19th Century Island Cottage

Step off-the-grid in this quaint four bedroom oceanside cottage on an island of the Penobscot Bay for the perfect low-tech getaway. No running water or indoor plumbing. Propane stove and solar-powered fridge are among the cabin’s few compromises to modernity. The space A special cabin looks out onto the Penobscot Bay. It is a 19th Century fisherman’s cabin on Eagle Island, Maine where modernity takes a back seat to breathing, reading, hiking and connecting. The house is situated on its own point, affording great privacy to guests. Renters have access to a rocky shoreline directly in front of the house, mooring, and an adjacent long sandy beach. The point is ripe for exploring, where those who brave the cold Maine water can enjoy a swim, dig clams, and hunt for crabs among the seaweed and tidal pools. Pack away your smart phone and pack yourself aboard a mail boat out to Eagle Island, and you can visit a world free of the Internet and televisions, running water and shopping. This is a world where less is far more. Guest access Amenities: The propane stove/oven cooks up a storm, and the cupboards are stock full of cookware, tableware and spices. To clean up boil water on the kettle, pump rainwater up from the cistern, and apply elbow grease. The refrigerator runs off solar power. With 7.4 cu-ft of fridge and 2.7 cu-ft of freezer it's on the small side by North American standards, but just about right for a week or two of supplies. Indoor seating for 10 usually comes with a sunset at dinner, and the picnic table makes for great fresh air lunches. Sleeping and Keeping Clean There are four rooms for sleeping. Upstairs you’ll find a sweet bedroom with a double bed and gorgeous view, plus a large loft space with two queen-sized mattresses on a platform frame and several cots. Downstairs there’s a bedroom with queen bed and views, and a small single bedroom. Foam mattresses on the dining room’s built-in daybed-sized seating can sleep two more. Bring your own sheets, pillow cases, towels and dish towels, but you'll find plenty of pillows and blankets at the house. For showers there are solar shower bags stored in the shed. Fill the bag(s) with cistern water, lay them in the sun to heat (clear side up), and then pully them up in the shower stall beside the shed. Note: On a sunny day they can get too hot for some, requiring addition of cold water before use. With no running water, it’s out to the outhouse when nature calls. This modest structure is located forty feet from the cabin. A scoop of coconut coir or wood shavings after use keeps it smelling sweet with extra shavings located in the shed. At night, some prefer the chamber pots. Other things to note Visiting Eagle Island requires preparation and education. We ask that you carefully read all instructions to make your experience positive! GETTING TO THE HOUSE The Sunset Bay Company delivers mail and provides transportation to Eagle and neighboring islands via Sylvester’s Cove, in Sunset, on Deer Isle. Find them online via the eagleislandrentals dot com website and call to book your trip. They work diligently to accommodate everyone’s needs, but we recommend booking early. We prefer to get dropped off at the point via a Special Trip, but it is also possible to be dropped elsewhere on the island and then walk in. See their website for driving directions and rate information. WHAT TO PACK 1. Bed linens, dishtowels and towels (there are one double bed, two queen beds and several divans and cots) 2. Flashlights and lamps. (There are several LED and solar powered lanterns at the house, but maybe not enough for everyone in your party.) 3. Chargers: Lamps and electronics can be charged off the solar system. 4. Mosquito repellent if you're sensitive (they're not usually a problem by the sea). 5. Some warm garments for evenings and nights. It can be cool. 6. Light wet weather gear—raincoat or the like. 7. All your food and sundries needs, including staples, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. Large grocery stores can be found in Bucksport and Blue Hill, and The Galley on Route 15 in Deer Isle also has most staples. 8. Indoor reading or activities in event of rain or fog. 8. For the fearless who appreciate a cold dip, bathing suits! 9. Drinking water: We bring 2 gallons of water per person, per day, in case the well is dry. A GUIDE TO ISLAND LIVING Water, and How to Use It There are three opportunities for water: the well, the cistern, and what you bring with you. Well water is the best source of drinking water, depending on the season. The well in the backyard is equipped with a bucket on a rope. Drop it down and haul it up, pouring it into a second bucket you’ve brought along from the kitchen. Do keep small children safely out of range. Adults should check the condition of the wooden well top. Repeated for emphasis: Well water is for drinking only. Well water often runs out during the summer months. As a result we recommend that you bring with you 2 gallons per person per day. The wooden cistern in the basement is your supply of utility water. You access its rain-fed water by cranking the pump at the kitchen