Category Archives: Private Islands

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

A house built on flood-thwarting piers is the only structure on 36-acre Johnson Island in the Greenbrier River near Alderson.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Island co-owner Kay Sparks admires one of many mature hardwoods thriving on Johnson Island.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Kelly and Kay Sparks walk past a set of shoals while strolling the perimeter of their 36-acre Greenbrier River island, now on the market for $1.4 million.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

The upstream end of Johnson Island is easily viewed from the W.Va. 3 bridge over the Greenbrier River in Alderson.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Kelly Sparks closes the gate leading to the bridge he built to access the Greenbrier River island he and his wife recently put up for sale.

ALDERSON Among properties featured in the current issue of Private Islands magazine are:

--Trump Island, a 29-acre expanse of rocky terrain and evergreen forest in Washingtons San Juan Islands, with sweeping ocean views perfect for whale watching, a private heliport for shopping trips to Seattle or Vancouver, an 8,000-square-foot home and an $8.75 million price tag.

--Cerboli Island, a 10-acre, $4 million chunk of limestone in Italys Tuscan Archipelago that comes equipped with a 1,000-year-old lookout tower built of hand-cut stone blocks overlooking Elba, its nearest neighboring island and, 200 years ago, the site of Napoleon Bonapartes exile.

--Johnson Island, a 36-acre, $1.4 million West Virginia getaway shaded by its own mature deciduous forest, surrounded by the rippling waters of the longest free-flowing river in the East, yet less than a half-mile from Aldersons Wagon Wheel cafe, should the yen for one of its signature barbecue sandwiches strike after a day of kayaking or fishing from a private island beach. The Greenbrier River island is one of 22 islands included in the spring-summer edition of Private Islands, which retails for $14.95 an issue and caters to the independent, adventurous personality, according to its cover. Johnson Island is the only river property featured in the issue.

Johnson Island is owned by Kelly Sparks, who grew up in Dille near the Clay-Nicholas border, and his wife, Kay, a Wisconsin native and a political campaign aide. They met and married while he was working as a regional legislative director for the United Auto Workers before returning to West Virginia 17 years ago.

I love it here, said Sparks, as he stood in the shade of the couples self-designed, pier-elevated island home, which escaped last summers epic flooding with several feet to spare. You can sit down and relax and listen to the river passing through the shoals and the worries of the world just melt away. The island is covered in bluebells in April, and geese build nests and lay eggs all over the island in spring.

Sparks left West Virginia at age 15, using doctored documents to accommodate a premature enlistment in the Navy.

By the time I was 17, I was sailing through the Straits of Gibralter, he said.

Later, he absorbed all the knowledge and skills he could learn from various Navy schools and training programs. After his military career ended, he found work in the Louisiana oil fields and later moved to the upper Midwest, where he worked in tractor plants in Wisconsin and became active in UAW affairs at the local and regional levels before becoming the unions top legislative liaison for a six-state area.

The couples unique boathouse style home is the islands sole dwelling and was designed to feel roomier than its relatively small size through the use of wraparound decks and the installation of 25 windows and five skylights. A walkway from the home leads to a small private dock at the head of a two-mile-long Greenbrier River pool, while a crushed rock vehicle lane leads to a deliberately overbuilt bridge crossing a Greenbrier River back channel atop four 36-inch steel I-beams and a huge quantity of concrete to connect the island roadway with W.Va. 20 near the mouth of Muddy Creek and the Alderson city limits.

Most of the island is covered by a mature hardwood forest with an abundance of huge, sentinel-straight specimens of oak, hickory and poplar and numerous groves of pawpaws already bearing fruit.

The couple first visited the island several years after moving to Greenbrier County, where they built their primary residence, a concrete home built on a cliff-top rock formation near Ronceverte with an aerial view of a miles-long stretch of the Greenbrier.

Back then, we liked to walk it, said Kay Sparks, since the islands owner at that time kept a pathway around the property mowed and cleared of debris.

After lengthy research to locate the title to the property, the Sparkses and another couple bought the island. Later, the former Wisconsinites bought their friends share of the island and built their home.

