{"id":11608,"date":"2016-06-16T18:25:07","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=11608"},"modified":"2016-06-16T18:25:50","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:25:50","slug":"dream-islands-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/dream-islands-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Dream Islands 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summerguide 2016 | view this story as a .pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

A private island is the gateway to a true summer escape. Find your own parcel of paradise on Maine\u2019s scattered coastline. <\/span><\/h3>\n

By Jackie Murray & Sherwood Olin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"SG16-Dream-Islands\"Private islands dot Maine\u2019s rocky coastline, from Casco Bay to Mount Desert. Why buy a home in crowded Bar Harbor when you can own a private island for a fraction of the cost? As one seller put it, on an island, \u201cyou are the master of your own kingdom.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Of the 3,166 islands in Maine, more than half are privately owned. Below we\u2019ve listed the best Maine has to offer. After you\u2019ve finished reading, maybe you\u2019ll decide it\u2019s time to be the master of your own kingdom. <\/span><\/p>\n

Outer Green<\/strong>
\nSebago Lake, Casco, 9 Acres, $1.1M<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the very top of Sebago Lake there lies an unsung archipelago known as Dingley Islands. Bring your boat ashore on the sandy crescent beach of Outer Green Island, turn around, and you\u2019ll have uninterrupted views across the expanse of Sebago to the White Mountains beyond. Extensive trails wend their way through the mature birch and pine forests to the two-bedroom cottage at the heart of the island\u2019s nine acres. <\/span><\/p>\n

Seller Shawn Flanagan has owned Outer Green for 18 years, finding it \u201cthe perfect place to watch the kids grow up over the years.\u201d Such are Outer Green\u2019s charms, the previous owners also found the island worth a cross-country pilgrimage. \u201cThey\u2019d drive their RV all the way from California to live here for the summer,\u201d Flanagan says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the undeniable beauty of the landscape, Flanagan admits his favorite place on the island is actually \u201cthe living room, with that massive stone fireplace and seating all around. It\u2019s a very comfortable place, and we\u2019ve enjoyed a lot of good moments there as a family.\u201d If you can drag yourself away from this cozy den, you\u2019ll be spoiled by the numerous swimming spots and sun-dappled paths through the forest. Keep an eye out for the many deer and their fawns that roam here. \u201cYou\u2019ve got the sandy southern beach facing out over Sebago Lake. When it gets stormy and the wind picks up, you can just go to the bay on the north side and you\u2019re totally sheltered,\u201d Flanagan says. With the diverse landscape and luxurious winterized cabin, you\u2019ve truly got a sanctuary for all seasons. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sand Island<\/strong>
\nCasco Bay, Cumberland, 1.5 acres, $2.5M<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLocation is everything,\u201d Jeff England says. And he should know, as the owner of a private island smack in the middle of Casco Bay for quarter of a century. \u201cIslands this pristine are rare, especially with its sandy beach, rocky coast, and proximity to Portland.\u201d Positioned perfectly between Chebeague and Cliff Islands, Sand Island catches stirring views of the mega-yachts and sailboats bound for Portland Harbor from Harpswell. \u201cGenerations can pass by before any island like this becomes available.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With expansive sandy beaches more akin to a Caribbean island than a Maine one, Sand Island has drawn attention from House and Garden <\/em>magazine, who who dreamed out loud, \u201cWhat is more deliciously indulgent than\u2026sitting in their shirtsleeves and shorts, sifting the sand with their toes, watching the children discover the joy of piling up rocks?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The island\u2019s deepwater anchorage is ideal for a boat owner. There are no lodgings on the island, apart from the \u201cbomba shack,\u201d a basic wooden structure on the shore. You can use Sand Island as your $2.5M sunbathing spot and make 30-minute boat trips to the hotels of downtown Portland.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to England, \u201cIf Casco Bay is the oyster, then Sand Island is the one and only natural pearl.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So attractive is it, \u201cOnce I took my son to the island and saw that some \u2018visitors\u2019 had had a bachelor party there\u201d the night before.\u00a0 <\/span>Carefully, \u201cMy son and I went around the north tip of the island. I can\u2019t tell you what we saw.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Rocky Crest<\/strong>
\nGreat Moose Lake, Hartland, 6 acres, $229,900<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo make a long story short, it\u2019d been broken into by a bunch of kids\u2013it was a wreck.\u201d This was how current Rocky Crest Island owner David Dean found the island when he first visited. He convinced the previous owner, who\u2019d been absent from the island for several years, to sell it to him. Today, the island\u2019s rustic 1920s cabin remains in its traditional rustic state, though updated by Dean with thermal windows and a new roof.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sunsets are just rip-your-heart-out gorgeous,\u201d Dean says. \u201cAt night after twilight, all you can hear is the loons calling from across the lake. It\u2019s very primitive. It\u2019s haunting.\u201d And the loons might not be the only ones haunting the island. One night, Dean and his friends ventured on a fishing trip. One of his pals owned a local brewery, so he brought a keg along. They enjoyed part of it, fell asleep, and woke to find the keg tipped over and empty. \u201cOvernight, the winds must\u2019ve picked up,\u201d he says, a sense of something spooky lingering in the air. <\/span><\/p>\n