sink. If no water comes up, the pump needs priming: pour cupfuls of water down the hole at the top of the pump and crank at the same time until water flows out. Food Storage and Cooking A 4-burner gas stovetop with oven and electric fridge are your mainstays. We have discontinued use of the barbecue due to heightened fire risk. The gas stove and oven have pilots that can be lit if you prefer not to use matches. Note: Use the oven sparingly, as it runs down the propane tanks. If the gas stops flowing, switch tanks via the valve above them. Resupply is possible in the unlikely event that both tanks run out, but could take a day or more. The coolest place outside the fridge is the closet area at the head of the stairs down to the cellar. Store vegetables, wine, beer, etc. there. You can also bring a cooler and freezer packs. Refuse Keep compostable garbage separate and put it in the compost bin in front of the shed. Doing so will make the trash you carry off island much lighter — and far more pleasant to transport! Put all other trash in large trash bags to carry off when you go. Take off cartons, water containers, and anything else that you bring. Refuse you take off should be disposed of at the Deer Isle Village dump, which is off Route 15 north from the Village. Recyclables and trash are separated. Hygiene In other words: The potty. The outhouse is conveniently located maybe 25 yards from the back of the house at the outhouse. Bring toilet paper. There are chamber pots for those who prefer not to venture outside at night. For showering there is an outdoor shower stall behind the house. Use a solar bag to heat water in the sun. Pull it up with the pulley inside the shower enclosure. Communications Phones, laptops and other electronics can be charged via the outlet on the kitchen counter to the left of the sink. Most cell phones work at the point. To reach someone on Eagle your most reliable option is walking—or running. If you’re boating you should have a marine two-way radio. Fire Fire is a serious danger. Houses have burned down in the past due to human error. To protect your safety and this beautiful house we ask that you adhere strictly to the following: 1. Do not use open flame devices in the house, including candles and lanterns. The Franklin Stove is inoperable. 2. No fires outdoors, except on the beach IF the wind is low and there has been regular and recent rain (i.e. no fires during drought). 3. No smoking applies inside the house, shed, and outhouse. In dry weather be extra cautious even outside. There is a small fire extinguisher in the kitchen and one in the hallway to upstairs, but they are not to be relied upon as they are not tested. And, in any case they would only help to put out a small blaze. Note: Additional equipment is being added as the island community stands up a volunteer fire department, but this is very new development that we hope will never face a real test. Tides Anyone can get stuck out on a rock as the tide comes in. It is a special hazard for children. Also, anyone, and not only children, can find themselves being carried out to sea by a strong tidal current. The same caution applies to kayaks or any small craft. Medical You will be on a small island with no medical facilities. There’s a simple first aid kit in the wooden ice chest in the living area. For more important first aid, options include: walking to neighboring homes, calling us, and calling 911. In all cases responding to emergencies will require time. Bugs that bite Ticks are a growing concern just about everywhere, and that includes Eagle Island. Exercise precautions such as regularly checking for ticks (including tiny nymphs), wearing tight-fitting clothing, and using a tick-repellant spray or lotion. Occasionally there will be a wasp nest on or too near the house. To neutralize them there is usually poison in the shed that can be squirted into the nest from a distance. It should be used at night, after the wasps have returned to the nest for the night and activity has settled down. Wildlife Lions and poisonous snakes have never been discovered. Moose, mink, deer, and garter snakes have. Bears are theoretically possible. Children Keep small children within eyesight. Swimming People say the water, at ~58 degrees Fahrenheit, is cold. Once you are in—really in—you are numb in little more time than you can swat a fly. That allows most to enjoy a real swim. However, be advised that 20 minutes or so may be tops before you run a risk of hypothermic symptoms like trembling. The warmest water is in the cove, at our end of the crescent beach. Repairs and improvements Anyone with the time and skills to undertake small repairs and improvements is welcome. If they involve a change of appearance we’d want to be consulted first. Several kind people have done marvels and small marvels, and we have been very grateful. Certainly, no obligation. Suggestions and well wishes Don’t forget to sign the guest book! Send any suggestions for improvement to us via email or Airbnb. We promise to read them all, and act on as many as possible. Again: Please don’t hesitate to contact us for clarification and answers to your questions.