Johnson Island apparently gets its name from a brief period during the Civil War when it served as a temporary stockade for prisoners of war, Sparks said. Its namesake was Johnsons Island, a 300-acre island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, that housed nearly 15,000 Confederate troops during its three years of operation.

During the Civil War, both Confederate and Union troops crossed the Greenbrier on several occasions at Aldersons Ferry, a short distance upstream from the island. On July 12, 1862, two companies of Union cavalry skirmished with a like-sized Confederate force at the ferry, killing, wounding or capturing seven of them.

Although the Sparkses were nominally retired when they moved to Greenbrier County, they have bought, revamped and sold more than 30 homes in the area since then, charging buyers 80 percent of the homes appraised value to make them more affordable, and in many cases, eliminating the need for buyers to come up with down payments.

Kay and I used to fix up and sell three of these houses a year, he said. Right now, were finishing up one, and it may be our last.

At age 71, Sparks said the time has also come to divest himself of the maintenance chores that need to be done to keep Johnson Island in tip-top shape.

I love it here, but it will be nice to have someone else taking care of it, he said. Weve had a $1 million offer on the island, but I turned it down. I want to sell it to someone who values seclusion, appreciates all these trees and wants to preserve all the other plants and animals that live here.

I want the next owner to be someone who has a vision for this place and the ability to make it happen.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169, or follow @rsteelhammer on Twitter.

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Quest to buy one's own island need not extend beyond WV's border - Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)

RICHARD Branson has one, as does Mel Gibson, Eddie Murphy and Johnny Depp and now you can join the exclusive club of private island owners.

In a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Little Ross Island, off the coast of south west Scotland, is up for sale for offers over 325,000.

The 29-acre hideaway is currently owned by St Marys Isle Estate and is located just off Meikle Ross headland on the mainland, with the small rocks of Sugarloaf and Fox Craig the only neighbours. Little Ross is home to a working lighthouse tower, which was designed and built by Alan Stevenson and first lit on 1 January 1843. However, it is not included in the sale and is still owned and managed by the Commissioner for Northern Lighthouses. Since automation in 1961 the lighthouse tower no longer requires fulltime staff with few discreet site visits made by the local harbour master throughout the year. But, the original six-bedroom lighthouse keepers cottage is part of the deal, along with three B-listed ruinous barns, said to have development potential.

The island is only accessible by private boat or helicopter. There are sheltered moorings and a more modern slipway, both accessible at high tide, with a substantial marina in Kirkcudbright for longer term mooring. Estate agent David Corrie is overseeing the sale and said: Back in the 1900s, the island was home to the head lighthouse keeper, underkeeper and their families, extending to 16 people, with a small dairy and piggery to provide subsistence for this family community. With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning, with Little Ross Island once again being the perfect island retreat for future generations to enjoy. Private islands rarely come up for sale at an affordable price and particularly one with a habitable house and additional properties. Given the exciting prospect Little Ross Island presents, we expect a lot of interest from all over the UK as well as abroad.

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Be an island owner - DnG24

The Essex lad became famous for his apparent luxury lifestyle while in the villa, untilwe revealed Jonnys profile wasnt quite as it seemed

LOVE Islands fake millionaire Jonny Mitchell flicked a v sign at the haters as he posed with champagne in a private jet.

The Essex lad became famous for his apparent luxury lifestyle while in the villa, untilwe revealed Jonnys profile wasnt quite as it seemed.

But after we reported Jonny has been offered a big money deal to become the face of luxury private jet brand, he posted two snaps today showing him embracing the high life with the company.

Starting the weekend in style thanks to @privatejetcharter, he wrote.

Another snap showed the businessman quaffing champagne inside the luxury aircraft while crudely sticking two fingers up at the camera.

One more for the haters, he wrote. Thanks again to @privatejetcharter & @zenithaviation excellent service!

When Jonny first appeared on Love Island, fans were obsessed with his Instagram account which showed the 26-year-old flying around the world first class and dining in some of the swankiest restaurants in the world.

