Living off grid doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the good life, just look at what this inventive couple created off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Wayne Adams, 66, and Catherine King, 59, have been building a floatable, off-grid home together since 1991.
Named “Freedom Cove,” their off-grid ‘island’ consists of 12 floating platforms, including a dance floor, an art gallery, a guest lighthouse, a studio for the couple, and 5 greenhouses.
Obtaining fresh food is essential for the couple, as they own neither a fridge or a freezer. They do well, however, at securing fresh, delicious food. The settlement has half an acre of land for growing edible crops, and Adams and King have been fishing in the waters since the project began (1991).
Drinking water is obtained from a nearby waterfall during the summer, and rainwater during the winter.
Freedom Cove was once powered by 14 solar panels, but after these broke down the couple switched to a small Honda generator. Until the renewable energy panels can be fixed, the generator provides around 3,000 watts of power – the equivalence of about 12 hours of light each day.
How did such an incredible masterpiece come to be?
In an interview with Huffington Post, Adams explained that “One winter, a storm blew a whole bunch of trees down. We gathered all the wood up, took it to the follow who owned it, but he said keep it. So we thought, time to start on the home.”
In the summer of 1991, the couple began turning all of that lumber into their self-sustaining floating island. In February of the following year the couple towed the million-pound floating island to the cove where it still remains today, relying on old fish-farm technology to stay afloat.
When the innovative pair aren’t working on their sustainable lifestyle, they still manage to keep busy. During the summer, visitors come from nearby Tofino to experience the family’s sustainable lifestyle. Adams is also a carver, while King is a painter, dancer, writer, and musician.
Adams said, “We have both done so many things in our lives and we’ve had hard times, so we were well prepared for how different the lifestyle would be out here. It fits us.”
The turquoise and magenta hues on the buildings, the lush and green foliage surrounding Freedom Cove, and the blue, pristine waters no doubt add even more appeal to living in this sanctuary.
Adams and King, who have two children, live on the ‘island’ year-round. After seeing these photos, we certainly understand the appeal!
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