If a thirsty ghost doesn\u2019t scare you, Rocky Crest might be just perfect. \u201cPeople who buy islands are different,\u201d Dean says. \u201cThere\u2019s something about an island that can really get you in touch nature.\u201d With one of the best environments for bald eagles in Maine, warm and cold-water fish swimming in the waters, and plenty of space for island hikes, getting in touch with nature shouldn\u2019t be too hard. Aptly named \u201cRocky Crest,\u201d the house is perched just above large, gray rocks that serve as the perfect diving board for a hot August swim. Mid-dive, time stops and you\u2019re there forever. \u201cIt\u2019s really something everyone should experience,\u201d Dean said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Little Freese<\/strong>
\nDeer Isle, 7 Acres, $875,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Paul and June Farrow took a boat across the water from Deer Isle to Little Freese with their realtor in 1998, it was a bleak and freezing February morning. \u201cThe island was entirely ringed with ice,\u201d notes Paul. Regardless, their connection with the place was \u201cspontaneous and emotional.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Visit Little Freese in summer and you\u2019ll find conditions a lot more hospitable. In 2000, the Farrows built an airy, gabled three-bedroom house in a clearing in the heart of the island. Pine-paneled, with large thermal windows, the house needs next to no work to make it ready for a family to move in. Expect the kids to fight over the rights to the mezzanine bedroom, accessible only by ladder. The spacious living and dining areas beg to be filled with guests drinking and feasting on a summer evening. Paul recommends interrupting the festivities at dusk to run to the shoreline. \u201cLooking west, you can see the sun setting on the horizon through a gap in the cove.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The island is also a perfect fit for an artist. The original owner, a sculptor, built what is now the boathouse on the southeastern corner of the island, its second floor devoted entirely to studio space. On the mainland, Little Freese boasts a private boat launch off Sunshine Road. Next to the launch is a large barn with sliding glass doors, which Paul says \u201cwould make an ideal gallery space.\u201d And it\u2019s just a short drive down the road to take a class at the internationally renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. <\/span><\/p>\n

But you don\u2019t need to be an artist to appreciate the natural beauty of the island. Over 2,600 feet of coastal paths ring the island\u2019s diverse shoreline of pink granite rock, sandy beaches, and muddy mussel beds. A favorite spot is \u201cThe Rock,\u201d a granite outcrop jutting from the southwest point of the island. \u201cWe carry chairs and sit there watching the sun set, facing the Deer Isle thoroughfare. You\u2019ll see windjammers and sometimes two- or three-masted ships sailing into the bay.\u201d You might even have some impromptu company. \u201cThere are loons, eagles, mink. Often, a mother seal will leave her pup on the rocks for hours while she hunts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stretch your legs by taking a stroll across the causeway to \u201cFreeselet,\u201d a tiny additional island on the eastern shore. Completely undeveloped, it\u2019s the perfect place to take a picnic break from your painting studio. <\/span><\/p>\n

