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Stay on private island off-the-grid in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA

United States
Last activity : 12 Sep 2025

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100 %
Last replied
4 Sep 2025
Reply rate
83.3 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Availability

2025

Min stay requested: at least a week

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What's this?

Details

Description
PROPERTY:
In the middle of a large, deep fresh water lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, my 9-acre private island has a large lodge and 5 sleeping cabins running down the length of the property. In continual recreational summer use since 1941, the buildings are in excellent condition. Each cabin has a sink, beds, desk, and view of the lake while the main lodge is the gathering place for meals, cooking, games, etc. The entire place is off the grid. After work, there are boats, canoes, kayaks, a sail boat, fishing gear, a sauna, and even a ping-pong table.

FYI: This is not a business of any kind but simply a private property used by the private landowner.

(The lake is a 40-minute drive from Marquette (the largest city in the Upper Peninsula) and a 45-minute drive from the nearest airport, which is Sawyer Airport in Gwinn (airport code MQT).)
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Self development
Sustainability
Pets
Movies & TV
Events & social
Culture
Writing
Photography
Performing arts
Music
Languages
Carpentry
Art & design
Architecture
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Winter sports
Water sports
Team sports
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Fitness
Dancing
Cycling
Camping
Beach
Adventure sports
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travellers will benefit from coming here and helping out in the following possible ways:
1) learn and gain experience in trail tasks and off-the-grid living
2) learn and/or gain experience with boats, firewood and kindling production, DIY building, etc.
3) rest, relaxation, swimming, and boating in a serene wilderness setting completely off-the-grid -- and a break from devices and all things technological.
4) practice English language (if English is not your first language)

I'm interested in all cultures and have traveled extensively (Canada, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, most of Europe, etc.) . Cultural exchange and connection is central to why I'm on Workaway -- to meet and learn from interesting people from all over the country and the world.
Help
VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED:
Seeking strong, reliable helpers to help me keep this property running. Being an island off the grid, things can take longer but the results are very rewarding. Help is always needed clearing trails and brush, making and stacking firewood and kindling, hauling and organising materials (lumber, screws, nails, etc), and cleaning. For example, the windows always need cleaning because the 10 buildings have a total of 60 windows. These tasks are done to improve the property, not for any business use as this is not a business of any kind.

The island is forested with Balsam Fir, Spruce, American White Cedar, White Pine, Paper Birch, Mountain Ash, Basswood, and many other tree species on the 9 acres.

Minimum stay: 7 days.

NO smoking anything (incl. no cannibis, no vaping, no e-cigs, no e-pipes, etc.), NO drugs. NO excessive alcohol. NO firearms.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
German: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
Italian: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner
This host offers a language exchange
Pls help me with my Italiano, Francais, or Deutsch.
Accommodation
HOUSING:
Comfortable beds in furnished cabins with linens and towels provided. All buildings and furniture are comfortable, clean, and in good working order. (Volunteers are welcome to bring tents and gear for sleeping outside if they prefer. There are acres and acres of possible camp sites.)

PARKING:
Workawayers can park their personal cars on my property on the mainland, where there is a dock for getting back and forth to the island by boat. (There are no ferries on the lake or anything like that.)
What else ...
THE HOST (Covid-19 vaccine boosted Sept 2024):
A non-smoking citizen of both the UK and the USA, I am an outgoing person who is all about people - and details (I'm extra observant and notice details in ways people often miss). I have a wide range of skills and experiences, many of which I picked up while working on this island almost every summer since I was a boy. I have built a kayak, a sauna, cabinets, shelves, and fixed just about everything at least once. In the rest of the world, I write, teach, manage websites, make films, and practice Buddhism.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
There is parking space to park a campervan but I would suggest that living on the island (where no motor vehicle can go) is a lot nicer than living in a van.
Can possibly accept pets
Some dogs, yes, but not all. Dogs that can happily live outdoors would be best. This is not a place for dogs who like to be inside most of the time, and especially not for those sorts of dogs who like to be on furniture, etc. Cats would probably also be okay as long as they do not come into the main house as many people are allergic. In either case, the pet owner must conscientiously clean up after their pet when necessary. Any extra work caused by the pet is the owner's responsibility, of course.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets

Host ref number: 822979257547

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Feedback (10)

9 Sep 2025

Left by Workawayer (Basheer) for host

This was my first time in work away, and I can't describe how great this experience was and how much I learned from it, the island is gorgeous, quiet, and peaceful; a great way to clear your mind from the distractions, and focus on nature simplicity. Phil Cares so much about it, which brings too many stories. he also let me bring a friend of mine,… read more

(Excellent )

17 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer (Victor) for host

I spent 10 days working on the island that Phil owns. The island is beautiful and a nice place where you can enjoy the outdoors and find peace. Phil has a lot of stories to tell, and I enjoyed listening to them during meals or after work hours. There are a lot of tasks you can do for Phil, and this is nice because if you don’t enjoy one thing, you… read more

(Excellent )

17 Sep 2024

Left by Workawayer (Emilio) for host

This was my first Workaway. I stayed with Phil in the end of August through the beginning of September. I did basic stuff around the island: whack weeds, clean up debris and fix small problems. Some of the more interesting work included finding a lost anchor, cold-welding a leak in a boat and helping refurbish antique windowframes. I came to the… read more

(Excellent )

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Feedback

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)

Cultural exchange:
(4.9)

Communication:
(4.9)

9 Sep 2025

Left by Workawayer (Basheer) for host

(Excellent)

17 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer (Victor) for host

(Excellent)

17 Sep 2024

Left by Workawayer (Emilio) for host

(Excellent)

21 Sep 2023

Left by Workawayer (Jacob) for host

This was my first workaway experience so I did not know what to expect. Phil made me feel right at home and was very welcoming. I stayed at one of the many cabins on the island. I spent about 10 days on the island with Phil. During that time we worked, cooked talked, ate, saunaed and swam. The meals that Phil cooked were all great and he has a… read more

(Excellent)

28 Oct 2022

Left by Workawayer (Cal) for host

I stayed on the island for a little less than a week in early September 2022. It was a really interesting experience! I want to share both my praise and some constructive criticism for this workaway experience.

I'll start with the praise:

The island: The island is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It's very quiet and peaceful.… read more Phil's family has been coming to the island for 80 years - and it shows. There is a historical, personal and familial quality imbued into the structures on the island and the objects inside them.

Accommodations: The living arrangements are super comfortable. One benefit to the ancestral quality of the space is that Phil was able to show us the systems that his family has perfected over the years for daily tasks such as bathing and washing dishes. They've got it down to a science.

Phil: Phil is a really interesting person. He knows a lot about a sort of astonishingly wide variety of things. He's also a clear in-person communicator; he is able to express himself in a mature and helpful way (which is something we might expect from an adult but life experience absolutely rejects that notion). Phil has a can-do attitude which is very important. He is also a kind person which is... maybe the best thing anyone can be?

The work: My traveling companion and I spent the days we were there leveling a cabin that was sinking. We jacked up the structure, dug up the old foundations and cut new posts to raise it above the ground. It was hard and interesting work. We thoroughly enjoyed doing it.

My constructive criticism:

Phones: The least important note is that Phil requests you not use your phone out and about on the island; he thinks it contradicts being off-grid and requests that you use your phone in your cabin or in one room of the main house. This might be good to add to the profile. Wasn't a big deal to me but could be to some.

Regarding the workday: Before traveling to the UP, my traveling companion and I communicated via phone call with Phil and sent him a text confirming our "arrangement" in writing. We basically just reiterated what his profile said insofar as food and reiterated the workaway stipulation of 5 hours/day (or 25 hours/week). He confirmed this. Upon arrival, Phil showed us his schedule: It had three meals built in, an hour break in the middle of the day and 7 hours of work. Additionally, he expressed his preference for a 5-day week with 4 days on and 1 day off. (For those who like ratios, you can do the math). After a day or two of working we realized that this schedule effectively meant we didn't really have time for much else. This by itself is not necessarily a bad thing. I like to work. But for those of us who seek workaway to explore a region and want the afternoon to do so might find this restrictive. My main point is that if a host is quite specific about an anomalous schedule, then it's probably best he post that schedule in the profile.

