Did you know? 4 questions answered about island life

There’s a lot about island living you may not know, so The Laconia Daily Sun investigated some of the more unusual aspects of the lifestyle.

1. How do islanders get their mail?

There are a multitude of ways islanders can retrieve their mail.

At the Gilford Town Docks, dozens of multi-colored and stickered mailboxes sit at the entrance to the parking lot, a source of contention for both island dwellers and the U.S. Postal Service.

“Those mailboxes have been there forever, and they look like it,” said Nancy Birge. “And some of them are kind of starting to fall apart.”

The Gilford Island Association, which encompasses the 18 islands in the town and of which Birge is an at-large director, is endeavoring to find an alternative solution.

“We do know that the postmaster or the post office has expressed a desire to replace them.”

Many, like the Munsterteigers, simply rely on post office boxes, picking up their mail during a visit to the mainland.

There are eight islands which receive mail delivery via the mailboat M/S Sophie C., the red, white and blue postal boat heading to Bear, Birch, Cow, East Bear, Jolly, Loon, Three Mile and Sandy islands, Monday through Saturday.

Sophie C. is one of two remaining mailboats in the United States. The other operates on a river in Alabama.

2. I’m moving to an island. How do I get my mattress over there?

People get real creative sometimes, said Steve Birge, recalling the time he saw a small vessel transporting a giant mattress, strapped down in whatever fashion needed to keep it on the boat.

Barges can be hired, and often are, for such a task.

“There are big barges that will bring out building and construction materials, or landscaping materials,” he said. “And, you know, a lot of people just kind of cram it in their boat.”

Plenty of people use their own vessels to transport furnishings to their island homes.

“Our boats are pragmatic and utilitarian,” said Brit Munsterteiger. “They’re not shiny and bright, they’re used.”

3. Getting groceries is already time-consuming. What’s the process like for island residents?

For Nancy Birge, grocery shopping can be a two-hour adventure.

“What we do: We get in the boat, we drive to the docks, we tie up, we carry our grocery bags to our car, or they’re in our car. We get in our car and drive to the grocery store. When we are packing groceries, I’m very nit-picky, just because I have to carry it all,” she said.

“We come back, we unload all the stuff, we put it in the carts, we walk it out to the boat, we take the cart back, we park our car. We get in the boat and we go home. Then we do the same thing. We have a cart just like that and bring it to the house and put it on the deck. From the deck, it goes into the kitchen.”

The cart Birge referenced sits at the Glendale Docks for Gilford residents to use as a helpful way to transport miscellaneous items to and from the mainland.

Sometimes, the cart is missing, meaning islanders have to make multiple arduous trips to and from vehicle to boat. When the boat is loaded up and the 15-20 minute commute is complete, the process is repeated for bringing groceries inside.

Some residents, like Munsterteiger, prefer to grab enough groceries to last them for the weekend.

“I basically try to do it for two to three days at a time,” she said. “I like to go to Center Harbor to get what I missed, because I can boat out there and walk to get what I need.”

4. Is there Wi-Fi? I need my internet.

Wi-Fi is a commonplace part of life now, but a strong signal doesn’t always lend itself well to island living — especially on islands without power.

“Some people use Starlink, but most camps haven’t done that,” said Munsterteiger, adding most island dwellers prefer to remain digitally disconnected. “Everybody’s really content with it being that way. There’s never been a push to have electricity there. In fact, I’d say that most residents of the islands are weary ... we’ll get pushed into that.”

Several internet providers do offer services to the islands of Lake Winnipesaukee, so it’s not impossible to get a signal while out on the water or visiting an island.