The Shack: A Week in the Dunes

The Dune Shacks of Peaked Hill Bars Historic District includes dune shacks that were and are home to artists and writers from the 1920s onward. They have a long history beginning with the 'lifesavers' in the 1800s who would call these dunes home during their stints aiding fishermen. The shacks are weathered, isolated, without modernities like electricity or running water, and most of all - peaceful. The shacks are a beacon of simpler times where one can be immersed in and become one with patterns of nature and weather. You can read more about the dune dwellers and the history of these shacks here.

You may have heard about the Shacks as they have been in the news recently due to the NPS decision to put 8 of the shacks up for public bid - a highly controversial subject in the local community. I want to be clear that I am a proponent of maintaining the shacks as the cultural icons that they are, and want to preserve them as dwellings for the wayward and free spirits who choose to be their inhabitants and caretakers.

One of the first things that I didn't "expect" was how your body adjusts to the natural cycle of days and nights. Once the sun dips below the horizon, so do you. Things become much more difficult to do when the only source of light you have is candlelight. I would wake up early with the sunrise (as I'd be baking in my loft bed with the sun beating down on me) and go to bed shortly after sunset. There is no need for clocks or to tell time; simply look outside.

By the weeks end, I felt comforted by the oil lamps; their soft light and warm glow made me feel cozy and safe in my little wood shack. It didn't feel like I was out here completely alone, not another soul for miles.

In the month of April, the woodstove is on every night and morning. The start of the week was very cold, dipping to freezing temperatures. Without any insulation or other sources of heat, this stove would determine my comfort. Growing up, my parents had a woodstove, but I never really paid attention to how to start and stoke the fire. I did learn how to do it myself this week. I sat by the fire each morning drinking a coffee, waking up slow, wondering how I might spend my day.

One of goals for this week was to spend time photographing the night sky. Too often do I get bogged down in my day-to-day work that I have no energy left to explore and photograph, especially in the night. This week was the perfect opportunity to create images I have had in my mind for some time - the moon phase was right, the weather was clear, the milky way was out, and I had nothing but time. & Yes - the coyotes were out, howling away. They would come close to the shack at night, practically next to the windows. But they didn't bother me. I like to think of my tripod as a good weapon if I ever needed it!