Oddity Central – by SumitraCanadian couple Wayne Adams and Catherine King are the proud owners of ‘Freedom Cove’, a colorful floating home off the coast of Tofino in British Columbia. The unique structure consists of 12 platforms, supporting wooden buildings, greenhouses, a lighthouse, and living spaces that are all interconnected through wooden pathways. Freedom Cove is special because it is a ‘getaway’ in the true sense – completely off the grid and self-sustaining in every possible way.
Adams and King, along with their two children, have lived at Freedom Cove ever since it was built in 1992. And they’ve managed to live a full life without the help of mainstream civilisation. They grow fruits and vegetables all year round in several greenhouses, and generate electricity through solar panels and photovoltaic energy generators.
Photo: Vanguard Divers
Water isn’t a problem either – the couple collect rainwater for drinking during the winter, and from a nearby freshwater waterfall across the bay during summer. They used to keep hens in a coop as well, but they decided to let them go because of a large number of predators that kept eating the chickens.
Photo: Browning Pass
King, who used to be a ballerina, and Adams said that they have been sustaining themselves at Freedom Cove ever since they moved in over two decades ago. They call the project ever-changing, and appear to be quite happy in their lively ecosystem with deer, otters, wolves, numerous coastal birds, and of course pests. A 30-pound rat, for example, has been their biggest problem. According to Adams, creatures regularly gnaw at the foundations of their floating home.
Photo: Natural Elements
But that hasn’t deterred the couple from maintaining their unique lifestyle. In fact, they indulge in all sorts of hobbies – right from carving artworks to growing their beautiful gardens. The couple’s carvings are usually made from fossilized ivory and of mammoth tusk, but they occasionally do use different materials like wood. They put up many of their carvings and candles for sale in the town of Tofino, an hour-and-a-half boat ride away from their home.
Photo: Browning Pass
Freedom Cove is open to tourists as well – visitors need to take a charter tour from Vancouver island to visit the amazing float house. King and Adams love giving tours to people who want to learn about their journey to self-sufficiency. People are often amazed to learn how connected the couple and their kids are to nature and their surroundings, a feature that is almost completely absent from city life.
Sources: Shift Frequency, Daily Mail