The how-it-works details — appliances, the sofa bed, the kayaks, Wi-Fi, trash day, and checkout. Bookmark this page on your phone when you arrive.
Quick walkthroughs so you spend your week relaxing, not troubleshooting. Fill in the specifics for each appliance in the house.
General steps: fill the reservoir to the cup line, add a filter and grounds (about 1 tbsp per cup), switch on, and turn off when finished.
General steps: scrape plates, load with dirty side facing center, add one detergent pod to the dispenser, close, and select Normal. Run before bed.
General: turn knobs to ignite/heat the burners; for the oven, set the temperature dial/pad and wait for the preheat tone before baking.
General: set to COOL in summer, pick your temperature, and let it run — opening windows while the A/C runs wastes energy and can fog things up in island humidity.
General: sort lights/darks, add detergent, choose a cycle, and always clean the dryer lint trap before each load — important in a wooden beach house.
General: power on the TV and streaming device, connect to the listed Wi-Fi, and open the app of your choice.
General: rinse off sand and salt out here after the beach — it keeps the cottage (and the plumbing) happy.
General: if an outlet dies, check the GFCI reset button on nearby bathroom/kitchen outlets first, then the breaker panel.
The sofa bed sleeps the extra one or two in your group. Here's the standard pull-out routine — adjust to match the model in the house.
Remove all seat and back cushions and set them aside.
Grip the front strap/bar and pull up and out until the metal frame unfolds fully.
Flip the second fold of the frame outward so the mattress lies flat.
Sheets and blankets are stored [location]. Most pull-outs take a full or queen fitted sheet.
Strip the linens, fold the frame back in two stages, push it fully into the couch, and replace the cushions.
One of the best parts of the cottage: kayaks for guest use, launched right from your own dock into the calm canal. A few notes so everyone stays safe and the gear lasts.
Everyone wears a properly fitted life jacket — including strong swimmers and adults. Check the local weather and wind before you go.
From the dock, keep your weight low and centered as you step into the middle of the kayak. Sit, then push off gently.
The canal and sound are ideal for paddling. Do not take these kayaks into the ocean surf.
On the open sound, an offshore wind can push you out fast. Paddle into the wind first so the trip back is the easy part.
Hose off the kayaks and paddles with fresh water and return everything to its spot so it's ready for the next paddle.