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Old 01-12-2018, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Michigan
2,745 posts, read 3,015,532 times
Reputation: 6542

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willm2607 View Post
How much does it cost to live there? I know it’s obviously a huge price range for a vague question but is it a lot more than living on the mainland. I have been thinking of moving there with my two kids. Thanks for any help!
It's not really all that much more cost than living on the mainland, however you MUST factor in the cost of traveling back and forth to the mainland at times. That means either flying, or taking the ferry, or if you have your own larger sized boat and are willing to take it to the middle of a large inland OCEAN, Lake Michigan can get very treacherous at times due to weather, VERY fast. You don't make that trip in a 12 foot fishing boat.

It can also be very lonely over there, as most of the full time islanders work multiple jobs all day to be able to live there. So your interactions with them will mostly be during the course of that business. If you haven't been over there for a few vacations, don't fantasize about it, arrange a 2 week vacation and go there. I highly suggest you go for a minimum of 1 week at a time, in multiple seasons over a year to see what you think.
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Old 01-12-2018, 07:32 PM
 
Location: Rural North Dakota
138 posts, read 156,075 times
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I'd personally recommend you spend a month there for an extended vacation before you make that type of move. Its one thing to live as I do out in the boonies. Its another to live off the main road system. There was a good paid job that came up there a while back and an easy laid back one at that. But no way am I going to live in a place where I am confined to a 10 mile radius of my house. I love to get out and explore nature far and wide.
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Old 07-26-2018, 09:13 AM
 
Location: Michigan
12 posts, read 11,263 times
Reputation: 15
The northern tip of Beaver Island is actually closer to the Upper Peninsula mainland than the eastern side is to the Lower Peninsula mainland. It's about 15 miles from the northern tip to the Upper Peninsula mainland and about 21 miles to the Lower Peninsula mainland.
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Old 10-24-2018, 08:46 AM
 
5 posts, read 12,152 times
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Are there bears/wolves on the island? I live in a bush Alaska village and it all sounds very much like living here. Couldn't help but be curious. I have a young son and am no longer caring for the fact that there are grizzlies roaming the elementary school yards and play areas. Considering new areas.
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Old 10-24-2018, 09:18 AM
 
Location: Michigan
2,745 posts, read 3,015,532 times
Reputation: 6542
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unchained Melody View Post
Are there bears/wolves on the island? I live in a bush Alaska village and it all sounds very much like living here. Couldn't help but be curious. I have a young son and am no longer caring for the fact that there are grizzlies roaming the elementary school yards and play areas. Considering new areas.



No bears live permanently on the island. There are a few wolves now and again when they are able to walk across the ice to get there on years where it freezes over, but I'm not positive there are any that continually live on the island year around. If so, it isn't more than a couple or two. There's lots of deer and rabbits and such.


My wife and I saw two wolves there back in the mid '90's, when we were walking in the area back off of West Side road and Mrs Reddings Trail.


Parts of the island are VERY remote, so it would be easy for wolves and coyotes to live there and not easily be seen very often, if at all.
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Old 10-24-2018, 01:36 PM
 
1,204 posts, read 934,816 times
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No bears, no confirmed wolves since I moved here seven years ago. I’ve written a lot about living here as a retiree, feel free to look up my old posts if you’re curious. I am happy and content living here, but I’m not in the position of having to make a living anymore. Jobs can be tough. And while there are a tremendous variety of personalities in the people who love living here, one thing they all have in common is social self sufficiency. There are wonderful community activities, but most nights in the off season, you’ll be in your home. People with young families are pretty fully occupied by definition, people who read a lot or have consuming hobbies are happy. If you’re content being at home watching tv you’ll be fine. (We do have cable and internet.) But in the off-season, the stores, library and community center are closed in the evenings, and right now we are down to one restaurant open for lunch and supper every day, another one that’s open for breakfast five days and lunch four, and two bars. You’ll be welcomed everywhere you go if you move here. New families are immediately noticed and people will make a point of stopping to greet you. If you want instant close friends you’ll find a few people open to that, if you like casual friendly conversation but mainly like to keep to yourself, you’ll be in the vast majority. Friendships will develop with time. Like anyplace, it works for some, not for others. My housemate and I never stop marveling at the beauty around us every day here.
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Old 10-24-2018, 05:01 PM
 
Location: 404
3,006 posts, read 1,492,434 times
Reputation: 2599
They boodle. https://www.mlive.com/opinion/jackso...igan_thin.html
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Old 10-25-2018, 01:14 PM
 
5 posts, read 12,152 times
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Default Thanks!

Thank you for the information Mike Bear.

To clarify, there are no year-round bears? So they too will use the ice to walk over and then leave? I'm not really worried about a few, so I guess it doesn't matter too much. I'm just wary of seeing them EVERYWHERE here now that I have a child. The idea brings on a terror of them that I never had before.
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Old 10-25-2018, 01:21 PM
 
5 posts, read 12,152 times
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upnorthretiree,

Thank you for taking the time to write and share. You've been very helpful. So far, I like what I hear. Your town sounds a lot like us. It actually has more available in the winter than we do now, so I know we could make it there and be happy. It is good to hear how similar y'all are to what we are used to.

It is rare to hear of an "upnorthretiree"-Kudos to you...not being part of the pack mentality! I'll be sure to check out your old posts very soon.
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Old 10-25-2018, 01:29 PM
 
5 posts, read 12,152 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nattering Heights View Post

Thanks for the infor Nattering Heights.

I totally dig the sound of this boodling thing! Right up my alley. Love the name and that it is a 'thing' there.

I lived in another island town in Alaska for about 4 years. It was a very similar situation-though they didn't have a name for it. The town was mostly on one side of the large island, but there were logging roads around/through the place. Such a fun, friendly thing.
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