Thursday, April 30, 2020

#ThrowbackThursday: Float Cabin Tour - Welcome Aboard

In 2001, Wayne and I discovered our float cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal BC.  In the beginning, we could only be here on school holidays since we were both educators. Retired we can be in our off-the-grid cabin home about 75% of the year in all seasons.

Logging Camp Photo: Powell River Museum
During the heydey of logging along the BC coast, floating cabins and shops were common. They were used for remote camps to provide homes and work platforms up rugged inlets and on large lakes. Today, float cabins are used on fish farms and for off the grid living.


Float Cabin Photo: Powell River Museum
On Powell Lake, the original float cabins were simple homes, economical getaways for mill workers, or logging camps dating back to the early 1900s.

Currently, there are about 250 float cabins on Powell Lake. They're spread along the 480 kilometres (300 miles) of shoreline. That makes most locations private.


Why did we choose this lifestyle?
  • It's unique.
  • Float cabins are a part of coastal history.
  • We wanted a place to retire that was different from our city life.
  • It's remote and uncrowded.
  • We are surrounded by nature.
  • We get to enjoy the seasons.
  • We are off the grid.
  • We can live a simple, tiny home lifestyle.
  • We like boating to our water access only home.
  • Town is only 25 minutes away for resupply.
  • There's a distributed community for support and friendship.
  • It was love at first sight.
Several years ago I created short video tours of our float cabin home. Here's the first in the series called "Welcome Aboard."



Since this video was made, we no longer have a stairway up the cliff and the shed on shore has been removed to comply with British Columbia water lease rules.

If you would like more information about float cabin living, here are some quick links:
Float Cabin Living
Float Cabin Construction
Cabin Accessories
Also check out Wayne's book Up the Lake. It's free for Kindle in most countries and most online booksellers. See the next post for more information.

Have you ever discovered a place that has captured your imagination and heart? Tell us your story. - Margy

30 comments:

  1. What a wonderful place to live with a cozy community! IT seems that there is everything you would need, no wonder you fell in love with this type of living! Good on you for following your hearts :)

    Thanks for taking part at 'My Corner of the World' this week! It's good to see you.

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    1. I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles and stayed there through my career in education. Moving to a small town was a huge change but a very welcome one. - Margy

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  2. Sounds like a lovely place to live in! Glad you chose this lifestyle. Love the photos.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by to take the tour. - Margy

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  3. This is the type of lifestyle I would love to have, surrounded by nature. Can only dream because our country don't have float cabin except for resort owners.

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    1. Not too many places allow them. I find most of them in marinas. The ones on our lake started out in the early 1900s as unregulated work sites and residences. It has only been since 2000 that the government has stepped in to require water leases with restrictions. - Margy

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  4. A lovely place to spend time in tranquillity in the nature...
    I wish you a serene and safe May!

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    1. We have neighbours that watch out for us while we are gone. Most cabin owners are seasonal visitor, but a few go up all year long. - Margy

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  5. A fantastic way to live. You are lucky.
    Amalia
    xo

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  6. Lovely place! Nice post!

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    1. Thanks Birgitta - I enjoy sharing about our unique home. - Margy

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  7. Yes, I discovered a place to my heart's content, but after about 10 years I lost it. :( A small house in the town of Busteni in the Bucegi Mountains.
    Yours is wonderful!

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    1. Losing a loved place is so hard. I'm sorry to hear this. - Margy

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  8. I remember this from before, but it is such a good story (and home tour) that it is well worth revisiting. I’m sure you are hoping to get back home soon.

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    1. Yes, while I dream about going home it helps to revisit the good times, and fun to share them again. Glad you made it home safe and sound from Florida. It was a huge undertaking at this time. - Margy

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  9. Oh my gosh, that's awesome. What a beautiful setting and lifestyle.

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    1. The setting is wonderful. I love the view of Goat Island from my front porch in all seasons. - Margy

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  10. It's amazing! For me it's paradise, but I'm not so lucky. :)
    The landscape is beautiful! ♥ Mountains, forests, water all in one place! You are lucky.
    All the best! :)

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    1. It does combine all the things I love, plus the ocean is only a 25 minute boat ride away. - Margy

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  11. Dear Margy,

    Lovely to have you stop by my blog, NatashaMusing
    Your float cabin living sounds like Utopia to me. How blessed. :)
    I will return to watch your video.

    Meanwhile, it was lovely to have you leave your imprints on my blog. Do join us for #WordlessWednesday if you like with a post. We are live right up till Monday.

    https://natashamusing.com/2020/05/speeches-with-the-skies-and-trees-wordless-wednesday-wednesday-wisdom-natasha-musing/

    Have a great week ahead!

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    1. Thank you for the invitation. I'll see if I can write fewer words some Wednesday. - Margy

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  12. Margy - since I first set eyes on your float cabin through your blog, I have understood why it was love at first sight! So many blessings, and a creative way to be part of nature without destroying the forest or natural landscape.

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    1. The water lease rules protect the forest around us and the lake itself. - Margy

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  13. This is so amazingly awesome! I love that you are living life your way!
    Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage,
    Missouri, USA
    Laura

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    1. Like the world we want life to get back to being safe without the danger of catching the virus. - Margy

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  14. I enjoy the video.
    What a great place to live surrounded by nature. Ah!

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    1. We found it during our vacation in 2001 and knew it was the place for us. - Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy