Catherine King and Wayne Adams built a floating home in Canada together 31 years ago. Their home, located in Freedom Cove, consists of multiple buildings floating on Styrofoam. While the home appears idyllic, King now maintains it alone following Adams’ passing.
For over three decades, Catherine King and her husband Wayne Adams shared a life on a self-built floating island in Canada. They discovered their shared dream of living off-grid when they first met in the summer of 1987. At the time, King worked as a massage therapist in Toronto while Adams pursued sculpture artistry in Victoria. “We both had a unique upbringing. We were small and thin, and we experienced a lot of bullying. Nature provided healing for us, and that’s what we had in common,” King, 64, explained. After their cosmic meeting, the couple decided to live together and search for a place to build their shared life.
Their search led them to Freedom Cove, a secluded inlet near Tofino, British Columbia. Being a spiritual person, King was drawn to the cove not only because of its remote location, accessible only by a 10-mile boat ride, but also because of its magical atmosphere. “Being here, you cannot hide from yourself. You have to be true to yourself,” she shared. When they first discovered the cove, King and Adams felt an immediate connection and decided to build a floating home near the shore, enabling them to coexist with nature harmoniously. It seemed the universe was in favor of their plans when a storm washed up discarded planks of wood on the shore that same summer. “We saw it as a sign that our endeavors were supported,” King recalled. By February 1992, the couple finished constructing their float house and relocated it to Freedom Cove.
Their floating home began as a single house, supported by Styrofoam and interconnected with rope, but it expanded significantly over the years. Additional structures were built to accommodate their various hobbies and needs. Adams acquired materials by networking with local communities. “He would gather a pile of materials and ask, ‘What can we create from this?'” King explained. As a dancer, having a dedicated space for movement was essential for King, which led to the construction of her first dance floor. Over time, the floating island grew to include greenhouses, a chicken coop, a large kitchen, and a water purification system, using discarded metal fish farm equipment and other resources they came across. At one point, they even had a candle-making factory, but it tragically burned down in a fire caused by an accidental oversight in 2011. Instead of rebuilding indoors, Adams decided to construct a gallery in its place, relocating the candle factory outside. He reasoned that if a similar incident occurred, they could simply cut the ropes and remove it from the island.
Living on the island brought its fair share of challenges. King emphasized the destructive power of winter storms that struck every year, causing substantial damage to their homes and necessitating frequent repairs. Additionally, they had to replace parts of the island built with aging wood that had decayed over time. “I’ve rebuilt the dance floor four times due to natural rot,” King lamented. Maintaining the island was a constant task. “Whenever something broke down, we saw it as an opportunity to create something new out of the materials and address our needs,” she explained. Financial upkeep was another obstacle. Purchasing and maintaining solar panels, among other expenses, demanded careful budgeting. Seven years after establishing the island, they were obligated to pay annual taxes when the municipal government became aware of their residence. In 2013, they installed internet on the island, which proved more costly than in urban areas. As artists, they managed to navigate their budget on a shoestring, often surviving on a mere $6,000 per year. However, King acknowledged that her pension as a senior made her feel more financially stable, despite not having substantial wealth.
Adams passed away earlier this year, making it a challenging period for King. In addition to the loss of her mother, the death of her partner, from rectal cancer after an eight-year-long battle, compounded her grief. “He remained active and committed until his final weeks, even working on a major carving. I will complete it for him,” she stated. Adjusting to being the sole owner of the island has been an ongoing process for King. She has taken on responsibilities that were previously shared with Adams, including maintaining generators, fueling and changing propane systems, and making boat trips to the nearby town, which can be perilous depending on the weather. Home repairs are a constant part of her routine as well. Thankfully, friends and family have lent assistance and taken turns staying with King to provide support and companionship. When asked if she ever envisions leaving Freedom Cove, King firmly replied, “During my grieving process, I had moments where everything felt too challenging. However, ultimately, I always come back to this being where I want to be.”
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