Tuesday, August 29, 2017

At Home Up the Lake

Arrow 997 over Powell River Airport.
If you've been following my blog, you know that our home is a float cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal British Columbia.

We discovered Powell Lake and float cabins during our 2001 summer flying and camping vacation in our Piper Arrow 997.

First night at the float cabin.
Powell River had an immediate attraction for us including the opportunity for a wide variety of outdoor adventures, beautiful forest and seaside locales, a small town atmosphere, and expansive Powell Lake with its unique float cabins.

The tin boat.
We rented a 14' aluminum boat (a tin boat to us) and explored Powell Lake. After discovering float cabins we contacted a local realtor, Harry Zroback. A long time cabin owner himself, he gave us directions to the two cabins currently available.


First day inside the cabin's great room.
The first was old and cluttered. Float cabins traditionally come with everything included. The second was newer, built in 1998. It came with just the basics. That was perfect for us because the cabin would be a vacation home until we could retire from our jobs in Los Angeles.

In the summer of 2005 (we were both educators), the float cabin became our primary residence. A small condo in town provided a place for mail, washing clothes, an occasional shower and a place to stay overnight when we have late evening town activities.

Our float cabin home in 2017.

Since 2001 we've upgraded our float cabin home to better match our lifestyle. Some of the major changes included (follow the links for more information):

    You can read more about float cabin living by selecting Float Cabin Living and Float Cabin Construction in the topic list on the right side of this page.

    You can also read about our off-the-grid lifestyle in Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series books including Up the Lake, Farther Up the Lake, Off the Grid and Off the Grid: Getting Started. All books are available in print and e-book formats from most online book sellers. -- Margy

    18 comments:

    1. Wonderful book - well written and so interesting. I recommend it highly.

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      1. Your book "Are We Walking to Alaska?" Is a great read too. I love memoirs. - Margy

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    2. You cabin on the lake has become your palace. You sure enjoy that. Good for you guys.
      I see you so much on FB I sometimes forget to check out your blog. Nicely done.
      MB

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      1. My blog posts go there too. You can find me in either place. - Margy

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    3. Fantastic scenery where you live. I can imagine how lovely it is to sleep on the water in such beautiful surroundings. You've done a lot to make the floating cabin much more comfortable for the longer term too. It is wonderful that you also have a condo for those occasions when you are in town.

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      1. Sometimes I think the condo is cheating but it's nice to have. - Margy

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    4. Your float cabin is stunning!

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      1. Thanks. It's been a work in progress for 16 years. - Margy

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    5. yes you do live in a gorgeous surrounding!

      Please have a ♥-warming ABC-day / -week
      ♪ M e l ☺ d y ♪ (abc-w-team)
      http://melodymusic.nl/21-h/

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    6. Did I ever tell you my wife's given last name was Powell?

      ROG, ABCW

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      1. Not sure. The town was named for Israel Powell who was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs at the time. - Margy

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    7. The photo of your present-day float cabin is beautiful, Margy. It seems I've never managed to get there, but I do think about it...often. I always loved the ferry ride(s) to get up there, and the wonderful feeling of having arrived at a special destination!
      Kay
      An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
      https://unfittie.blogspot.ca/

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      1. And now we have another new ferry over to Comox. It's nice and new but to me has a few drawbacks, especially a lower deck with no view of the outside. You are required to go upstairs rather than wait in your car. - Margy

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    8. You've worked so hard on it! Wonderful!

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      1. It's a continual work in progress with new additions and repairs of worn out items. - Margy

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    9. I love hearing about people, such as you and your husband, who are living their dream. :-)

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      1. I do to. I follow quite a few other off-the-grid people on blogs and Facebook. - Margy

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    We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy