The Joys of Island Living
Looking across the lake from the Wright’s island property. (Courtesy photo)
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
“On an island, time is measured in sunrises and sunsets, and worries dissolve…”
— Author Unknown
Life on an island is different. There are practical considerations: Make sure you don’t forget supplies, gas up the boat, bring a good book, and so on.
But there is also the knowledge that upon reaching your island retreat, you can relax, ready to embrace a few days or more as off-grid as you desire. Who cares if your clothes are casual, if your meals are basic, or you wake up early to watch the sunrise from the beach or dock, coffee cup in hand, while still in your pajamas?
Rest, relaxation, a love of nature, and just getting away from it all are the things that keep Peter and Becky Wright returning to their cottage on Mink Island year after year.
Mink is located on Lake Winnipesaukee, and technically in the town of Gilford, but a million miles away from the summertime hustle and bustle that defines summer in the Lakes Region.
As full-time residents of Gilford, the Wrights enjoy the best of both worlds: a year-round home on land and a special island property where they relax and truly get away from it all.
“We bought the Mink Island cottage in around 1989,” says Peter. “It was on my bucket list. We were looking for something on an island, and someone told us they knew of a potential seller. We contacted him, and he took my offer.”
Becky was on board with the idea, and it was the start of a unique way to enjoy the lake while getting away from it all each summer.
The deck, a place to relax at Peter and Becky Wright’s island home. (Courtesy photo)
The Wrights are now retired, but when they bought the cottage, both were working extremely hard: Becky in the lab at Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia and Peter as the owner of the popular Soda Shoppe in downtown Laconia.
One would imagine, with their busy schedules and jobs, that they would seldom have time to travel to their island cottage. Peter explains, “We would wake up in the morning and drive our boat to work. An island commute just requires a bit of extra planning and allowing time to get to shore.”
Originally from Vermont and later moving to Massachusetts, Peter had long owned a boat and had previously rented a camp on an island. “It had no running water or electricity,” he recalls, taking the lack of amenities in stride.
Becky says she came to the Lakes Region to attend Belknap College. After a busy career, she is enjoying retirement, and the island cottage she shares with Peter is part of her life.
With a dock and a sandy beach, the Wright’s cottage property was built about 1980. It was a 24 ft. by 24 ft. garage converted into a basic cottage with one bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room. (And yes, it has water and electricity!)
Mink Island is reached by the Smith Cove region of Gilford, and the Wrights dock their pontoon boat in that area when it is not in use. “It’s just 22 minutes to the island,” Peter explains. After years of driving a Sea Ray Bow Rider, the couple now own a pontoon boat, which they say is easier to enter and exit. Peter says the switch to a pontoon boat has been a good choice as their lifestyle has slowed down somewhat in retirement.
The Wrights love their cottage and Mink Island and say they got into the habit of going there every summer. They have no plans to give it up anytime soon. (Their season starts in mid-May and usually ends in September when it gets too cold to stay on the island. They also venture out from time to time in the winter once the lake freezes.)
The cottage on Mink Island. (Courtesy photo)
“Going out there and staying is just fun,” Peter says when asked what keeps them owning their island cottage. They have learned to plan ahead and add, ‘If we forgot something on our list before heading out, we simply have learned to do without it or work around it.”
Becky agrees and comments that they chose to add such modern amenities as internet and television. However, this can-do couple would be just as comfortable without these things, enjoying the sound of the water on the shore and the natural surroundings.
There is no road on Mink Island; instead, property owners reach their homes by boat, tying up at their private docks. While socializing is popular among islanders, there is a respectful practice of allowing neighbors their own space and private time. Each knows the main reason property owners chose an island retreat is for the enjoyment of relaxing and getting away from it all.
The Wrights occasionally invite company to their cottage, which now has two bedrooms after some renovations and additions. “We also extended the kitchen,” Peter adds. (Getting supplies to the island isn’t a big deal, and they say local barge companies do a brisk business transporting lumber and just about anything one could need.)
Those without an island property rarely have the experience of visiting a place such as Mink Island. Thus, they wonder, as they gaze across lake, what it is like and what preparations are needed to live on an island. They assume it can be a time-consuming and detailed life. “How do you stock a place on an island, and what if you forget things you need?” they ask.
Becky explains they make do if they forget something. (Of course, if it is an essential supply, although time-consuming, there is the option of returning to land to fetch something.) “There aren’t any stores on the islands,” she laughs. “We re-stock staples often because you don’t want to leave such things as spices we might use often or ketchup or vegetables out there. There is always the issue of critters like mice and squirrels!”
As Peter says, “You have to learn to think ahead or go without.”
The cottage on Mink Island. (Courtesy photo)
To counter the rain that can sweep across the lake and the sometimes unpredictable weather, the Wrights installed a washer and dryer, finding it helpful when rain is in the forecast.
What keeps the Wrights returning to their island cottage each year? Peter says with certainty, “It’s the enjoyment of just sitting on the deck and taking in the surroundings. There is no greater relaxation.”