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They’d all the time dreamed of residing by the ocean, however after they first visited the Bahamas again in 1985, Norvell and Mark Slezycki by no means imagined that they’d have their very personal oceanfront house within the island nation.
The couple, who have been residing in New York Metropolis on the time, “stumbled upon” the Abaco Islands, situated north of Nassau, and have been struck by how underdeveloped the island chain was on the time.
“We stored coming again, nearly yearly,” Norvell tells CNN Journey. “And exploring all the different islands within the chain, staying at nearly each island.
“And we simply fell in love with the entire thought of some islands that would nonetheless be so undeveloped.”
Dream location
Through the years, the pair grew significantly keen on Nice Guana Cay, a seven-mile lengthy islet within the middle of the Abaco Islands, and continued to go to repeatedly, whereas questioning what it could be prefer to stay there as soon as they’d retired.
Throughout one among their journeys, the Slezyckis rode your complete size of the island on bicycles and ultimately got here throughout an space that piqued their curiosity.
“We began asking, ‘Who owns all this land? Can we determine who owns it and if they’ve it on the market?’ After which we simply ran with it,” says Norvell.
In 2003, they negotiated a deal to buy an acre of land within the space for about $100,000.
“We have been elated. But in addition scared,” admits Norvell. “[It was] such an enormous determination so faraway from our consolation zone.”
With a purpose to elevate the cash to construct their dream house, the couple, who had moved to Florida by this level, determined to downsize, promoting their home in Lighthouse Level, Florida, and buying a smaller home in close by Pompano Seaside.
“That’s what made it possible for us to observe this dream,” she provides.
They employed an area builder in 2005, making an settlement by handshake, with Mark designing their house himself.
Handshake settlement
“[The builder] stated, ‘All you might want to do is wire cash to cowl my crew each week and we won’t cease engaged on the home,’” says Norvell.
Because the couple have been each working full-time for Mark’s manufacturing firm, they needed to coordinate the construct from the US.
“It was extremely difficult,” admits Norvell. “Bringing in materials, maintaining observe [of everything] and questioning if the home is being constructed correctly if you’re not even there.”
When requested how a lot they spent on the construct in complete, Norvell says that she and Mark “disagree” on the determine, however consider it was round $325,000 “give or take.”
Work on their two-bedroom, two-bathroom house was full by 2006, with Norvell and Mark touring over for lengthy weekends and “unhappy little two-week holidays” earlier than formally retiring in 2010.
At this stage, they have been in a position to spend six months within the Bahamas and 6 months within the US, which they describe as “the right stability.”
“Lots of people wait, or perhaps they should [wait] financially, however they wait [to retire],” says Norvell.
“After which swiftly, their well being points begin to compound. And we actually labored onerous to do that.
“This isn’t one thing that got here simply financially. We labored very, very onerous to make this occur and determine a approach that it could work.”
Reaching their house is not any easy feat. The couple should take a 70-minute constitution flight from Fort Lauderdale Government Airport to Treasure Cay Airport on Nice Abaco Island, earlier than taking a 30-minute taxi trip to the ferry dock, the place they hop on a ferry to Nice Guana Cay, a journey of round 25 minutes.
“The anticipate the following ferry could be a number of hours,” says Norvell, including that they normally organize for a buddy to gather them and drive them to their house. “So, if we take an 8 a.m. flight, we’re normally in our home by midday.”
Mark goes on to clarify that he finds the journey to be an important a part of the method of “getting relaxed and affected person,” in preparation for his or her time on the island.
“It’s fairly a day,” he says. ”However we do it annually.”
Storm injury
Within the coming years, there have been some “minor storms,” the couple say, however “the killer” was Hurricane Dorian, a Class 5 storm that “made a beeline for the Abacos” in September 2019. The Slezyckis’ house was destroyed.
“It got here by and actually stalled over these islands and precipitated main, main disruption,” explains Norvell. “If your own home wasn’t destroyed, it was broken. No person was [left] unscathed.”
Sadly, the Slezyckis weren’t in a position to return to Nice Guana Cay for some time as the closest airports had additionally been broken by the storm.
The next yr, restrictions have been put in place internationally as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, which difficult issues for them additional.
“We misplaced numerous time, the place we couldn’t get right here,” explains Norvell. “Or if we might get right here, all we might do was decide up particles round the place our home was once.”
Norvell goes on to clarify that Mark traveled over to the island when he was in a position to, however she couldn’t face going to start with.
“I couldn’t actually assist that a lot,” she says. “And emotionally… I used to be fairly upset at the entire thing.”
As soon as they’d surveyed the injury completely, the couple determined that they’d rebuild their house themselves, utilizing their financial savings to buy supplies.
“Mark is extremely helpful,” says Norvell. “And he stated, ‘I feel I can construct this home just about by myself.’”
For the following few years, they centered on making their house livable once more, staying with a neighbor whose house was solely “mildly broken” every time they returned to the island.
“Imagine me, if we have been 10 years older, we most likely wouldn’t have been in a position to do it,” says Norvell, including that they’re “nonetheless not finished.”
“We’ve nonetheless obtained a few good years left. Lots of people didn’t rebuild. They gave it up.
“However we simply couldn’t do it. [The house] was an excessive amount of part of our lives.”
Regardless of the setbacks, the couple can’t think about leaving their lives in Nice Guana Cay behind, and say they love being there.
“To start with, the tempo over here’s a lot slower, which we actually like,” says Norvell. “No crowds, no visitors, no street rage, little to no crime.”
