I am looking to make a clean break and move to a New England island

May 13, 2009 7:17 PM

I am looking to make a clean break and move to a New England island, somewhere suitably remote but suitably -- by my standards -- liveable.

I have reached a point at which I need to make a clean break. I am not fleeing prosecution, debts, or anything of the sort; I just need to get lost, at least for a while, to work on my novels, with no forwarding address, no friends, no history. People in my life know my MeFi username but not my plans, so I'm posting anonymously.

I am looking for somewhere accessible only by ferry -- no bridge. A car ferry would be excellent, and one that could accommodate a trailer would be exceptional. I am of modest means and cannot entertain the notion of a ritzy privately-owned paradise -- somewhere reasonable, where normal people can live, is what I am seeking.

I would like:

1) Seclusion
2) Mail service
3) Internet access

I would hope for:

4) A somewhat welcome reception, or, even more ideally, an island where people just keep to themselves.

I would request responders to refrain from excessively discouraging me from doing this at all. I am looking for logistical, not moral, assistance.

I have created an account at [e-mail] -- if you have a question, something about which I have been unclear or something I haven't thought of, feel free to write to that address and I'll respond, and maybe you will be gracious enough to post my follow-up.

Again, you are not helping someone flee justice -- you are just helping an introvert become a hermit for a while.

Thank you.

posted by anonymous to Travel & Transportation (22 answers total)

I am of modest means and cannot entertain the notion of a ritzy privately-owned paradise -- somewhere reasonable, where normal people can live, is what I am seeking.

This pretty much limits you to Maine. Fortunately Maine has a lot of islands.

I'm trying not to be too flip, but all the islands I know of in the rest of New England are reasonable enough through the winter months, but rents skyrocket in the summer, meaning that regular renters are driven out of winter rentals as they are switched over to vacation rentals. It's occasionally possible to find reasonable houses for purchase on islands like Block or Martha's Vineyard, both of which would fit your criteria nicely, Block being much quieter than MV in the off season but both fairly quiet, but you have to make a project of it. If they were more within reach of middle-income people, many more middle-income people would live on the islands of Southern New England.
posted by Miko at 7:25 PM on May 13, 2009

I've never been there myself, but I know a few people who've done work for the community on Isle au Haut in Maine. According to Wikipedia, it has a year-round population of 79. I know it has basic amenities (the people I know who've been there were providing medical and construction services), and I know (from being on islands near it) that it's beautiful there.

I don't know about internet access, but I'd be surprised if they didn't have satellite web access (as many of the small mainland towns in the area do), and I know they have mail service.

The one downside for your purposes is that it's only accessible by mailboat, not by ferry.
posted by bubukaba at 7:25 PM on May 13, 2009

I'd look at the islands off of Portland, ME: Peaks, in particular, is the most-populated of them. They're served by a regular (car) Ferry, so you can get in and out of the city easily and more or less at will, but you'll also find a community of people that will welcome you but also more or less leave you alone. Of course, there are some summer people....

There is at least one Mefite who lives on Peaks, but I'll let him out himself himself.
posted by anastasiav at 7:27 PM on May 13, 2009

As a Rhode Islander, the only place that leapt to mind was Block Island. Most transportation on and off of the island is by ferry on which you can totally take your car. The only other way I know of getting on or off the island is via tiny airplane. The island's like seven or eight miles long.
While there are tourists abound during the summer, it's dead as good friday in the winter. You'd only be able to get a place there in the summer if everything you own is covered in diamonds, but finding a place there in the off-season is probably doable. If you're looking for both seclusion and a degree of civilization, you could do worse.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 7:29 PM on May 13, 2009

On preview: agreeing whole-heartedly with Miko on the skyrocketing rent thing.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 7:31 PM on May 13, 2009

If it floats your boat: Swans Island, Vinalhaven, Islesboro, Matinicus, Long Island, and peaks island should get you started with most of the islands with ferry access in Maine.
posted by Nanukthedog at 7:36 PM on May 13, 2009

Oh, and a note about asking locals on the quiet side of MDI for directions to the Swans Island ferry as even though its an island its easy to miss where it leaves from... If they reference water towers - they were dismantled and removed in the late '70s early '80s. If they reference Reed's store, it burned to the ground circa 1991. Gordious's Garage is now the Bass Harbor One-Stop, and the Seafood Ketch may or may not still be there. The old sardine factory is now condos. Failure to know some of this beforehand may result in some headscratching and eventual additional misinformation from another local.
posted by Nanukthedog at 7:43 PM on May 13, 2009

Cuttyhunk?
posted by Melismata at 8:05 PM on May 13, 2009

Isle au Haut
They won't find you there
posted by Barrows at 8:24 PM on May 13, 2009

I know a few people who've done work for the community on Isle au Haut in Maine...Isle au Haut...They won't find you there.

