Replies

Many years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to a gentleman who was in his seventies. He told me of his life as a young boy on an Island in the St. Mary’s river between the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Canada. His father was the light house keeper then.

To get to town, Sault Ste. Marie, which was only twenty or so miles away was a major undertaking. In the Summer they could use the boat and row up the river against the current to get to town. In the Winter though it was best to wait until the river was frozen over and then use a wagon and a sleigh to go to town.

In either case was they did manage to get there, they would by supplies to last them for a year. That would give them a half of a year’s extra in case of problems. He told me that it would take between four and six dray wagon and their teamsters to bring back their supplies. And they didn’t by in small quantities, Barrels of flour, Hogsheads of potatoes. Pickles and everything else you could think of, Fresh laying hens and a rooster. Even two or three freshened cows would be bought and brought back to the island.

For keeping the light operational there were several hundred yards of lamp wick, a couple of new replacement lamps and globes. Eight to ten barrels of Lamp Fuel, (Kerosene).

Once that was done it was total isolation for at least another six months.

How many today, could live like that? I know that I couldn’t without lots of thought and preparation.

I’ve not posted on FR for years. I was a District Court judge and there were too many ethics issues. But. I’m retired now and I’m back! The Prepper posts really interest me.

I am a single woman and retired to a very remote Alaskan wilderness homestead. I’ve been working on this place for 10 years. I am completely self sufficient but like some others I need the summer months to stock up on gas, propane, building materials, and a long, long list of necessities.

Recently my cell phone (Samsung III) died. I get 3 bars of 1X.. its enough for internet and streaming radio and music. No U-tube, no video downloads, but that’s fine. I can get Rush Limbaugh and the gang on talk radio.

For all those who think living off the grid in the wilderness is hard, well... it can be, but with planning and taking care of your body with lots of physical exercise, good food and disciplined adult beverage consumption... life is awesome! My plane flight to the “big city” to get a new phone was expensive, but more than that... I was really happy to get home just after 24 hours!

I spend a lot of time on the woodpile and water (due to freezing) These things I will resolve next summer. I plan on raising hogs in a few years for lots of reasons.

Prepare... try it .. you’ll like it.

Would that island by the way be Sugar Island. The St Marys river between the upper and Canada is cold as ice. Dad had a friend that was the sheriff of Sugar Island many years ago. Dad and he would periodically run a still. No one to arrest them...But his black labs would spot dead heads out in the river, jump in and bring them back to shore..They were long enough and big enough around he ended up building one of his small docks from the dead heads floating in the St Mary's River...OOPs, reread your post, no light house on Sugar Island that I can remember but its been over 50 years since I was up there. The Finnish sauna he built was great, hot rocks and a dipper of water inside. He said the Finns would sauna and then roll in the snow....negged as a jay bird. They were all a little crazy...