Though the hurricane devastated Nice Guana Cay, the island has since recovered, and “in some methods is healthier than ever,” says Norvell.
Easier life
Within the years since they’ve been residing on the island, non-public resort group Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Membership, has opened on the opposite aspect of the island.
“After they first began constructing, it was a extremely large controversial factor on this island,” says Norvell, outlining the controversy across the unique improvement, which confronted numerous resistance from locals.
“For about 5 – 6 years, it was simply all anyone might speak about.”
The Slezyckis go on to clarify that their a part of the island may be very far faraway from the non-public resort, the place celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady are thought to have houses.
Whereas in Nice Guana Cay, which has a inhabitants of round 150, the couple journey round on a golf cart, taking seashore walks and going diving and snorkeling after they can.
“It’s form of like residing within the ’50s,” says Mark. “It’s only a totally different tradition.”
Norvell has been amassing Bahamian sea glass since she first started visiting the island nation and makes jewellery from it. She additionally has a vegetable and herb backyard that she spends time sustaining.
“It’s only a less complicated life and it’s much more stress-free, apart from the spotty energy,” she says.
“It’s a luxurious to get up and have the water in entrance of you, the ocean and the dawn. Each morning is spectacular.
“It’s quiet and we don’t have any neighbors on prime of us. We’re actually unfold out over right here.”
In 2020, she launched a TikTok account, SouthPauseIslandGirl, on the suggestion of her niece, and ultimately started posting about Nice Guana Cay.
“I had a video go viral with like six million views, which is loopy for someone my age,” she says. “After that [my TikTok account] actually form of took off.”
Norvell now streams stay sundown classes from Nice Guana Cay whereas consuming her morning espresso at house and holds on-line auctions the place followers can bid on her sea glass jewellery.
She explains that the success of her TikTok account has meant that she’s been in a position to “herald a bit of additional earnings” in addition to have numerous enjoyable determining the best way to navigate social media.
“After I first obtained on TikTok, I didn’t even know what I used to be doing,” she provides. “I nonetheless don’t, however anyway…”
Through the years, Norvell and Mark have constructed sturdy friendships with a few of the different expats who stay within the space, and say the “sense of group is kind of sturdy.”
“We actually assist one another out,” says Norvell.
They adopted a cat, Flip Flop, who was born on their property, 16 years in the past.
“She travels backwards and forwards with us and is a pure delight,” provides Norvell.
Though Norvell and Mark concede that they don’t essentially socialize with locals that a lot, they get pleasure from attending neighborhood occasions such because the occasional “group dinners” on the primary avenue, the place all the residents get collectively and tuck into big spreads, in addition to the annual Christmas tree-lighting.
The Slezyckis stress that they’re conscious that they’re “company” within the Bahamas and “assume it’s actually vital to know that and to respect that.”
“There’s a really small inhabitants of true Bahamian residents who’ve lived right here actually for generations,” says Norvell.
“They’re reserved and spiritual, however in the event you deal with them the way in which you need to, which is with kindness and respect, they heat as much as you and then you definitely change into one among them they usually settle for you.
“But it surely’s not one thing that occurs in a single day.”
New starting
As for the price of residing, it’s “roughly double” that of the US, in response to the Slezyckis, who clarify that the remoteness of the island implies that many items are imported, so are usually costlier.
In keeping with couple, the price of gasoline, which they use to energy their golf cart, is larger, together with groceries.
“Our little island has to herald the groceries,” she explains. “In order that they’ve obtained to make cash someplace.”
The Slezyckis level out that one of many different “large negatives” about residing on the island is that “there’s actually no well being care to talk of,” and the closest clinics, which cope with extra minor points, are situated in Marsh Harbour, on the island of Nice Abaco.
“In case you had a extremely critical well being situation, you would need to fly again to the States,” says Norvell.
Earlier this month, the US State Division posted a journey advisory replace urging People to “train elevated warning” within the Bahamas, citing the islands of New Windfall, the place Nassau is situated, and Grand Bahama, the place Freeport is situated, because the affected areas.
Norvell says that she’s acquired varied messages expressing concern about crime, however stresses that she and Mark really feel very secure in Nice Guana Cay.
“We’re so far-off from [the areas affected], geographically and likewise simply the flavour of this island,” she says.
“There’s actually little to no crime [in Great Guana Cay] and that’s one thing that’s tough to seek out at the moment wherever.”
Though their rebuilt house continues to be not completed, Norvell stresses that it’s “completely livable,” they usually hope to have it prepared by April.
“I wish to have a celebration to announce the completion,” she provides.
House owners of property within the Bahamas are eligible for an annual House House owners Resident Card and the Slezyckis even have the choice to use for citizenship.
Nonetheless, they clarify, as a result of the island nation permits visa extensions permitting guests to remain for as much as eight months, they’ve by no means wanted to.
When requested whether or not they ever plan to settle in Nice Guana Cay completely, the couple say that they’re comfortable to maintain splitting their time between the island and the US, the place they nonetheless have a house in Florida, for the foreseeable future.
“It simply works so properly,” says Norvell. “You’ve all the time obtained that escape, and if there’s one thing you’ve simply obtained to get again house for no matter cause, you’re not caught right here.
“Between household, mates, physician visits, going to a present or going to a extremely good restaurant, these issues are simply not out there over right here,” says Norvell.
“So it’s good to get a bit of dose of all of that. And I feel we respect [the island] after we come again much more.”
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