For more on Isle au Haut check out the writings of Linda Greenlaw (of 'The Perfect Storm' fame) who has returned home from her many adventures elsewhere.
posted by ericb at 8:54 PM on May 13, 2009

There's also Mohegan Island, Lincoln County, Maine.
posted by ericb at 9:04 PM on May 13, 2009

Have you thought about Canada? If you hop over the border you'd have a lot more options. If you're not working you don't need a visa.

Regarding internet- make sure it is fast enough not to drive you nuts.
posted by fshgrl at 9:04 PM on May 13, 2009

I'm pretty sure you're looking for Peaks. Plenty of places and little cabins and woodsy areas to hide, but it's a short, short ferry ride from downtown Portland which runs late enough that you can go drown your writer's block at the Bier cafe before scrambling back to finish a few hundred pages overnight.
posted by setanor at 11:02 PM on May 13, 2009

Listen to this: you can buy a house in Rose Blanche, Newfoundland, one of the most interesting and beautiful places I've ever been, for like $3000. Or less. With furniture. Funky little house built up on the rocks, and kind of a pain in the ass to get too (a 7 hour ferry ride from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, or a long drive from the nearest airport, which I think is not that near). However, it would be the most amazing place you could possibly imagine to live.

Peaks is cool, but I have to say having just left Portland I was only too happy to leave. Jumping for joy. I found it to be a really annoying place to live (I'm in Boston now). If you want to be really removed from everything, Portland is still a city. But it's not a big city with the advantages thereof. Peaks is pretty though.

Seriously, Newfoundland. Cape Breton is also pretty amazing. Both would be cold during the winter, but you'd get your solitude and people party in interesting ways (ice fishing! Snow Mobiling! Killing Moose) up there. They really know how to live winters.
posted by sully75 at 3:41 AM on May 14, 2009

Oh yeah, Annie Proulx moved to Newfoundland and then wrote The Shipping News. She moved away and then wrote Accordion Crimes (sn0r3!). Just sayin'
posted by sully75 at 4:02 AM on May 14, 2009

I second that the Maine islands, though probably exactly what you are looking for, are going to be really really expensive in the summer months. Very affordable for all of the other months if you can find a rental but you are looking at 1000/week in the summer months minimum. The ones that do have car ferry service also usually have bigger year round populations.

Canada would certainly be more affordable but you may not find internet way up in some of those areas.
posted by WickedPissah at 9:23 AM on May 14, 2009

Do think about Canada. It's probably cheaper, certainly less tarted-up, and the people are very nice. Cape Breton is wonderful, and very cheap. If you want super-duper-seclusion, it's hard to get more out of the way than Fogo Island, Newfoundland.
posted by goingonit at 12:59 PM on May 14, 2009

The only caveat I would give with Canada and northern Maine is that if you are at all susceptible to SAD, its effects become more difficult with every decreasing increment of latitude.
posted by Miko at 1:50 PM on May 14, 2009

Miko, just for the record...I hitchhiked through Newfoundland last summer and everyone was raving about the winter. They really do it up there. It's hard core party time.

However, if you are new to the area, I agree, it could be really difficult. However people are fairly friendly there. I think if you want to participate and don't act like a know it all jerk (I learned this skill the hard way) they'll take you in to an extent.

Also you can eat amazingly tasty and disgusting food.
posted by sully75 at 3:52 PM on May 14, 2009

I know, but the thing is, I live in Northern New England and I rave about the winter, too. Yes, it's great local time, and yes, people party more. However "drinking to stave off the darkness and boredom" is a fair translation for "party," and it's actually not the winter proper, as in like December through February, that's the hardest = it's end of February, March, and often early April that people with mood sensitivities feel awful. The winter is a challenge in northern latitudes, there's no two ways about it. You can make the best of it if you're not prone to SAD, but I think it's worth mentioning because for some people, a few months of those short dark days brings on a very difficult emotional experience.
posted by Miko at 6:43 PM on May 14, 2009

Miko...I hear you. I do think in certain parts of Canada they seem to deal with it better. I think if you were prone to SAD up there you'd just be a goner. Because it starts early and their end of June is our April. I was really impressed with the difference (just did two years in Maine and have lived in MA for a long time).
posted by sully75 at 9:30 AM on May 16, 2009

. I think if you were prone to SAD up there you'd just be a goner.

I agree, and that's why I mention it. If a person has noted a tendency toward SAD in the past, it's worth knowing that living at those latitudes will exacerbate it. People definitely do move away from this part of the world because of it.
posted by Miko at 9:57 AM on May 16, 2009