But an insider said that Jonnys swanky Instagram feed wasnt a true representation of his life.

Instagram

They said: The white Mercedes-Benz pictured on his page belongs to his dad and the apartment is rented from Airbnb.

He posts a lot of throwback pictures from exotic holidays which gives the impression that hes always abroad.

But the reality stars pals seemed to think Jonnys new gig representing the private jet company would be a perfect fit.

They said: Jonny is a different calibre to the other LI cast members.

Hes articulate and well-travelled. Its hardly any wonder hes been snapped up by a company like this.

Jonny has flown on private jets before and stayed in some of the best hotels in the world.

Hes not a show off but hes in a different league and he knows it.

His aspirations are higher than the others for that reason.

Instagram

Jonny isnt afraid to splash the cash and recently splashed out over 100,000 for a date with his latest squeeze, and Love Island co-star, Chyna Ellis.

Jonny whisked Chyna away for a night in Budapestand revealed hed forked out a serious amount of cash to treat his stunning companion.

The couple were spotted snogging in a nightclub after leaving the villa and are now seeing one another.

Instagram

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Love Island's 'fake millionaire' Johnny Mitchell poses in private jet as he hits back at 'haters' with V sign ... - The Sun

When Disney wins awards, we can't even act surprised. We can, however, wholeheartedly agree. One of the best parts about taking a cruise is getting a day on a private island to yourself (and an entire cruise ship of people). Cruise line private islands are designed to optimize guest experiences in all ways, so no matter which line you're on, you're in for a great experience. But if you're on a Disney Cruise, you're in for the best experience. Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess Cruises, Holland America, and, of course, Disney all have private islands of their own but none is quite like Disney's Castaway Cay.

With its turquoise waters, countless themed attractions, long list of fun activities and excursions, and, of course, Disney charm, it's no surprise Castaway Cay snagged the top spot for private cruise line island again this year. Yet another reason to book your Disney Cruise ASAP!

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An aerial view of Quirimbas Archipelago Photo: Courtesy of Azura Retreats: Quilalea

At one point or another, weve all had the dream of being stranded on a tropical island in an elegant, beach-babe kind of waythink a little less Tom Hanks in Castaway and a little more Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon . Surprisingly enough, there are very few destinations where you can do this. Of course, there are countless tropical islands out there, but the real challenge is finding the right ones. The Caribbean, while temptingly close, is more often than not quite touristy and overdeveloped. And if you are adventurous enough to set your sights a little further abroad, far-flung destinations such as the Seychelles and Maldives might fit the bill at first blush, but even islands such as those might feel a bit too pampered and pre-packaged. The truth is, if you find the right kind of remote island, five-star amenities might feel a bit at-odds with the natural landscape. And in settings as beautiful as these, you need a little more than a rum punch and a bikini to enjoy yourself.

Consider the Quirimbas Archipelago: Located off of the untamed northeastern shore of Mozambique , this stretch of islands is a castaways dream. Flying overheadas you will likely do, because many of the islands are accessible only via a short helicopter from the mainlandthe archipelago seems less like the chain of 30 or so islands that it is, and more like one continuous natural wonder. There are wild sprawls of lush mangrove forests, jagged coral, limestone outcrops, and gently ebbing flows of the impossibly clear Indian Ocean. At low tide, because these waters are so shallow, the tide pulls out so far that sandbars can stretch for literally miles. Its hard to describe how pristine and unspoiled this part of the world ismostly because there isnt really anything else like it out there.

The Quirimbas Islands are not easy to get to, which is both a blessing and a curse. You wont find a Marriott or a St. Regis, but instead, youll find a handful of camps and retreats, where luxury is measured not in amenities or Michelin stars, but in solitude and outdoor showers. There are many private island retreats, and the Azura Retreats property located on Quilalea sets the benchmark in this region. At just 86 acres, the island accommodates up to eighteen guests, meaning that if you dont want to see another soul from your waterfront villa, you dont have to. A dedicated staff is on hand at all hours to make sure you have what you need, whether thats a glass of wine, a snorkel, or a Band-Aid. And although you are truly in the middle of nowhere, the propertys managers ensure that dinner each night feels like an occasion. One night, it might be set up under a sky full of stars like youve never seen (there is zero light pollution here); the next night, dinner might be by candlelight under one of the islands 58 baobab trees. Again, the luxuriousness of a place like Quilalea has nothing to do with infinity pools and Michelin stars (although the food is excellent and perfectly fresh); its all about the extravagance of getting away from it all.

