Far and Away
October 12, 2020 4:08 PM Subscribe
It's a good year to be elsewhere. If you've a warm sweater, stout boots, and a tolerance for solitude, consider caring for a remote island. There are lots of options for armchair or eventual cargo ship travel:
Folks are happy on Kerguelen in the far Indian Ocean. Or roam about the sea-cliffs of the Shiants (but don't bring any rats). Tristan da Cunha offers views and potatoes. Svalbard is nice if you keep a sharp watch for bears; so's Grimsey if you can dodge the skuas. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon offer you baguettes and cod; Pitcairn is eager for a new start. Jan Mayen might blow up. Marion would appreciate a better mouse trap. Perhaps Puerto Eden will be your rainy paradise?
Folks are happy on Kerguelen in the far Indian Ocean. Or roam about the sea-cliffs of the Shiants (but don't bring any rats). Tristan da Cunha offers views and potatoes. Svalbard is nice if you keep a sharp watch for bears; so's Grimsey if you can dodge the skuas. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon offer you baguettes and cod; Pitcairn is eager for a new start. Jan Mayen might blow up. Marion would appreciate a better mouse trap. Perhaps Puerto Eden will be your rainy paradise?
Two of those place names sounded very familiar... took me minute to remember why. Wendover Production's Extremities podcast covers "why and how people live in earth's most isolated and extreme settlements". Pitcarin is the focus of Season 1; Svalbard is Season 2.
posted by cgg at 5:41 PM on October 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by cgg at 5:41 PM on October 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
God. Please. I would love this. Boxes and boxes of books would join me, too
posted by glaucon at 6:09 PM on October 12, 2020
posted by glaucon at 6:09 PM on October 12, 2020
OK, wait a sec here's the plan: we'll form a small group (sorry, but no Trumpies allowed) and offer ourselves as occupants for one of those tragically underpopulated Faroese islands, promising to restore the pre-settlement birch, hazel and willow stands (and maybe foreign trees if they permit it; Sitka might make great windbreaks, and I know for a fact they can survive in the Faroes, could also try some far south NZ species like metrosideros umbellata). Maybe guarantee all of the Sitka will be logged once the birch, hazel, etc. are established, since Sitka have a bit of a reputation.
Every household gets a plot they're responsible for replanting, everyone pitches together to fence them off (against sheep) and helps erect the necessary housing (maybe SIP houses for simplicity and speed), probably prefab greenhouses too. I'll personally spring for Covid-19 testing for all settlers, and I'll import some kind of Bobcat type thing for everyone to share, plus one of those "portable" lumber mills (for when we start to take down the Sitka)
...and then we just agree to mostly ignore each other from that point forward in our slowly-growing island forest kingdoms, aside from the occasional spot of barter, maybe doing bulk buys of things like fuel and, I dunno, like maybe running a school or something if enough people have (or get) kids? Anyone that bails in the first (X) years is only allowed to leave with the literal clothes on their backs, since the rest of us are gonna need their stuff.
Couple dozen households max, I'd think, lest the Faroese start to worry.
posted by aramaic at 6:32 PM on October 12, 2020 [12 favorites]
Every household gets a plot they're responsible for replanting, everyone pitches together to fence them off (against sheep) and helps erect the necessary housing (maybe SIP houses for simplicity and speed), probably prefab greenhouses too. I'll personally spring for Covid-19 testing for all settlers, and I'll import some kind of Bobcat type thing for everyone to share, plus one of those "portable" lumber mills (for when we start to take down the Sitka)
...and then we just agree to mostly ignore each other from that point forward in our slowly-growing island forest kingdoms, aside from the occasional spot of barter, maybe doing bulk buys of things like fuel and, I dunno, like maybe running a school or something if enough people have (or get) kids? Anyone that bails in the first (X) years is only allowed to leave with the literal clothes on their backs, since the rest of us are gonna need their stuff.
Couple dozen households max, I'd think, lest the Faroese start to worry.
posted by aramaic at 6:32 PM on October 12, 2020 [12 favorites]
offer ourselves as occupants for one of those tragically underpopulated Faroese islands
I dunno, it'll take a while to grow enough wood for a proper wicker man. Maybe do some coppicing?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 7:29 PM on October 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
I dunno, it'll take a while to grow enough wood for a proper wicker man. Maybe do some coppicing?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 7:29 PM on October 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
I've left my apartment maybe ten times since mid-March and am digging the isolation and having everything delivered. This evening I was looking at real estate on the isolated islands off the coast of Maine.
