This move requires a barge
Get the Barge Ready
We’re often asked, “How the heck did you move all of your stuff out to an island?” The answer involves a lot of packing tape, a private barge, and a live stream on Facebook.
This move, like many others, required a lot of upfront planning. First we needed to source a moving crew – and more unusually, a barge.
After some research and recommendations, we secured some very capable movers from Stairhopper, a Boston-based crew with a cheerful frog logo splayed across their big box trucks. Finding water transit required a bit more work. Luckily, Peaks Island is home to Lionel Plante Associates (LPA), a professional outfit which started as a laundromat and has morphed into a full-service company ready to meet islanders’ transportation needs.
After packing up our Massachusetts apartment and entrusting our limited possessions over to the very capable folks at Stairhopper, we headed north. Before booking our moving crew, I made it very clear that this journey involved a drive up I-95 and a boat ride to a small island off the coast of Maine. They assured me it wouldn’t be a problem. The contract was signed. The date set. While the friendly and efficient moving crew got the basic premise of their ocean-bound assignment, I still think they were in shock as I directed them to drive their truck onto a waiting barge named the Lionel Plante Sr. They appeared anxious but also excited.
The barge, a 75-foot ocean going craft with a shallow draft, has quite a history in these parts. According to LPA’s website, it was custom designed to move all sorts of creature comforts to the islands. It handles everything from lumber and concrete to golf carts and modular homes. Amazing. It’s even been prominently featured in DIY network’s “Building Off the Grid” TV show. And I’ve got to say the episode, particularly for any lighthouse fan, is a must watch.
Once underway on the Lionel Plante Sr. the mood immediately lightened. Our new friends from Stairhopper Movers jumped from the cab and whipped their phones out. One logged into Facebook and started a live stream of the passage. As we made our way across the still Casco Bay, his phone lit up with lots of likes and laughs as he spun around and showed his Facebook fans his unique assignment. I’m sure that these guys don’t move folks to an island every day.
Back on Land
When we arrived at Peaks, the operations returned to a more normal routine. The truck rolled across the island, stopping in front of our new home. The boxes were unpacked. The furniture moved. Once the final item made it into the house, Stairhoppers waved goodbye, heading back to the Lionel Plante Sr. for their return voyage to Portland and then drive back down to Boston. We headed down to the shore with some champagne to celebrate a successful migration.
Moves can certainly be stressful, filled with timelines, uncertainty, and potential disasters. Add 2.4-miles of ocean and a barge, and the tension certainly increases. But due to a wonderful group of movers, captains, and crew we made it to Peaks with all of our possessions, no worse for wear. And I have a feeling the Stairhopper boys now have quite a story to tell.