Food: The other source of confusion surrounded food. Essentially, Phil is a good cook and wants to stick tightly to his meal plan. This has practical justifications, of course, as one must travel by both boat and car in order to procure more food. However, we found out upon arrival that in the event we needed to go to the store, our vehicle was the only one present. (Again, not a huge deal, but important to include in the profile). I understand Phil's desire to be meticulous with food. On the other hand, I think my friend and I both felt anxious about what we were allowed to eat and how much of what we could eat, etc. If I had to summarize the food situation: There's plenty of very good food and you don't go hungry, but Phil prefers you don't prepare anything without checking with him first.

Phil, if you're reading this I sincerely hope I didn't misrepresent anything; I've been sitting here for an hour and a half trying to express this in an informative and constructive way. I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to visit the island. It was great to meet you! Much love.

To everyone else: Go stay with Phil. You’ve never been anywhere like it.

Cal

(Very good)

8 Aug 2022

Left by host for Workawayer (Stephen)

Stephen came and helped out for a week in July. He is conscientious in all things, careful, clear, and trustworthy -- always aiming to do the best job he can in any given situation and, given the right guidance, he usually succeeds. Stephen is an extrovert who likes to share his time and his life experiences with others as much as possible.

(Excellent)

29 Jul 2022

Left by Workawayer (Stephen) for host

Phil was very nice and considerate with all the commodities making sure I had everything I needed to be comfortable for the week I got to stay.

He has lots of knowledge to share and is cultured and experienced in many arts. When I thought I knew everything about a specific subject Phil would surprise with more information and made me ponder.

I… read more

(Excellent)

10 Nov 2021

Left by host for Workawayer (John)

John is a smart, curious man who was kind enough to help me out for about 18 days in August 2021. He worked hard on a variety of jobs from clipping and clearing brush to hauling propane tanks with me. I would certainly welcome him back if he wanted to help out again sometime.

(Excellent)

1 Sep 2021

Left by Workawayer (John) for host

I spent two weeks working with Phil on his island in the U.P. It was an overall great experience. Phil was a helpful and considerate host. The scenery, as the pictures attest to, was stunning.

It was clear that Phil wanted me to have the most valuable workaway experience possible. I came to Phil's island aspiring to become a more handy fellow. He… read more

(Excellent)

1 May 2021

Left by host for Workawayer (Michael)

Michael might be the most even tempered, calm, and quiet person I have ever met. While he is new to working on projects outdoors, he is curious to learn and works hard once you set him up with a task. A smart, curious guy, Michael never complained about anything and worked long and hard at all sorts of different tasks, even the most tedious. If… read more

(Excellent)

7 Aug 2020

Left by Workawayer (Michael) for host

As my first work away trip, I didn't quite know what to expect. However in the short span of 1.5 weeks, I ended up learning much more than I anticipated (which is good!). Phil is very knowledgeable and is happy to teach you to help you make the most of your time.

Some skills I learned more about (many I was exposed to for the firs time):… read more

(Excellent)

24 Sep 2020

Left by Workawayer (Ethan) for host

Phil was gracious enough to let me join him on the island for my first workaway experience. It definitely took a while to get used to pumping water, refilling the filter, and using propane lights, but I sincerely believe I made the right decision in helping Phil on his island. While a bit of bad weather forced us to limit our outdoor work early… read more

(Excellent)

27 Sep 2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Runa)

Runa was a true pleasure to work with and host for the week that she came to stay and help out. She worked hard, she worked often, and, most importantly, she worked carefully and as instructed, always asking questions if she was unsure what to do or how to do it. At the same time, she was so remarkably conscientious and observant that she did… read more

(Excellent)

8 Sep 2018

Left by Workawayer (Runa) for host

I spent 1 week helping Phil out on his island in August and I am so glad I got to experience both the island and the UP in general. The island is beautiful, full of history that Phil is happy to share. There is always plenty to do, and depending on your interest and knowledge, lots to learn.
The work varies widely, and my tasks were anything from… read more

(Excellent)

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Stay on private island off-the-grid in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA

Profile information

Host rating

Last replied

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Badges (3)

Find your perfect host

Availability

Details

Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

Interests

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Help

Languages

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

Space for parking camper vans

Can possibly accept pets

How many Workawayers can stay?

My animals / pets

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

Feedback (10)

Photos

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

Feedback