Clapboard<\/strong>
\nCasco Bay, Falmouth, 22 acres, $5.5M<\/strong><\/p>\n

Built in 1898, the historic estate on Clapboard Island West boasts 10 bedrooms, 13 working fireplaces, seven full baths, two half baths, and a large stone pier. A mere six miles north of downtown Portland, it\u2019s just a short boat ride from Falmouth Town Landing or the Old Port. If you\u2019re traveling from further afield, never fear: The property has its own helipad. <\/span><\/p>\n

Six miles may not seem far from the rest of civilization, but the island is surrounded by 40 sheltered square miles of Casco Bay, perfect for deep-water sailing. According to a 1929 ad for the island, this body of water was recorded as \u201cseveral degrees warmer than at nearby ocean resorts.\u201d This is Maine, so it\u2019s probably still pretty cold. <\/span><\/p>\n

Philadelphia philanthropist Samuel F. Houston commissioned 100 artisans to build the home in 1898. His father ran the Pennsylvania Railroad, allowing him access to swift transportation of materials from all over the United States, including beautiful Oregon pine that still glows in the vast structure today. Since then, modern amenities have been added to the property, including solar-powered electricity and a generator. But you can still enjoy the original, classic feel of the place with the authentic period furniture that fills the house. Outside, take your pick of five swimming beaches and stretch your legs along the maintained trails that follow the 3,200 feet of shorefront.<\/span><\/p>\n

If one island isn\u2019t enough for you, Little Clapboard Island, accessible from the mainland at low tide, is included in the price. For less than a Manhattan condo, you can own two beautiful islands in Casco Bay. <\/span><\/p>\n

Two Mile Island<\/strong>
\nPiscataquis County, 1 acre, $349,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two Mile Island, true to its name, sits just a couple of miles from several boat landings on the shores of Moosehead Lake. Which, incidentally, also lives up to its name: \u201cOne day we looked up to see a moose on our lawn. It must\u2019ve swum over,\u201d owner Austin de Groat tells us. \u201cWe had to make the dog chase it away. It swam right back across the lake.\u201d Nature comes alive here. \u201cThe beavers took down all our white birches one summer. And it was a bat nursery for a long time. It was home to hundreds of bats.\u201d But don\u2019t let that put you off\u2013De Groat assures us the bats are now long gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

The island became a local recreation destination in the 1940s when Al Wheat, a retired Seabee who\u2019d served in the Pacific in World War II, turned it into a camp for hunters and fishermen. Fishing remains a favorite pastime for visitors. \u201cThe lake is crystal clear, deep, and a great habitat for lake trout, salmon, and bass, among other species,\u201d de Groat says. The rich waters of this part of the lake, known has Lily Bay, carry the nickname \u201csalmon shoal.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

If fishing isn\u2019t your forte, the island\u2019s uniquely sandy shores provide a sunny outdoor alternative, perfect for a midday picnic. The lodge itself boasts solar power, high-speed internet, spacious rooms, and a stone fireplace made up of rocks and shells that the original owner brought back from his tour of duty in the Pacific. <\/span><\/p>\n

Phoebe Island<\/strong>
\nSebec Lake, Dover-Foxcroft, 2.11 acres, $339,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking from the southern shore of Sebec Lake, you\u2019ll spot a large cottage that appears to be floating on the water but is in fact perched on .11 acres of ocean granite. Finally, a secluded nook where you can eat your lunch in a spacious, pine-paneled kitchen before diving from the granite rocks on your front step, straight into the glassy waters of Sebec Lake. With its own two-acre mainland lot, the island is a just few minutes\u2019 row to shore. <\/span><\/p>\n

Phoebe Island is\u2026very spiritual,\u201d says owner Jay Bailey, who believes Phoebe summons \u201ca sense of oneness with your environment. Baby eagles fly across the lake and land on the house. You can hear them clunking around on top\u2026and you can watch the eagle\u2019s nest on the island across the way. We\u2019ve decided to sell the island now because our kids aren\u2019t visiting as often, and it\u2019s funny\u2013as our babies are growing up and leaving our nest, I\u2019ve noticed this generation of eagles is leaving the nest, too.\u201d Nature on the island seems to act in harmony with the families who reside here. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jump into the water and you\u2019ll see even more wildlife. \u201cThe island is great for snorkeling\u2014it\u2019s all fragmented glacial rock. We see fish\u2013mainly bass\u2013and I\u2019ve seen eels, loons underwater, and beavers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Narrows Island<\/strong>
\nPleasant Bay, Harrington, 14 acres, $628,000<\/strong><\/p>\n

