Couple has lived on their hand-built island for 30 years and they call it Freedom Cove
For some people, “going off the grid” typically means disconnecting from the internet, unplugging or not having cell service for a couple of hours. However, for a couple, it meant living on an island they built on their own for more than 20 years.
Wayne Adams and Catherine King started building their homemade island in 1992.
It all started when a winter storm blew down a couple of trees. The pair used the lumber to create the first part of their floating island.
From there, they were able to make more platforms. Apart from their house, they also built a lighthouse, dance floor, and greenhouses.
The couple’s move into their island was a deceleration process.
They recalled:
“We had all kinds of things like food processors and items that would require a lot of electricity. We gave them away to people and unloaded a lot of things in preparation.”
They add items into their home in an eco-friendly way.
They only salvage and recycle elements as much as possible. Most of the items they have there were sourced from fishermen and loggers that drop by. In exchange, they give them art.
Located near Tofino, British Columbia, they lovingly call it the “Freedom Cove”.
It’s been their home for more than 20 years. They designed the island to provide everything they need.
Catherine shared:
“It is a project in growing food to provide for the family. It is an art project … It is a project to have a space to move, to dance, to play music, to do things spontaneously that you couldn’t just do in the same way if you were in the city.”
For electricity, they use solar energy through 6 solar panels. There’s a generator they use sometimes. For food, they catch fish and grow their own produce. They collect their drinking water through rainwater or the nearby waterfall.
The hand-made island floats freely on the ocean.
There’s no anchor holding it to the ocean floor. It only has lines that connect it to the nearby shore.
To reach the Freedom Cove, one needs to travel by water.
Wayne shared:
“The only option to get here is by water. There are no road accesses. The water is our highway.”
Even though they don’t have neighbors, they don’t feel lonely.
They have a lot of company. Crows and birds drop by often. They even named some of them!
For Catherine and Wayne, there’s nothing wrong with living in a different way.
Catherine is a natural healer. She’s also a dancer and an artist. Wayne, meanwhile, is a carver. He uses materials he finds in nature to create his masterpieces. Both of them find inspiration in their environment.
Living on their island and away from the stressful and busy life in the city, they are able to pursue their passion in life. They’ve been living in peace and serenity in Freedom Cove for nearly three decades and that’s just inspiring.
“We have carved a piece of the world out for ourselves here. We can live uniquely, differently than anyone else on the planet,” they shared.
Watch the amazing tour of their beautiful island below!
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