A self-confessed nomad has revealed how she has been living alone on a remote island in British Columbia for the past two years, after landing a job as its caretaker.
Amanda, who uses the handle @amandaoffgrid on social media and does not reveal her last name, opened up about her unconventional off-grid lifestyle in a YouTube video for Exploring Alternatives.
In the documentary short, she explains that she never gets lonely and she usually dreads trips to the nearest town to get supplies or visit the doctor.
During the summer months, the owners of the island visit for four to eight weeks but otherwise, Amanda’s only form of company is her dog Peaches and the local wildlife, which includes ‘bears, cougars, wolves, lots of deer and humpback whales.’
Amanda, who uses the handle @amandaoffgrid on social media and does not reveal her last name, opened up about her unconventional lifestyle in a YouTube for Exploring Alternatives
In the documentary short, she explains that she never gets lonely and she usually dreads trips to the nearest town to get supplies or visit the doctor
During the summer months, the owners of the island visit for four to eight weeks but otherwise, Amanda’s only form of company is her dog Peaches
The local wildlife includes ‘bears, cougars, wolves, lots of deer and humpback whales’
Amanda lives in a small cabin on the island that was ‘built probably about 25 years ago’
In terms of how she ended up on the island, Amanda said she got burned out after living in downtown Vancouver in her 20s and in a bid to escape city life, she bought a 28ft boat.
She lived on her sailboat for about 10 years in Vancouver but with her previous dog Buttercup getting older, she decided to return to land.
The job as a caretaker cropped up after she posted an advertisement on Facebook and the rest is history.
As for accommodations, Amanda lives in a small cabin on the island that was ‘built probably about 25 years ago.’
The traveler says of the abode: ‘It’s nice and cozy and it’s just perfect for me.
‘There’s a nice little kitchen [and] there’s a little area for eating… and there are two bedrooms.
‘The cabin is 100 per cent heated by a wood stove [which] keeps it nice and toasty in the winter.’
Along with Amanda’s cabin, there is another on the outcrop, which is rented out via Airbnb in the summer, and there is a larger property where the owners of the island stay when they visit.
There’s a boat on the island so she can get to town for ‘doctor’s appointments and grocery runs,’ which she with a neighboring island during the winter because it has a roof.
To supplement her income, Amanda works as a freelance web designer. The island has satellite internet so she can connect with the outside world.
To keep her friends in Vancouver up to date with her antics, Amanda decided to start YouTube and TikTok accounts.
Along with Amanda’s cabin, there is another on the outcrop, which is rented out via Airbnb in the summer, and there is a larger property where the owners of the island stay
So she can get to town for ‘doctor’s appointments and grocery runs,’ there is a boat on the island Amanda can use
Some of her chores include chopping firewood, mowing the grass, and taking care of the greenhouse
Since the island is protected, Amanda isn’t allowed to cut down trees, so she either chops up trees that have already fallen or she says lots of pieces of wood wash up with the tide
In the winter, the temperature plummets and the island gets snow for about two weeks and there are big wind storms which Amanda says ‘can be a bit scary’
There is cell service on certain parts of the island but Amanda says she can’t remember the last time she made a phone call.
Touching on what her daily schedule looks like, the islander reveals that she spends about three hours each morning working on the property before moving on to her web designing work.
Some of her chores include chopping firewood, mowing the grass, and taking care of the greenhouse.
As the island is protected, Amanda isn’t allowed to cut down trees, so she either chops up trees that have already fallen or she says lots of pieces of wood wash up with the tide.
In the winter, the temperature plummets and the island gets snow for about two weeks. There are big wind storms, which Amanda says ‘can be a bit scary.’
Another frightening aspect of living alone on the island is the bear population, so she always carries bear spray in case of a close encounter.
Thanks to the addition of solar panels, the island is almost completely self sufficient.
There is a well that provides drinking water and some vegetable products can be grown in the greenhouse.
During the darker months there are four generators to keep everything running.
Looking ahead, Amanda says she sees herself staying on the island for a long time to come.
She muses: ‘I think this summer I’m going to try and get out of my sailboat and explore this area because it’s so beautiful.
‘I’m kind of a a nomad but I I’m really enjoying being here. I definitely see myself here for the next couple of years at least.
‘It’s definitely taught me that I don’t need much to be happy… The isolation is something I really enjoy and I love the solitude. It’s so peaceful, so calm, so quiet.’
