Islands To Oneself

“... everyone knew that all islands were worlds unto themselves, that to come to an island was to come to another world.” ~Guy Gavriel Kay

The temptation of horizon islands!

On a recent trek down to the Florida Keys, I spent the afternoon contentedly cruising the placid emerald waters.  After spending some time near shore, surrounded by the colorful energy of tourists on kayak tours, fishing charters coming and going, and the mouth-watering lure of dockside restaurants serving up fresh local snapper and coconut shrimp, I glanced out toward the smooth horizon.  It was interrupted only by the distant rise of dozens of tiny, uninhabited islands.  The more I looked, the more I wanted.  Before I quite realized it, I had subconsciously turned the ski and pointed it in the direction of those dazzling little islets.  My mind was made up…I was going.  The need to conquer and inhabit one for the remainder of the day was insatiable.

There is something undeniably enticing about islands…we obsess over them in storytelling, we spend tons of money flying to them to vacation on, we romanticize about becoming marooned on them.  We are simply irresistibly drawn to them like a seagull to a dropped slice of boardwalk pizza.  Whether they be tropical islands dotted with palm trees and lush green jungle, or rocky outcroppings in a wild northern sea, we seem inexplicably drawn to pull up upon their shores and explore their extents.  We find something on islands…we find adventure, we find curiosity, we find escape.  We find solace.

A lovely uninhabited bay island.

Down my way, the islands are tropical…my personal favorite.  Maybe it is cliché, but I love them.  There is nothing more rewarding than riding out to a remote palm tree-covered or mangrove island, and stringing up my hammock.  Swaying in the trees sipping on a frozen rum cocktail is an unbelievably satisfying getaway from the rat race of daily life.



Tranquil park-like setting among the Gumbo
Limbo trees on Pelican Island (Miami).

Some of the islands here are in the bay, and have some minor improvements, like picnic tables and barbecue grills.  They are only accessible by boat, so the crowds will never be what they are at a public beach, even on the sunniest day.  Others are completely wild.  I enjoy anchoring off these wild islands, and walking the woods and shorelines searching for sprouted coconuts.  Or sometimes I just pile up some scrap driftwood laying around, start a small campfire, and sit back and relax.  Regardless of whether you are playing Davey Crocket or just sitting quietly taking in nature, islands truly provide something that we all crave.

If you ever get a chance to go remote island camping, I highly recommend it!  If there is anything better than an island by day, it is an island at night!  I have spent many moonlit nights on a tiny island, enjoying the rustling of palms and lapping of the water.  (Stay tuned…jet ski camping will be a near-future Wake Zone topic not to be missed!)  And if you are not feeling like a total hermit, bring a few friends along!  But I warn you…drinking beers around an island campfire can be addicting!

A previous "settler" named this tiny
islet off Key West.

I am a huge purveyor of nature etiquette…nothing spoils enjoyment of a peaceful island respite faster than rotting piles of garbage, broken glass, and rusty decaying junk.  Do not leave anything behind when you leave, and even better, take something with you that doesn’t belong there.  The reward of leaving something in better condition than when you found it really adds to the experience.  Burn only wood that is already dead…don’t cut down live trees!  And remember to be mindful of critters…it is their home and you are visiting.  Like the old saying goes…leave nothing but footprints.

Whether you have majestic, towering, pine tree-covered rocky outcroppings or sandy, palm tree-populated islands in your local water fix, take some time to be an explorer this spring.  Cave in to the urge to set up a folding chair on your favorite island, or go check out a new one.  Relax and stay awhile; the rest of the world will be waiting for you when you get back.  Or you could be like Tom Neale in the timeless classic An Island To Oneself and stay for years.  Whatever you decide, let that side of you that wants to play Pirates of the Caribbean out of the box for a while.  Go ahead, find your island!

Sunset over my own slice of jet ski island camping paradise.