This Island Is a Private, Self-Sufficient Paradise With Modern Features Like a Helipad

Obviously, that's not the case. Sustainability can be anything from beautiful to fashionable and desirable, innovative, and even luxurious. It might even appeal to a fictional James Bond, but it'd take non-fictive cold, hard cash to get it.

This is East Sister Rock Island, a spectacular piece of property that is both a mansion and a self-sufficient private paradise because it's a home on a private island. Better said, it's a home and an island because they're a package deal.

You know how we all feel like getting away from the proverbial maddening crowd every once in a while? This is the place to do it if you're a multi-millionaire looking for the perfect vacation spot... or else an average Joe who just happened to find $16.5 million in between the couch cushions.

The best part about this property is that, despite the exotic scenery and the complete privacy it offers, the island isn't in some remote location. It's actually a stone's throw from Sombrero Beach in Marathon, Florida, and 120 miles (193 km) from Miami, so it's secluded without actually being so. It's as cut off from the world as you want it to be.

Access to the island is done either by boat, which comes with the property, or by helicopter, which you have to buy yourself. Obviously. The property has a small helipad by the pool, so you can get your James Bond cosplay on, with or without the Heinekens or Martinis or whatever beverage you prefer.

The island was bought by Klaus Meckeler, a leading doctor from New Jersey, in the mid-'80s. He wanted a family retreat, so he built a two-bedroom home with an adjacent guest cottage. Because the island has official offshore island status, it comes with grandfathered building rights, which means new owners could continue constructing on it should they desire.

Meckler sold the property in 1995, and it has since been upgraded with more modern amenities, being turned into more than just a gorgeous private retreat: it is now a fully self-sufficient private retreat, which adds to its appeal.

The main house has a rain catchment system that feeds a 15,000-gallon (56,781-liter) freshwater cistern, solar panels on the roof, and a wind turbine to run all appliances inside. The property "stands as a testament to sustainability, embodying a commitment to environmental harmony and responsible living," according to the listing. But it's a commitment of the most luxurious kind.

East Sister Rock Island has been on the market on and off in recent years for prices ranging between $8.5 million and $16.5 million, which is the current asking. It's also been offered for rent on various platforms during this time, so it's been paying for itself.

The sustainability focus aside, the property is just as beautiful and fancy as you'd expect, but in a rather subdued, un-flashy way. The main house has two bedrooms and a bathroom, while the guest house can sleep three more people in another bedroom with bunks, a bathroom, and a bar-kitchen area.

Total living space is 5,000 square feet (464 square meters) designed solely for entertaining, from the chef's kitchen in the main house to a couple of bars in both structures, the barbecue spot on the wraparound veranda, the "picnic" area by the waterside, and the pool.

The open-plan design is paired with hardwood floors and exposed beam ceilings, expansive glazing, natural stone and wood pieces, and minimal furniture to keep the space breezy. Needless to say, every room in either house comes with surrounding, uninterrupted views of the Atlantic. You don’t buy an island to build a house on and then waste the opportunity to enjoy it in whichever way possible.

The island sits on a coral reef and is surrounded by rocks, so it's protected from crashing waves. As noted above, it comes with boat dockage, a helipad, and 800 feet of water frontage for your boats and water toys.

No wonder, then, that the property has been a hit as a rental when it failed to secure a buyer. It's not cheap to rent, either, with prices for a 7-night stay ranging from $12,500 for the non-holiday standard option to $17,500 for New Year's for the entire island but without the detached guest cottage, which adds another $3,500 a week to the final bill.

So, yes, sustainability can be both appealing and super luxurious, which means it's also super expensive, whether to buy or to rent. Those of us who can't afford even that minimal 7-night stay can still look, though, because looking costs nothing. Neither does indulging in a spot of "what if..."