We stayed a few nights in Cabin #1, a place with a view so fine it almost forgives the cabin for…read morebeing what it is. The ocean rolls in and out like it has for centuries, the sunsets set the sky ablaze, and from the deck you can sit with a cup of something warm and feel, for a while, that you've made a good choice in life. There's space to stretch out, a sturdy dining table for a family feast, a comfy bed with plenty of heat to chase the chill, and firewood enough to kindle your pioneer spirit. They even take pets, which is a blessing if you can't bear to leave yours behind.
But then you step inside and reality taps you on the shoulder. Cobwebs are woven into the corners like a decorator's flourish. Gnats--dead and alive--have taken up residence as if they too booked the cabin. The plumbing shrieks like a banshee, the fridge rumbles like a tractor and the handle is held together with duct tape, and the sink taps resist all attempts at courtesy. Cabin #1 is closer to the road, so you can hear the traffic because the windows are thin, and you stumble over steps where you didn't expect them. I found three fleas on me before the week was out, which made me wonder how many more were attending uninvited.
The furnishings have that "estate sale bargain" charm. Doors stick, blinds are grimy, and the bathroom floor has known better decades. Even outdoors, many large trees stand dead and brittle, gutters choke with leaves, and plants have gone the way of all flesh.
Hospitality, too, was a little tepid--more nod than embrace. There was no coffee, tea, or sugar waiting, and when you leave, you're asked to strip the beds, fold the blankets, and take out the trash. Internet and phone service wander off and don't come back.
So here it is: a cabin in a glorious location, blessed with views you'll carry with you, and cursed with upkeep that seems to have been postponed indefinitely. If you can laugh at the quirks and overlook the fleas, you may just love it. If not, the ocean will still be there, magnificent and forgiving, even if the cabin isn't.