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We Are Building a NEW LIFE on a Remote Wilderness Island – This is What’s Happening! – S3 Ep27

We’re building a new life on our own remote wilderness island, and this week, it’s a wild mix of off-grid projects, family moments, and wilderness adventures. From losing parts in the lake to installing a full UV water purification system, every day presents a new challenge—and opportunity.

Table of Contents

Lucky Blue Tape — Recovering the Lost Part (Finding a dropped union)

We are building a new life on a remote wilderness island – this is what's happening! – s3 ep27 - gopro rig and sticky blue tape over the barge

One of those everyday off-grid moments: a small black plastic fitting falls out of the truck and disappears into the water. We grabbed the GoPro on a stick, some lucky blue tape, and our nerves. It sounds simple, but when the part is black, small, and resting in the weeds on the lake bottom, the search becomes methodical.

We worked together—one of us holding the GoPro, another scanning from different angles—until, finally, we spotted it sitting upside-down in the shallows. That little victory felt huge. Recovering that union meant we could remove the sink and finally bring hot water to the bird bath and set up the rest of the system. Little moments like this are all part of our OffGridLiving rhythm.

Recalling the Bear Encounter — How Opal Protected the Island (BearEncounter)

We are building a new life on a remote wilderness island – this is what's happening! – s3 ep27 - bear in the tree near the berry patch

We also revisited one of the more heart-stopping memories: encountering a bear that had been raiding the berry patch. We set the camera up and watched as the bear climbed and settled in a bare spot in a tree. Opal—the bravest of our crew—chased and barked at the base of the tree, making the whole scene surreal and a little cinematic.

We felt a huge sense of relief when the bear moved on and no one got hurt. It reminded us how much being attuned to nature matters here: the wildlife is beautiful, unpredictable, and a big part of why we built our lives on this island. Opal’s protective instincts are a constant reassurance in our #RemoteWildernessIsland life.

Opal’s Song & Bird Antics — Island Wildlife Keeps Us Smiling (IslandAdventures)

We are building a new life on a remote wilderness island – this is what's happening! – s3 ep27 - steller's jay stealing dog food

Some of the sweetest, funniest moments come from the smaller wildlife. A bright blue jay boldly helped itself to Opal’s dog food, then stashed a little hoard in a nearby tree. We laughed, we marveled at the color, and Opal was equal parts annoyed and curious. These little slices of life—watching birds and swapping stories—are the kind of memories we want our kids to carry forward.

We also named two small sheds—the Chick-a-Dee and the Kinglet House—thanks to Farace and Adison. Those names make everything feel more lived-in and personal. Little things, like birdhouses and painted signs, map out our homestead and make it feel like a real place to grow into.

Commissioning our UV Water Filtration System — Installing UVWaterFiltration for Safe Drinking

We are building a new life on a remote wilderness island – this is what's happening! – s3 ep27 - uv filter sleeve and o-ring ready for installation

One of the major technical milestones this week was bringing our water filtration system online. We installed a glass sleeve and UV lamp in the chamber, added O-rings, and prepared the canisters for a bleach purge so the lines could be safely disinfected. After filling the canisters, we directed the flow through the UV chamber and ran bleach through the system so the lines could sit and disinfect.

When we dosed the system and began to smell bleach at the taps, we knew the bleach had circulated. After the required sit-time, we’ll flush and test the water. Once the tests come back clean, we’ll be able to actually drink lake water—thanks to the four-stage filtration and UV purification. This installation is the backbone of sustainable HomesteadLife here on our island.

A Beautiful Night — Sheds, Fishing Plans, and Family (MyWildHolm)

We are building a new life on a remote wilderness island – this is what's happening! – s3 ep27 - night lights along the island path and sheds

As evening settled in, the mood turned peaceful. The sheds looked cozy, the path lights led the way, and we readied fishing rods for a shore cast. We missed having all the kids with us, but having Adison visit from Texas brought a joyful energy and a reminder that this place is meant to be shared.

We talked about dreams: one day the kids and their siblings might build small cabins here and raise their families around the same firelight and shoreline. That idea—creating a family homestead legacy on a #RemoteWildernessIsland—keeps us motivated. For now, we enjoy the small things: hot dogs by the fire, Opal’s antics, and quiet night walks under the poplars.

Tools, Tips, and Links We Use

We draw inspiration from a wide range of off-grid resources and tools. If you’re tackling similar projects—like setting up a UVWaterFiltration system or planning solar and panel installs—here are a few resources we referenced:

  • My Wild Holm favorite gear: https://mywildholm.com/favorite-things/
  • Our Amazon store for tools and supplies: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mywildholm?isPublicView=true
  • Social: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mywildholm | Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mywildholm

Final Thoughts

Every week on the island brings a mix of practical work and memorable life moments. From retrieving a tiny lost union to commissioning a full water purification system, from wildlife encounters to naming our sheds—our life here blends hands-on DIY with a deep appreciation for the natural world. We’re excited to keep sharing these experiences and hope our stories help others interested in OffGridLiving, tiny homes, and homestead design.

We invite you to share: would you choose a remote island life? What would your must-have off-grid system be?

#RemoteWildernessIsland #OffGridLiving #UVWaterFiltration #BearEncounter #HomesteadLife #MyWildHolm #IslandAdventures

 

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