And I would 100% shelter in place on Ramsey Island with Greg Morgan.
posted by bendy at 8:21 PM on October 12, 2020
And I would 100% shelter in place on Ramsey Island with Greg Morgan.
posted by bendy at 8:21 PM on October 12, 2020
If you're looking for a good escapist book about islands, I really enjoyed Searching For Crusoe by Thurston Clarke. He's interested in showing what it's like to live on various remote islands and why some people are drawn to that life, and it was a lot like these articles, but more personal -- you get a good chance to imagine what your life would be.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 9:04 PM on October 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 9:04 PM on October 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
Seems that many of these islands have internet and/or cell phone connection. So much of my life is through the air anyways that at least some of it would not be that drastic a change.
I do not see my cardiologist being down with my being out of range of an ER; much as I don't like to pay him any mind I know that it's done out of love, he's seen me dead and reminds me of that and he gets all hand-wavy sometimes if/when I don't keep that forefront in my mind.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:18 PM on October 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
I do not see my cardiologist being down with my being out of range of an ER; much as I don't like to pay him any mind I know that it's done out of love, he's seen me dead and reminds me of that and he gets all hand-wavy sometimes if/when I don't keep that forefront in my mind.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:18 PM on October 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
I see that Ramsey has a population of 2 and I am fervently hoping the other one is Dewi. Seems a bit cruel to leave us hanging like this.
posted by HotToddy at 9:39 PM on October 12, 2020
posted by HotToddy at 9:39 PM on October 12, 2020
The 700+ hours I've spent playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons make me the perfect candidate for this kind of life.
posted by Kitchen Witch at 10:07 PM on October 12, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Kitchen Witch at 10:07 PM on October 12, 2020 [4 favorites]
There are a number of past FPPs here about both Pitcairn's effort to attract settlers, and the exposure of a long history of extensive child abuse on the island.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:18 AM on October 13, 2020
posted by Dip Flash at 6:18 AM on October 13, 2020
A couple I know did this, living for two years on a remote Scottish island. The problem they ran into was the landlord. Most of these remote islands are owned by charities or trusts, so you have to rent from them, nothing is for sale.
Renting anything is the UK is difficult at the best of times, but based on their experience, renting from the National Trust was particularly not fun. They would go back in a heartbeat if they could buy something.
posted by Lanark at 8:03 AM on October 13, 2020
Renting anything is the UK is difficult at the best of times, but based on their experience, renting from the National Trust was particularly not fun. They would go back in a heartbeat if they could buy something.
posted by Lanark at 8:03 AM on October 13, 2020
Pursuant to Pitcairn, while there's been quite a lot of coverage, I thought the British Journal of Photography article on Rhiannon Adams' work was particularly compelling.
They've got quite a long ways to go.
posted by aramaic at 8:12 AM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
They've got quite a long ways to go.
posted by aramaic at 8:12 AM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Bear in mind: however long it takes you to get to civilisation is also how long it takes the dentist to get to you. Or the heating repair man. Or the hundreds of other things that you don't think about on a regular basis, like your cardiologist. This is one of the main reasons that people on the Scottish island of St Kilda moved back to the mainland in the 1930s, because things like appendicitis were much less serious when within reach of medicine.
Personally I have a crippling addiction to coffee and would find it hard to wait for the slow boat.
posted by The River Ivel at 8:24 AM on October 13, 2020
Personally I have a crippling addiction to coffee and would find it hard to wait for the slow boat.
posted by The River Ivel at 8:24 AM on October 13, 2020
I’ve watched several seasons of ‘Shetland’ and despite suspecting they only film during good weather, there is something mighty compelling about those islands...
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:30 AM on October 13, 2020
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:30 AM on October 13, 2020
also how long it takes the dentist to get to you.
This is why the Faroes are handy: it's a bunch of islands, some rather large and well-equipped.
And, barring the end of the world, they have helicopters.
posted by aramaic at 8:33 AM on October 13, 2020
This is why the Faroes are handy: it's a bunch of islands, some rather large and well-equipped.
