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When life is like ‘Gilligan’s Island’

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By Bill Wundram | Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:34 AM CDT | () comments

Down in the water-soaked far west end of Davenport, you can look out the window and see a heron looking back at you. So it goes, the good wet life along South Concord, and on that idyllic-sounding place called Enchanted Island.

Enchanted Island is not quite so enchanting these flood-soaked days. It’s underwater, but its residents aren’t. Some are living it out, like the Skipper and Mary Ann on “Gilligan’s Island.”

The Enchanted Islanders are not insulted to be called river rats. It’s an endearing name to them. At least a half-dozen of the 15 couples who are residents of the island are staying put during this flood.

On Monday morning, Jim VanFossen, a retired policeman, took his wife, Cathy, to dry land by boat so she could drive to work at the Davenport federal building. “We left our back door, climbed into our boat, and wow, all of a sudden we were in the middle of a hailstorm,” he says. “It takes a helluva woman to live in paradise like this.”

Paradise. High water or not, that’s what the residents like VanFossen call Enchanted Island. He has lived there for nearly 30 years, longer than anyone else on this island that is reached only by a bridge now covered with a swirl of two feet of water.

He’s nonchalant about being island-bound. “It’s just like being on a houseboat. It’s water instead of lawn.” One of the Enchanted Islanders sticking it out is Dr. David Brown, a Davenport veterinarian.

“If you don’t want to get wet, don’t live on the river. “We’ve got heat, power, and beer in the fridge. Life is good,” he says.

Those who live on Enchanted Island expect high water. Their homes are raised high, but it can be eerie with the water sloshing under your living room.

We visit with VanFossen by cell phone. “Oh, oh,” he says. “A couple neighbors have lost their LP tanks. They’ll be chilly tonight.” He pauses. “I see a Davenport fire department boat cruising around. That makes us feel good.”

VanFossen’s only problem has been his dog, Boo. “With water all around, there was no place for him to go to the bathroom, so I had to take him to shore in the boat to use the grass. Dr. Brown solved that. He told me to put a piece of Astroturf on our deck and Boo wouldn’t know the difference. It works.”

Within a crow’s fly, exactly across an inlet from Enchanted Island, is South Concord Street. Valerie Brekke was visiting a friend over the weekend in the 4400 block.

“The water came up so fast down here on Concord that we were marooned,” she says. “Water is all around the house. Herons look in the windows, really. There are pelicans and ducks swimming all around the place. We were invited to a friend’s house for Sunday dinner and the only way to get there was by boat.”

Brekke says, “I guess this is the price you pay if you live in paradise.”

It’s a very wet paradise, at that!

Bill Wundram can be contacted at (563) 383-2249 or bwundram@qctimes.com.