Remote wilderness island with comforts of home

About Gordon or Ben Wiltsie

The island is owned by Gordon & Meredith Wiltsie, with their grown sons Ben and Nick. Gordon helped his parents Pat and Dave build the boathouse, docks and cabin - much of it only with hand tools - during the summers of 1973 and 1974 and for the next three decades his parents spent most of every summer there, making ongoing improvements. Gordon, Meredith and the boys commonly visited as well and after his parents' passing they are spending more time there themselves. They have recently begun significant renovations and have introduced new amenities including electric power outlets, pressurized hot and cold water, satellite internet and a convenient composting toilet. In the summer of 2017 they added a hot shower and to finished renovating the spacious upstairs bedroom, second bathroom and scenic balcony over the boathouse.

Why Gordon or Ben Wiltsie chose Kenora

Back in the 1930's Dave Wiltsie grew up spending every summer in a cabin his parents owned on a lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, pursing a tradition his own father's parents had enjoyed since the late 1800's. Dave began taking his own family there when Gordon was very young and wished for a place of his own. By happy accident, the trailer towing the family boat back to California from Algonquin broke down in Kenora, Ontario at the end of summer 1968 and he had to he launch the boat into Lake of the Woods in order to facilitate repairs. He, Pat and Gordon, then age 17, headed out to explore. To everyone's surprise the lake and its environs offered not only everything they loved about Algonquin, but even more and on a much grander scale. After several subsequent seasons of searching they finally find a perfect island with a sheltered harbor, far from any crowds, and set about building rustic but comfortable lodging in a place that the family has long considered to be paradise.

What makes this Cottage unique

Private Island Off-the-grid World-class fishing, bird watching, boating and photography Bright stars and Northern Lights! One-of-a-kind experience Vast wilderness landscape with all of the birds and animals that live there