But the benefit of seeking such barefoot luxury is also, in turn, its own challengein such a remote place, there are only a handful of places to stay. In addition to Quilalea, Anantara and &Beyond operate significantly glitzier operations on the private islands of Medjumbe and Vamizi, respectively, and history buffs might feel more at home at the Ibo Island Lodge , a cluster of colonial buildings located on the edge of town on Ibo Island. If this seems like a lot of information to process, the Mozambique Tourism Board has some excellent recommendations about where to stay, how to get there, and what to do.

How to Get There Because of the areas Portuguese colonial history, there are actually a few direct flights to Mozambique through Lisbon, but most travelers end up flying to Maputo or Pemba by way of Johannesburg or Dar es Salaam. Coordinate with your hosts to figure out the best way from there (usually by boat or by helicopter). Because of the remote location, the Quirimbas Islands are a perfect add-on to your existing African itinerary. After all the action and engagement of, for example, a safari in Tanzania or a wine-tasting in South Africa, a few days of beachy tranquility on the Indian Ocean will provide much-deserved respite.

What to Do Oddly enough, for a place that is so remote, the Quirimbas are still touched by traces of culture and history. Remote islands such as the Maldives are often criticized for having become too resort-centric and sanitized, but these islands are oddly frozen in time. Home to indigenous fishing cultures for thousands of years, they have been successively colonized and influenced by Arab traders and Portuguese colonists. This might be the only place you can cruise from island to island on a rickety ancient Arab dhow boat and practice your Portuguese with the captain at the same time. Wherever youre staying, make sure to ask for a sunset dhow ride. You wont be disappointed.

A day trip to Ibo Island is illustrative of the regions history. At one time, it served as a major shipping port and center of the slave tradeonly four grand Portuguese forts still stand. Today, about half the town of Ibo consists of abandoned Portuguese architecture, which in itself is a sight to behold. Dense mangroves and thick vines grow over pale adobe walls, brightly colored doors and painted tiles, creating a tableau of distinctly African, Arab, and European influence you are unlikely to find anywhere else.

And of course, these being tropical islands, you would be remiss in not taking advantage of the water sports. Because of the shallow, immaculate waters, the Quirimbas Islands offer world-class snorkeling and scuba diving, with some resorts offering walk-out reefs just a few meters off the beach. Keep an eye out for sea turtles, starfish, and enough vibrant aquatic life to give Finding Nemo a run for its money. As for those epic, miles-long sandbars at low-tides, dont forget to go for a marine walk in order to see all those ocean creatures up close.

Whether you choose to explore neighboring islands or just lounge on your beach chair, make sure to work up an appetite. The cuisine is very seafood-heavy (as it should be, with waters this pure), and always comes with just the right amount of Portuguese inflection. A classic Quirimbas lunch consists of grilled prawns served with chilis, and fiery piri-piri saucea combination so good, its worth flying halfway around the world for.

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Channel Your Inner Castaway on This Remote African Archipelago - Vogue.com

Patch.com

$1.9M Private Lake Tapps Island Up For Sale: Wow! House Patch.com It's a private island - technically, two islands - on Lake Tapps with enough room to build a "massive" home. The only catch is that it's going to take quite an investment. The island alone is $2 million. We're not sure how much it costs to build a ...

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$1.9M Private Lake Tapps Island Up For Sale: Wow! House - Patch.com

Climate change and rising seas may kill the dream of buying a private island someday, but today isn't that day.

Whether you're a Baby Boomer who grew up watching Gilligan's Island and thinking "I could go for shipwrecking the Minnow right about now" or a Millennial who sees DJ Khaled's video for "I'm The One" and thinks a private island may be the best way to get Quavo (or a lesser member of Migos) to your house, a private island is still an option for homebuyers.

