There are roads, but it is expensive to bring a car back and forth. People tend to have beater island cars and when they die, they are just abandoned on their island property. This isn't as cool as it sounds.

Also, my friend bought land out there to build a house on. He bought a vintage barn that was being disassembled in Virginia and paid to have the wood trucked to Maine for his house project. Unfortunately, after it got to the port, it was too expensive to get it moved that last mile out to the island and he had to sell it off.

Moral of the story: Plan ahead.

My boss lives on Bainbridge island. The ferry system is amazing, fast and relatively inexpensive if you walk on. Bainbridge does have a mainland bridge, but it is a very circuitous route and not useful for anything except tractor trailer traffic.

I also have friends who live on Vashon island. That is also connected by ferries, but has no bridge. Everything is expensive and you really have to think through your trips to the mainland as it can be $15 one way with a car. Quick trips to homedepot, I think not. The Island has all you would need on it, but it is at a premium. Hardware store, super market etc.

They say the collective commutes aren't bad, except when a storm rolls in. Then a choppy boat ride to get to work is less than thrilling.

Its either the best or worst place to be for the zombie apocalypse, depending on where the outbreak begins.

^Excellent point...

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: My boss lives on Bainbridge island.

There some nice places on Bainbridge and depending where on the island you are, shopping in Silverdale may make a lot more sense than taking the ferry to Seattle. I used to ride my bike on Bainbridge. From what I could tell when I lived out there, Bainbridge seemed more like a Seattle suburb than the other communities on the Kitsap pennisula and was the least desirable place to me, but I also worked in Kitsap and didn't have to go to Seattle except when I wanted to catch a Mariners game for the most part.

I don't live on an island, but work on Martha's Vineyard a lot (heck I am posting from the island now), and a few other islands off the coast of MA, and RI. I don't see the appeal to full time living on an island, but maybe that is just me.

The Vineyard, and Nantucket are great islands, but very pricey for just about everything. I was on Cuttyhunk island which has a year round population of 10 residents, and I saw no reason for even that many, but maybe that is just me. The larger islands like Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket have amazing ferry systems, but they only run to a certain time at night, and after that time you are stuck on the island or off depending on what side you are on.

Also the islands have plenty of windy roads, but no highways(I guess that could be a plus) to stretch a cars legs if you get what I mean. I had to bring the GRM into the topic I guess. I will say that the warm weather months bring lots of cool,and good looking people, but it also brings lots of traffic. I can't speak to the NC area you are speaking of, but it has to be the same as here. Another issue is getting things shipped to you. i have a friend on teh Vineyard who regularly gets stuff shipped to my place to save on shipping, and then I bring it out to him the next time I work out here. A bit of a hassle, but worth the money savings on his end, and I don;t mind helping him out.

BTW

I hear some of the old black locals on Daufuskie Island make some killer she crab soup.

I'd think I would only do it if I didn't have to rely on the ferry, i.e had some dock/beach access on both sides (keep a small beater speedboat) and nearby parking spot on the mainland.

My dad lived on Whitby Island near Seattle for most of a year and loved it. I have a friend who lives on South Bass Island in Ohio for the summer every year too. Most of the problems of island life I think are similar to living in Alaska i.e. trying to live like you would on the mainland or for us down in the lower 48 vs AK.

Sounds like you've been able to find work on the island? That gets rid of one of the main problem, commuting especially in bad weather.

Most of the other downsides are really a matter of modern suburban conveniences and having to have a lot of things planned for ahead of time. Make a list before you go to the mainland for that run to Home Depot and Sam's Club. Keep extra food at home in case the ferry breaks down or a big storm blows it away and cuts you off for a few days or weeks. Have a heat and power source that'll be available if/when the grid goes down. Make sure your house will be higher than the storm surge. Forget the car for the island, get a bicycle or a scooter since there's all of 8 square miles to explore. Learn to like boats and fishing if you don't already, or at least like the salt life. Drink rum and adjust, or don't and go crazy and move back to civilization eventually.

Holy Mackeral, should have checked this earlier. Thanks for the responses.

Edit; I'm going to refrain from commenting for a while about specifics until I have more info as the family will be implementing the finances - too many unknowns. It seems like a viable life choice but would have to deal with not having a place to drive for fun. I spent several hours yesterday thinking about other vehicles that could be adopted for the few miles of roads. Electric formula V or f400, maybe another street modded Yanaha Raptor, or a reconfigured golf cart, etc.

Are there dunes? Because a dirt bike is a ton of fun that could easily replace the appeal of a couple corners.

No vehicles on the beach as they are protected. I'm getting bad vibes about this place. Sounds like a small Hilton Head with no cars. Little fiefdoms called plantations.

Daufuskie? You've read Conrad's Prince of Tides, right?

I'd be all over it. What a cool way to live, even for a few years. Once you're settled, let me know. We'll come visit.

I'd be real concerned about the amount of public land on the island. It wouldn't any fun stuck to your own little paradise and every other douche is protective about his paradise with no public paradise to hike, explore, etc. I know the ocean is a big place and a ferry ride inland is no big deal, but whats the point of an island if its just a Home Owners Association surrounded by water?

My brother, and his family live in on Revillagigedo, in Ketchikan, AK. He's a main lander, from central Arkansas. He adjusted well. I asked him once when he was home for a visit, how he managed to keep from feeling trapped, not being able to get in a car and just drive wherever he wanted to go? His response was, that after living there, he now feels more uncomfortable/trapped when inland, not being able to just hop in a boat and go where ever he wants.

Ketchikan is a decent sized little town, about 8K people, way more during the summer/tourist season, depending on how many cruise ships have unloaded at any given time. If I remember correctly, I think he told me there's about 40 miles of paved road. A lot of dirt roads and wilderness. He loves it.

There's an air port on a neighboring island, fly there, ferry to town. I've been to visit a few times, but I'm not sure I'm cut out to make a place like that my permanent home.

• Lee

ultraclyde wrote: Daufuskie? You've read Conrad's Prince of Tides, right? I'd be all over it. What a cool way to live, even for a few years. Once you're settled, let me know. We'll come visit.

You mean The Water is Wide.

spitfirebill wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Daufuskie? You've read Conrad's Prince of Tides, right? I'd be all over it. What a cool way to live, even for a few years. Once you're settled, let me know. We'll come visit.

You mean The Water is Wide.

Well, yeah, but the island in PoT is also based on DauFuskie, or at least I've always seen it referenced that way in discussion. Both are reflections on a time past but not distantly so. Either way, Conrad is a useful reference for understanding the mythology of the region if not the reality.

ultraclyde wrote:

spitfirebill wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Daufuskie? You've read Conrad's Prince of Tides, right? I'd be all over it. What a cool way to live, even for a few years. Once you're settled, let me know. We'll come visit.

You mean The Water is Wide.

Well, yeah, but the island in PoT is also based on DauFuskie, or at least I've always seen it referenced that way in discussion. Both are reflections on a time past but not distantly so. Either way, Conrad is a useful reference for understanding the mythology of the region if not the reality.

Yup could be, I've never read either. I know he used the area for his stuff. They recently showed him speaking on TV, possibly accepting some kind of award. The guy is a bit weird.