A weekend on Dangar Island feels like an adventure. There's nothing like escaping the rat race and arriving by boat to make you feel you're a million miles away from it all. Ironically, you're not far away at all, but it definitely feels like you are. It's easy to spot the full-time residents of Dangar - they're an arty, eclectic bunch, but surprisingly open, friendly, helpful, and welcoming to visitors. Taking a stroll around the island is extremely relaxing, it has a really laid back, unspoiled tropical feeling, unparalleled by anywhere else in Sydney.
We paddled our kayaks from Brooklyn to stay at Barbara and Glenn's Boatshed. It's on the quiet side of the island (you can't hear the train at all, unlike the other side), actually you can't hear pretty much anything, as it is in a perfectly tranquil location, only the sounds of the water and the birds. The Boatshed is also extremely private. There is even a stable door leading off the bathroom, that you could fully or partially open if you wish to have the feeling of bringing the outdoors in. The Boatshed is a perfect mix of rustic charm and creature comforts. Not pristine enough to loose it's history and character, but comfortably furnished, and nice touches such as organic toiletries, and quality bedding and towels. The full kitchen is well stocked with everything you need, you could pretty much cook whatever you wanted to there - you just need to be organised enough to bring your ingredients. Failing that, the bowling club is a fun way to mingle it with the locals, and the cafe is great for brekky, lunch, and afternoon tea.
There were a couple of unexpected maintenance issues that arose during our stay, but even though Barbara wasn't staying at her house on Dangar that weekend, she responded immediately and offered us practical solutions to ensure we were comfortable during our stay. For obvious reasons, professional tradesmen can't magically appear on an island at certain times of the weekend, but Barbara went to great lengths to rectify those problems for us as much as she could in the meantime.
One of the best surprises we had was the truly magnificent night skies seen from the Boatshed. So many stars and constellations visible, including the milky way, and I even saw a shooting star, which was pretty cool - not at all what you would expect from being so close to metropolitan Sydney!