We built our own floating island on a river out of old fishing gear – we grow our own food and make our own supplies
A COUPLE have spent 27 years building their own floating man-made island home. grow their own food and build their own supplies.
Wayne Adams and Catherine King spent over £1 million building Freedom Cove on the coast of Vancouver Island in western Canada.
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The project began with a small floating house built from wood that had washed ashore after a storm and old fishing equipment.
Wayne and Catherine moved to the Bay in 1992 and have been building their self-sufficient home ever since.
“When we started, of course the first thing was to have a roof over our heads,” Catherine told the FLORB Youtube channel.
“So we built the house, which was half the size of what it is now.”
Over the course of more than two decades, new buildings, greenhouses and an outdoor dance floor were gradually added.
Now the couple has created a completely off-grid floating homestead where they can grow most of their own food and make a living as artists.
Catherine explained how the island has a secure, armored Styrofoam base that can last a lifetime and how Wayne’s engineering skills ensure the entire environment stays in place even in harsh weather conditions.
“The metal-based systems also improve durability during storms,” she said.
“Wayne tied us to the shore with large ropes in a spider web formation so that when we get hit by the wind we move back and forth in one piece instead of the buildings hitting each other.”
Wayne revealed his inspiration to live off the land but not disturb local biodiversity.
“I was inspired by birds. They are the ones that grew and built nests without permission,” Wayne revealed.
“For this I use the materials around me, whatever was here, recycled.
“Most of what I have done here has come through trade and my work.”
Catherine explained that nature is her inspiration for her ideal lifestyle.
“My dream was to live outside and grow my own food, to be as self-sufficient as possible and to live in the rhythm of nature,” she said.
The couple debated whether or not to continue with the ambitious project as it was overall consuming.
“We are a team on this project. We both agreed and talked for a short time about what we wanted to do.”
“After 10 years we look at each other and decide whether we want to continue or not.
“It takes all your money, all your time and everything you need to do it.
“So now we’ve been here for 27 years and we’re enjoying how it’s going.”
Catherine revealed how she and Wayne talked about it the first day they met.
They started with a house swap with a friend and stayed in their cabin.
Catherine, a passionate dancer, immediately built a dance floor so she could show off her moves.
Her garden was one of the largest additions to the island.
What started as a salad garden now includes several floats and four greenhouses.
“I can grow pretty much anything I want now,” Catherine said.
The couple then built their own gallery to showcase their beloved artwork instead of exhibiting it in surrounding towns.
“Seeing water, incredible forests and wildlife all around me and seeing the beauty of what we have created to contribute to it is just incredible when you wake up,” Catherine admitted.
“I can’t imagine living any other way.
“We live to the rhythm of the moon and the tides rather than the rhythm of corporations and corporations, and that to me is critically important.”
“Our dream is to live here until the end of our days.”
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