Where are the boathouses located?

 

 

 

 

The islands located directly in the center of the map on the left are Latsch and Wolf Spider Islands. As you can see, there really isn’t much dividing the two islands, which is why both are commonly referred to as Latsch. The divide between the two islands is circled in yellow on the zoomed in version of the map to the right showing the seperation of the two islands a bit better. The location of Moses and Marla’s boathouse is circled in red on the map to the right.

Introduction to boathouse life

This sign greets people as they go from Latsch Island to Wolf Spider Island. Both islands are commonly referred to as Latsch, but in actuality there is a small channel separating the two islands. Moses’ boathouse is moored on Wolf Spider Island

Nestled in the backwaters of the Mississippi across from Winona, Minn., there is a floating community, where people live on what are known as boathouses. Not to be confused with houseboats, boathouses are literally houses that float on the water, supported by a raft frame and plastic barrels that allow the structure to float.

This community is home to a number of people, including Moses Simon and Marla Kuchler, who call the green boathouse pictured below home.

Moses stands in front of his and Marla’s boathouse.

Moses, who was born and spent the first four years of his life on this boathouse, and Marla, who grew up near Milwaukee, made the move to the boathouse at the beginning of summer in 2014. They moved here from an apartment in St. Paul, giving up the comforts and conveniences of modern living in the process. The couple has embraced the challenges and difficulties that go along with living on the boathouse.

 

 

Joining Moses and Marla on the boathouse are their three pets: their dog, Freddy, and their two cats, Sage and Wolf Spider. The pets took to the boathouse life instantly, as the cats spend their days roaming the islands while Freddy has discovered a love for boating and swimming that he never knew before.

Freddy (dog) and Sage greet each other as Sage returns from a long day of patrolling Wolf Spider Island.

Boathouse life is full of different problems that Moses and Marla have learned to deal with as they grow more and more accustomed to living on the water. In the spring and early summer, flooding was a big problem as the islands became part of the river. Everything that they needed had to be boated in and both had to take the boat to work everyday.

The fluctuating height of the river also posed a problem for Moses and Marla, as the Army Corps of Engineers messed with the river levels late into the fall to keep shipments of goods moving down the Mississippi. A surprise freeze after one such raising of the river levels left one of the couple’s boats stuck half in the river.

On the right, you can see the boat has frozen into the river. Before a surprise raising of the river by the Army Corps, the boat was nearly three feet above the water line.

Moses gestures to indicate where the land was before the water level was raised late in the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the winter months now upon them, heating the boathouse has become the main problem for the couple. At least a couple of times per week, Moses splits logs for the boathouse’s wood stove.

Moses splits logs in his front yard on the island.

Keeping the stove burning is a must throughout the day. It takes at least two hours for the stove to heat the house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the trials and troubles that life on the river poses, both Moses and Marla have come to enjoy life on the boathouse. The peace and tranquility of living with nature is one of the most rewarding things for them and even though it gets rough at times, both are extremely happy here.

Interview with Moses Simon on boathouse life