To many individuals, residing just a 45-minute boat journey from the U.S. mainland would seem like an intimidating prospect.
However, for the approximately 55 long-term inhabitants residing in this community, Maine 's unbridged Isle au Haut This is their everyday truth.
The isolation of this small island adds to its charm for those who have made these six miles their new home.
Given the small number of enterprises catering to this close-knit group, visiting the island feels somewhat akin to traveling back in history.
However, lately, it has received significant technological support through the deployment of underwater cables, aiming to ultimately provide comprehensive broadband access across the island.
While the upgrade is set to 'transform' the community, locals claim the community already has a lot to offer.
I don’t have much time to spare," noted Stevens, who served as the island’s Selectman for nine years. "I maintain a large garden where I cultivate most of my own vegetables and berries.
Given that there’s only a single small grocery store on the island, gardening has become much more than merely a pastime for Stevens and other locals.
"We do have a store, though it’s quite limited," Stevens explained, noting that locals often need to order medicines, pet food, clothes, and footwear from outside their community.
She mentioned that conditions have gotten better since the arrival of Amazon deliveries, and residents can now enjoy options like 24-hour parcel drops at an additional cost.
Usually, FedEx and UPS deliver to the island five weekdays out of every seven. The recipients have to pick up their parcels from the Isle au Haut dock themselves.
Shipping packages can also present challenges. The island’s sole post office operates with a postmistress available from 7 to 11 AM, and locals can use the mailboxes from Monday to Saturday during specified times.
Stevens pointed out, "It has become simpler thanks to Amazon. In the past, if you required just a handful of screws, you had to make a special trip to find exactly what was needed. Now, you can purchase numerous items over the internet."
Some individuals simply rely on the store for everything," she mentioned. "Coordinating life on an island requires significant effort, and without proper organization, essential services can decline.
Brenda Clark, who served as the island's librarian for numerous years, concurred and elaborated that permanent residents of Isle au Haut, "need to juggle multiple roles" to ensure everything functions smoothly.
Clark stated that in smaller communities, whatever effort you invest is reciprocated, and you frequently find yourself engaged in various minor tasks, ensuring continuous progress.
She mentioned that people on the island frequently take up different tasks as needed based on current requirements.
In addition to her duties as a librarian, Clark also assisted with operating her husband Bill’s lobster boat, kept track of the town’s finances, and served as a clerk at the island's gift shop.
She characterized the librarian position as 'quite relaxed.' During summertime, the Isle au Haut library operates three days per week, whereas it runs for just two days each week in wintertime.
However, 'nearly every permanent resident on the island possesses a key to the library,' Clark told documentary filmmaker Noah Anderson.
Likewise, the island's mail boat frequently has to serve as an ambulance because there isn't a hospital or a full-time doctor available on Isle au Haut.
"If it’s an urgent situation occurring during the daytime, you can contact Life Flight of Maine. For emergencies at night, the mailboat will make a special trip to collect the patient and transport them to where they can receive care, after which an ambulance will be dispatched to meet them in Stonington and escort them to the nearest hospital," Stevens clarified.
As the island's population grows to around 300 in the summertime, it shrinks to approximately 55-60 people during the wintertime, according to Stevens. He mentioned that earlier census data indicating a count of 90 residents was inaccurate.
She mentioned it occurs during the winter season. It’s when temperatures drop to as low as 17°F that the community truly comes together.
" Winter can be severe, with its chill, isolation, yet for certain individuals, this is actually appealing—though not for everybody," Stevens stated.
It’s likely more akin to how people think about Sweden or Norway. When there’s an opportunity to skate, everyone goes out for a skate session. We make sure to stay active, and we often have group meals together.
However, Stevens, originally from New York City, maintains that the harshness of winter here is nothing compared to what people experience in The Bronx.
'This is how we dress appropriately here,' she said. 'In Manhattan, though, you’re always striving to be stylish, which means you end up feeling quite cold. Of course, we aim to be fashionable too; I’m certain we manage just as well.'
Nevertheless, she admits that the island is not suitable for people seeking to eat at the most fashionable eateries or watch the newest films.
The Isle au Haut boasts only five standalone enterprises: a gift shop, a lobster roll stand, a general store, a chocolate boutique, and a weekly summer rental property.
Nevertheless, numerous enterprises close down or significantly cut back their operating hours during the winter season.
During the colder months, ferry trips to the mainland decrease to only two per day, with no services running on Sundays.
However, the setup of the underwater cables is anticipated to provide a significant uplift for companies.
At present, the island relies on broadband that utilizes the current phone lines; however, the connection quality can be inconsistent.
The current velocity around the town is 35 Mbps for downloads and 7 Mbps for uploads, with decreased speeds noted on the eastern side and in Head Harbor.
The effect is immediate, particularly for individuals not residing in the heart of downtown, according to Donna Hopkins from the broadband committee.
For instance, a local entrepreneur residing at the island’s remote edge tried to update her website and mentioned that uploading just one new image required ten minutes.
In this scenario, frequent digital updates have become unfeasible. Additionally, although the school is nearer to the current microwave tower, the students reside in parts of the island with weaker connectivity, making it difficult for them to finish their online assignments and conduct research from home consistently.
The project has been successfully completed due to the relentless efforts of the island's broadband committee, who anticipate that improved connectivity will draw more permanent inhabitants—particularly families.
Even though, with a three-bedroom home priced at $925,000, it might not be attainable for the average family.
Even with its small population, Isle au Haut has one K-8 school, making it part of roughly 400 single-room schoolhouses still standing in the United States.
But, 'hardly a museum piece, the scope of the curriculum belies the building's size,' according to the Isle au Haut Community Development Corporation.
Over the last year and a half, the school has managed to boost it's student numbers to seven.
Included among them is Flynn Watters, whose mom and dad, Dakota and Hannah Watters, have recently relocated to Isle au Haut along with him and his sister, Amelia.
Despite holding several jobs and cultivating their own meals, they believe this way of life provides precious moments for family bonding.
'Despite everything, we get to spend so much more quality time with our children,' Dakota shared. CBS . 'It's indescribably wholesome.'
Beyond eighth grade, locals assist with covering tuition fees or transportation expenses for a graduating student who attends a local public high school or an adjacent boarding school.
This communal ethos extends to governance, with nearly everybody having had the opportunity to contribute their support at some point.
Stevens clarified, "People used to ask, 'When are you open?' assuming it operated like a city hall with regular office hours. However, it’s actually a round-the-clock endeavor."
She mentioned that the island wishes for an increase in the number of families and younger individuals to secure the future of Isle au Haut, as it now relies heavily on its engaged elderly inhabitants.
I take my dog for a walk and go swimming; everyone enjoys staying healthy," Stevens said. "Most of the elderly people on this island have retired, yet they remain quite active.
'Few of us remain, so we rely heavily on one another. Despite occasional dislikes, you travel aboard the mail boat with these individuals. It’s essential to learn how to be good neighbors because, in our current world, this is quite valuable.'
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