And, barring the end of the world, they have helicopters.
posted by aramaic at 8:33 AM on October 13, 2020
Lots of places in BC (fly-in/fly-out communities) that have the Faroes experience without the island and helicopters are not a good replacement for proximity to services. It's one of the reasons fisherperson and lumberjack are such dangerous professions. When things go wrong it can take a lethal period of time to receive help.
posted by Mitheral at 1:11 PM on October 13, 2020
posted by Mitheral at 1:11 PM on October 13, 2020
Anyone visiting Shetland should make a point to spend a few days on Foula. So many birds. But I recommend taking the wee plane rather than the tiny converted fishing boat/ferry. So many sickbags :(
posted by gnuhavenpier at 1:25 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by gnuhavenpier at 1:25 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
OK, wait a sec here's the plan: we'll form a small group (sorry, but no Trumpies allowed) and offer ourselves as occupants for one of those tragically underpopulated Faroese islands
Have you never seen reality TV? This will not end well.
posted by penguin pie at 2:40 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Have you never seen reality TV? This will not end well.
posted by penguin pie at 2:40 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
You cannot possibly believe any of us are actually serious, can you?
posted by aramaic at 4:21 PM on October 13, 2020
posted by aramaic at 4:21 PM on October 13, 2020
My father-in-law is from a small Island in Japan (population: 1,000) and whenever I go to Japan I want to visit it because I've never been but no one else wants to go even for a visit because it's pretty boring and I'm sure it's better for everyone for the relatives who live there to come to Osaka than vice versa. I'd have no desire to live in a place that small but it would be fun to visit for a couple of days.
A friend posted some links to vacant/hunting land in Northern Ontario to a group-chat and we were all into it saying what we liked about one lot as opposed to the others but I don't think any of us are clear on what we'd actually do with this kind of land. None of us want to live up there for anything longer than a camping trip and there's no shortage of places to go camping in this Province without having to buy land ourselves.
I'm sure for some people living in such a remote place is a really positive experience, perhaps especially if it is for a set time-period and not indefinite. Pretty sure I couldn't hack it, but for those who could I hope they get a chance to.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:53 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
A friend posted some links to vacant/hunting land in Northern Ontario to a group-chat and we were all into it saying what we liked about one lot as opposed to the others but I don't think any of us are clear on what we'd actually do with this kind of land. None of us want to live up there for anything longer than a camping trip and there's no shortage of places to go camping in this Province without having to buy land ourselves.
I'm sure for some people living in such a remote place is a really positive experience, perhaps especially if it is for a set time-period and not indefinite. Pretty sure I couldn't hack it, but for those who could I hope they get a chance to.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:53 PM on October 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Greetings, all, from Revillagigedo Island (that's the relatively accessible singular Revillagigedo Island in Alaska, not the rather inaccessible plural Revillagigedo Islands belonging to Colima).
I live in the heart of town (such as it is) but have friends who find the hustle and bustle of metropolitan Ketchikan (with its ~14,000 souls) too busy and opt to commute in from other nearby islands by skiff, as well as others who barely come in to town at all, only visiting occasionally to re-supply.
This area actually offers a lot of choices for those seeking to dip their toe into the "remote island" lifestyle, as the Alexander Archipelago has quite an assortment of islands and degrees of remoteness from which to choose, as well as copious fresh water and richly productive forest and marine ecosystems.
posted by Nerd of the North at 12:37 AM on October 14, 2020 [8 favorites]
I live in the heart of town (such as it is) but have friends who find the hustle and bustle of metropolitan Ketchikan (with its ~14,000 souls) too busy and opt to commute in from other nearby islands by skiff, as well as others who barely come in to town at all, only visiting occasionally to re-supply.
This area actually offers a lot of choices for those seeking to dip their toe into the "remote island" lifestyle, as the Alexander Archipelago has quite an assortment of islands and degrees of remoteness from which to choose, as well as copious fresh water and richly productive forest and marine ecosystems.
posted by Nerd of the North at 12:37 AM on October 14, 2020 [8 favorites]
Nerd of the North: Thanks for your story! Southeast Alaskan islands are fascinating to me. I stumbled on John Straley's books while I was visiting Anchorage and loved his descriptions of living there. My visits to Juneau and Glacier Bay however persuaded me that life dependent on small planes might not be for me.
(I see that Ketchikan International Airport is actually on Gravina Island. And is maybe the only thing on Gravina Island.)
posted by hydropsyche at 5:14 AM on October 14, 2020
(I see that Ketchikan International Airport is actually on Gravina Island. And is maybe the only thing on Gravina Island.)
posted by hydropsyche at 5:14 AM on October 14, 2020
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...of course, what would actually happen is I'd fall while walking some evening, would break my leg(s), and then slowly die of exposure.
posted by aramaic at 5:27 PM on October 12, 2020 [6 favorites]