Have you ever found yourself in a place so remote that it feels like stumbling into the pages of a 'choose your own adventure' book? Well, that's precisely the sensation we experienced on our recent escapade to an island in the Bahamas – Manjack Cay.
Now, this island is basically a speck on the map with fewer residents than a hamster convention and absolutely no shops in sight. We're talking less civilization than a hermit crab's social circle.
Anyway, we dropped anchor there for a bit, soaking up the sun and enjoying the tropical vibes. We even had a chat with Linda, one of the lovely locals who's been living there for eons.
While we were exploring we stumbled upon this ginormous abandoned property, like something out of a castaway's dream. It's got a dock, beach access, cozy houses nestled in the foliage, and more storage sheds than you can shake a palm frond at. Apparently, it used to belong to a couple who were hardcore into the whole self-sufficiency gig. Think hydroponic gardens and chicken coops - they were living that island homestead life.
But, they sold the place in the past couple of years and moved to a smaller home on the other side of the island, and it turns out the new owner has a condition called electromagnetic hypersensitivity. So, he stripped the joint of anything electronic, even chucked the generator, and slapped 'no cell phones allowed' signs on the dock. He was planning to build concrete walls along the beach to keep the riff-raff out.
Now, we're scratching our heads, and asked Linda how in the name of Jimmy Buffet this guy even got to the island without an engine.
So, here's the twist: a year later, the guy who bought the island retreat decided it wasn't quite his cup of tea. All we know is he packed up and left, leaving behind a property that was more deserted than a desert island in a drought.
And this leads us to the discovery of a majestic rosemary bush.... amidst the overgrowth and eerie silence, there it was – a lone, overgrown rosemary bush, standing tall and proud amidst the chaos. It was like the island's way of saying, "Hey, remember me?"
And just like that, we found ourselves with enough rosemary to season meat for the rest of our natural lives. Talk about a herbaceous jackpot!
So, here's to the quirkiest property this side of Gilligan's Island and the adventure that keeps on giving – in the form of herbs with a side of electromagnetic mystery. Who needs coconuts falling from trees when you've got rosemary bushes growing wild and free? Cheers to seasoning our way through life, one eccentric island find at a time!