Granted, the "private island" that comes to mind when you think of that phrase may be somewhat less attainable. If you want to live on a Great Lake, on an island in an intercoastal, somewhere in the Prince Edward Islands or just between Connecticut and Long Island on the Long Island Sound, that might be an attainable dream. If you'd rather have an archipelago all to yourself in the Caribbean or South Pacific, you'd best get cracking on the latest technological advance, or pop hit.

It takes a lot of cash just to have an island wired and plumbed enough for you to live there. It takes extraordinary amounts of money to get all of that infrastructure -- not to mention actual structures and the equipment needed to build them -- out to that island. If you want to hire enough labor to finish that project in enough time for you to enjoy the place, that's going to get costly as well.

The folks at luxury marketplace James Edition know this and keep private islands in a portfolio of some of the priciest real estate on the planet. The buy-in price of their private islands starts north of $1 million -- and that's if you like skating home from the mainland in Sweden. If you want an island that's somewhere warm, private and already teeming with amenities, get ready to spend seven figures.

With James Edition's help, we found 10 private islands just waiting for someone with the right temperament and net worth to call them home.

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10 Posh Private Islands You Could Buy Today - TheStreet.com

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine, said Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca.

Except you'd be out of luck if you were looking for a gin joint in Fjllbacka, the Swedish former fishing village where Ingrid Bergman spent her summers after buying the nearby island Dannholmen in 1958. The nearest state-run alcohol shop (anything over 3.5 per cent proof is monopolised by the government) is seven miles away, although the town's only hotel can fix you something stronger.

Bergmans ashes are sprinkled in the sea in this gorgeous archipelago, and her presence lives on in Fjllbacka: her sculpted head is mounted on a plinth on the promenade, alongside three boards displaying large black-and-white photographs of her.

Here is Bergman trying to blend in while buying vegetables at Fjllbacka's street market; here she is looking a bit peeved as a photographer snaps away as she strides through the village. The more relaxed pictures of her at home on her private island bought with third husband, Swedish theatre producer Lars Schmidt show her soaking up the sunshine alongside the children of her second marriage, to Italian film director Roberto Rosselini: Robertino and Isabella.

Dannholmen is still in private hands, but you can catch a ride on the water taxi to several other islands off the coast of Fjllbacka. For 40 kroner (about 4) I made the short hop to Valon, where a well-marked walking trail though woods and past granite boulders will lead you up to a vantage point taking in the whole Bohusian coast the stretch between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border.

Kringn, partofthearchipelago ofpretty islands floating off the coast of Sweden(Inntravel)

Bohuslan was part of Norway until the 17th century, and apparently a Norwegian twang can be detected in the local accent. Inntravel which usually specialises in walking holidays has chosen this corner of western Sweden as one of the destinations for their inaugural driving tours, which launched last year, and it doesn't take long to see why theyve made the exception.

The landscape is by turns intimately bucolic red wooden farmhouses (the rust-coloured paint is known as "Falun red" after the Swedish copper-mining town where it was first extracted), pine and birch trees, granite outcrops and dramatic, with sudden vistas of oceans, lochs and fjords appearing as you drop around another sharp corner. Its not as dramatic, admittedly, as in Norway, but its still pretty stirring. You take the long, twisty route southwards, by way of the many islands that are linked by either bridge or ferry. The ferries are free, and you might even be the only passenger.

Being walking specialists, Inntravel also suggest hiking itineraries for when you want to get a little deeper into the landscape whether thats scrambling through the heather and stunted holm oaks on Valon island, or navigating Gothenbergs busy streets. After all that rural beauty, Swedens second city about 100 miles from our starting point at Fjllbacka is a welcome urban break.

The roadtrip starts in Fjllbacka, 100km north of Gothenburg (Inntravel)

Inntravel's self-drive itineraries so detailed that it even suggests pitstops for lunch are topped and tailed by Fjllbacka and Fiskebackskil, another former fishing village now colonised by second-home owners, whove tarted up the traditional wooden houses in a spectrum of colours instead of the standard Falun red. Its a quiet place there are hardly any cars along the narrow cobbled lanes, and hardly any people, either. A large dog eyed me warily as I walked past.

