The Allure of a Private Island

Some years ago I wrote about where I would like to live if money was no object. That was Culebra an island off the coast of Puerto Rico. For my summer home, I think I've found it. For just 2 million dollars, I could buy my own private island, Round Island, in St. Mary's River, connecting Lakes Huron and Superior in Michigan. To top it off, the dwelling is a lighthouse, which I've always wanted to live in.

Private islands are perhaps the ultimate fantasy. Celebrities like Marlon Brando, John Wayne, Richard Branson, and John Lennon have all owned them. There is a website devoted to their sale, on which I found this one. They have an incredible allure, and make a statement about the wealth of the individual who owns one. But beyond that, what exactly is the allure of owning an island?

Surely privacy is the primary appeal. Now, I have no need for privacy in that no one is chasing me down the street for my photograph. But most humans, I think, have at least a modicum of interest in being alone (some people, I realize, have a terrible fear of it). For the last thirty years I've lived in apartments, sharing a wall with complete strangers. Owning a house is nice (you can blast the music as loud as you want) but imagine having no one else within miles, and being separated by a body of water! You can leave the doors unlocked! The windows open! You can sunbathe nude!

But then, would this really be what I want? Could I live completely alone? Were I to live there with a significant other, would we be bored out of our skulls? I can live a quiet life of contemplation, reading and watching movies (I would have to be able to get wi-fi, too) but who in their right mind would want to live there with me? A simple task like running to the store would require a major effort (I would also have to have a boat). Not only that, but this part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula is really in the middle of nowhere. The nearest airport is Sault St. Marie, some thirty miles away (which is also the site of the nearest movie theater). I imagine there are some rough and tumble dive bars for fishermen nearby, but then again I've never been one for nightlife. I've lived in Las Vegas for over a year and have gone out on the town twice. I haven't even been to the Strip. But the idea that it's there if I need it is something of a comfort.

Still, I'm drawn to the idea of living on my own island. I probably couldn't do it year-round, but would enjoy it for periods of time. I've had my days when I haven't left the house or spoken to anyone, and they are blessed. Could I do it for a month, or a season? The idea of living in a lighthouse on a remote island, with a thunderstorm coming through, reading a book with a dog at my feet is something I pine for.