B.C. couple builds floating island to live on
Presenter, The Weather Network
Wednesday, November 22, 2017, 3:03 PM - Have you ever had your imagination run wild and envisioned what life would be like unplugged and off the grid?
Wayne and Catherine Adams have done exactly that by turning their dream into a reality. They have built their own floating island in the remote wilderness of Clayoquot Sound. The cove is accessible by boat and is about a 30 minute ride from Tofino, British Columbia. They have lived there year-round for 25 years.
Here are 5 facts about Freedom Cove:
COVE CONSTRUCTION: The couple is inspired by nature and are both artists. Wayne Adams is a model maker and says the Freedom Cove experience is a model that is actually liveable. The entire structure is from recycled and reused materials. The base of the floating island is a recycled fish farm.
FREEDOM COVE FEASTS: Adams and King source their own food from the ocean or by growing it themselves. Catherine grows her edible garden organically all year round. Wayne fishes and gets crab. One winter the couple went three months before they could get to town due to weather and they were able to live off what they caught and grew on site.
STORM SEASON: Storm season can be challenging. However, Adams and King have a wealth of life experience to deal with what Mother Nature brings. Adams has an engineering background. That with a combination of learning through the years has meant the structure was built to move with the storms. There are ropes secured to land with weights. Everything is built to be flexible. Adams says it took about three and a half years to get it right.
POWER: Freedom Cove used to be solar powered. However, after some panels broke down they now have a small generator. There is always lots of fire wood at the ready.
UNPLUGGED: Catherine and Wayne both don’t own phones. They have only recently gotten internet access on the island. This helps them to keep in touch with friends and family. It also assists in organizing tour groups that visit the island during the height of the Tofino tourism season.
“I don’t recommend people do this. It’s a journey and it’s not easy. If you’ve had it tough you can pull it off. Otherwise, create your own dream and we all deserve that I think," Adams says.