We had a wonderful stay at The Forge! The little cottage was the perfect escape from the city in the summer and we are very grateful to Bouzha for having us and being very communicative.
Our favorite aspect of the cabin was the east and west porches which were perfect for chasing the shade (or sun!). From foggy mornings to bluebird afternoons, we felt really close to nature with windows open the whole time except for the occasional downpour. The private beach is just a short hike and you have a view to the north unlike any other. And, when things got chilly, we cozied up by the fire.
Since we were unable to take time off, we were grateful the wifi was strong enough to power us 9-5. Across the island, our cell service was spotty, but overall we felt totally connected even though we were in a rustic setting.
Other notes about staying on North Haven that do not necessarily relate to this property but may be helpful when preparing to get there (just in case I'm not the only one who struggles with planning head):
- Book your ferry trip as soon as you can! Since check-in to The Forge is at 2, the midday ferry out of Rockland is your best bet. On the other side of the trip, checkout at 10am so the second ferry out of North Haven was also good timing. We killed time reading on the beach in between (check out the various Nature preserves and also Mullen Head Park). If you do not book your ferry trip to the island, be sure to show up early to the ferry terminal in Rockland. People park their cars overnight in line so there's really no such thing as being there "too early."
- Join the private North Haven Facebook group before you go to the island as it may take several days for you to be accepted by a moderator. People regularly post things from hours of operation to extra ferry tickets and it's a very reliable hub of information.
- Hours and days of operation of farms, restaurants, and businesses are all over the place, especially coming out of the pandemic so do as much planning ahead as possible.
- Kitchen gear is eclectic but mostly stocked and we were pleasantly surprised with the offerings on the Island's one grocery. We marketed in Rockland but wished we'd done more of our food shopping on island given all farmstands.
- North Haven was our puppy's idea of paradise but the ticks are no joke so be prepared to do regular checks!