More ambitious island-hopping suggestions are to the Weather Islands 30km from the mainland and the most westerly islands in Sweden and the protected Koster Islands, where you can rent bikes. Elsewhere, there are seafood safaris (boat trips to a mussel farm) and kayak hire (there are no strong currents along the Bohusian coast, making it a relatively safe area for boating and swimming). I stopped off at the Vitlyke Bronze Age Museum near Tanum the Bohusian region is well known for its Bronze Age carvings, and many are on display here, along with a replica farm.

But the real highlight of this tour is the open road, winding its way along the coast on almost empty and well-maintained highways. It's quite a shock to the system when you eventually join the E6 motorway to speed you back to Gothenburg, and the 21st century.

Getting there

Inntravelsweek-long self-drive Swedens West Coast trip starts from 1,170pp, including seven nights accommodation on a B&B basis, five dinners and five days car hire. Its available 1 June30 September. BMI Regional flies direct to Gothenburg from Birmingham, Norwegian flies from Gatwick and British Airways from Heathrow.

More information

vastsverige.com

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Why Sweden's the best place for a road trip - The Independent

The bounty from the islands three-acre organic orchard, farm and surrounding waters (everything from passionfruit to edible flowers and, of course, fresh seafood) is presented at Guanas two restaurants, one on the terrace of the hilltop clubhouse, the other a beach bar on the sands of White Bay. Breakfast, a continental buffet with hot items by request, is served at the clubhouse, as is dinner. You can have lunch here, too, but youll likely want to request it on White Bay, a winsome strip thats truly the stuff of Caribbean fantasies.

Across the board the cuisine is superb, a testament to the fertility of the land and the creativity of the chef. Expect dishes such as pancetta with a tamarind glaze, flame-grilled lobster-sized shrimp, and the superb local specialty casserole, corn pie. Wine with lunch and dinner is included, and theres an honesty bar for other alcohol. Socialising is encouraged (guests are seated together at communal tables) but private tables can be requested, and in-room dining is available for an extra charge.

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Guana Island - Telegraph.co.uk

What's described as 'one of the finest private islands in northern Europe' is up for sale for the first time in 70 years.

Ulva, in the Inner Hebrides, is around seven and a half miles long and two and a half miles wide, extending to 4,583 acres - and the 4.25 million price tag covers the whole thing.

See also: Private islands of the rich and famous

See also: Your own deserted island for the price of a London room

It has a manor house, church, restaurant and teahouse and ten more properties - but a full-time population of just 16, mostly working at sheep and cattle farming, fish farming, oyster farming and tourism.

There are no tarmac roads, with most people travelling by quad bike.

Agents Knight Frank describe Ulva as 'offering a truly unique combination of peace and privacy whilst being easily accessible by boat from the nearby Isle of Mull'.

The main building, Ulva House, is a large grade B-listed property built in the neo-classical revival style in 1950 to replace an earlier house that was destroyed by fire.

It has several large reception rooms, with fireplaces and detailed moulding, and five main bedrooms plus servants' quarters.

Other buildings include a restored blackhouse and nine other residential properties ranging from traditional bothies to a sporting lodge.

But most of the residents are non-human. The island is home to 123 different bird species, including the white-tailed sea eagle, and minke whales, porpoises and dolphins are frequently spotted.

The agents say it has 'sporting' potential, including red deer stalking, with a five-year average of 16 stags.

The island was the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's 1815 poem Lord Of The Isles, and also influenced work by children's author Beatrix Potter.

David Livingstone, the famous missionary and African explorer, was a frequent visitor, as his father's parents lived there.

Major General Lachlan MacQuarrie, the last governor of New South Wales, was born there and described it as a 'small and desolate island' and ' a mere speck in the ocean' - but credited his upbringing there as having made him 'a citizen of the world'.

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How you can buy an entire private island - AOL UK