Drive an hour northeast of Bar Harbor\u2013far enough for tourists not to bother you\u2013and take a right at the Circle K in Harrington. Then drive down Marshville Road until it becomes Ripley Neck Road. If you see signs directing you to \u201cWest Bay Seed Mussel Conservation,\u201d keep going until you hit water. Then go further. Switch to a boat and weave your way past Hen and Hog Islands. The next shore you hit will be Narrows, your new island home. \u201cUntouched\u2026a step back in time,\u201d is how owner Charles Milmine describes it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy great-uncle was a bit of a romantic. His great-uncle, Joseph Parsons, bought the island in 1911. Parsons\u2019s father, George, made his money by investing in the street railways in Savannah, Georgia in the late 1800s. The wealth George accrued allowed his son Joseph to spend his adulthood traveling, managing properties the family owned in Savannah and, here in Maine, Kennebec County. Joseph came across Narrows Island while spending time camping on Ripley Point. He went for a boat ride around the islands surrounding the point, found Narrows, fell in love with it, and purchased it immediately. Later, Parsons brought his wife to the island.\u201d He\u2019d written down where he wanted to build a camp in his logbook, but he wanted to get his wife\u2019s unbiased opinion before commissioning a cabin. \u201cWhen she unknowingly decided on the same spot\u201d as he had, he knew luck was with them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fast-forward to today, and the island remains largely the same as Joseph Parsons found it over a hundred years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a little rustic for some people,\u201d says owner Milmine. \u201cThe house doesn\u2019t have electricity, so it\u2019s lit by kerosene lamps. The water for the house is collected in a tank and runs in a homemade piping system, meaning there\u2019s no hot water, and a simple outhouse.\u201d The only \u2018modern\u2019 extravagances added since the house was built are a refrigerator and stove, both run by gas. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are two sandy beaches, one on the east end of the island and the other on the north. A fire scorched part of the island when Joseph Parsons owned it all those years ago, turning that section of the island into a clearing Milmine has worked to maintain to this day among the mature trees that make up the rest of the island. <\/span><\/p>\n

You may have to share your island with another inhabitant, however. \u201cGimpy the elf was an invention of my great-uncle. I heard stories about him growing up.\u201d Milmine pauses to collect his emotions. \u201cWhen I was eight and I went up to the island, my great-uncle arranged the very important task of \u2018catching\u2019 Gimpy. He used a doll and helped me set a trap for the elf. And I did it! It\u2019s a tradition that we continued with all my kids.\u201d Those in search of a little seclusion with some elfin enchantment will find Narrow Island to be their nirvana.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Foster Island<\/strong>
\nHarrington, 300 acres, $1.65M<\/strong><\/p>\n

A 20-minute boat ride across Narraguagus Bay from Milbridge Town Landing leads to a pier in a hidden cove on the southeast side of 300-acre Foster Island. Or, like the island\u2019s former owners, you could arrive in style by sailing your yacht down from Mt. Desert Island. These former owners? The Rockefellers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. and Mrs. David Rockefellers purchased Foster Island in the 1960s,\u201d says realtor Mia Thompson. \u201cIn 1973, they placed a conservation easement on the property that\u2019s currently held by the State of Maine. The easement allows you to construct up to five homes here.\u201d Currently, there\u2019s one simple homestead nestled in the heart of the island, with the structures of four or five buildings from the 1900s dotted here and there, begging for exploration. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fields, trails, and forests of pine and birch cover the interior. Along the shore you\u2019ll have your pick of sandy coves and bold granite coastline. Wander along the meandering island trails to the east side, where seals sun on granite ledges at low tide. Or take a deep breath, stand on the southernmost shore, and gaze at the stunning views across Narraguagus Bay as osprey soar overhead. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summerguide 2016
\nA private island is the gateway to a true summer escape. Find your own parcel of paradise on Maine\u2019s scattered coastline.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11613,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[106],"class_list":["post-11608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-summerguide-2016"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11608"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11608\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11704,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11608\/revisions\/11704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}