Island Living? (Portland: home, high school, ferry)

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Does anyone live on an island?
I have friends who live on Mitinicus (sp?), at least for the summer. What would year-round island living be like?

[deerislesmile]

Yes and no. We have a bridge, so are kind of knocked out of the "real island" category.
But, from what I know from my "real" island friends :

- You learn to adapt your life to depend on the weather, especially if you are relying on the ferry to deliver you or your goods. (You end up finding mainland friends to stay with, too, because it's inevitable that you will miss the ferry home at least once)

-It is much more expensive, because everything needs to be brought over

-The community is small- so small that one might find it uncomfortable that your neighbors know you- there's no "getting away".

-For those with children, most island school only go to 8th grade- children must "go off" for high school, either attending Gould or MCI (boarding schools) or staying with a friend/relative on the main for 4 years.

-Many island communities are at odds because the people who are paying $$$ for their "cottages" do not like to look at "fishermen mess", and are attempting to drive the commercial fishermen out of the area. On many of the Southern Maine islands, there is little or no commercial fishing activity any longer because the fishermen cannot afford to live there and/or have water access.

BUT....

There are also many, many good things about living on an island- most of them stem from the incredible sense of community that happens on an island.

[citybythebay]

This brings back fond memories...a very good family friend lived on Peaks Island. She was an author and photojournalist. She wrote several books and one was about island living.

We would take the ferry over from Portland and I remember being so anxious about going to visit her on the island.

I always said I would like to retire on Peaks Island someday....