House Manual  

Island Home on King’s Bay 

Arrival:  

Please park only in the driveway. There is room for the equivalent of up to 7 vehicles in the driveway if parked in an organized manner. A boat trailer may fit in the grass on the south end. Absolutely no parking in the street and no vehicles sticking out into the street. This is a big deal to the neighbors. 

Prior to arrival, you will be given a keycode for the front door lock. This code will be valid for the length of your stay. Press the screen firmly, the keypad will light up. Enter the code on the keypad. Lock should disengage. To re-lock, hold door firmly closed, press the lock icon, and make sure you hear the lock engage. Once inside you lock the door by turning the knob.  

Adjust the thermostat by tapping the screen then dragging the blue circle to a comfortable A/C setting. If heat is required, drag the orange circle. 

The current Wifi network name is: “1110 Crescent”  

The current Wifi password is: Showmethemanatee  

During your stay:  

There will be no daily cleaning as in a hotel. If you are staying for an extended period and want to arrange for cleaning during your stay, we can put you in touch with our housekeepers.  

If you have properly arranged to bring your pet(s), please note that they must be crated any time they are left in any room of the house alone. Bedrooms and bathrooms are not dog crates. They are strange places that call for escape by any means – including scratching doors and floors.   

Hopefully, by now you realize that staying in a home with a pool and with water access is different than staying at a hotel or a resort.  Along with the convenience and relative privacy come a few of the chores that homeowners get used to.  There is no one coming to do them for you.  The pool is the best example. Yes, we have a pool service. They come once a week. Their primary objective is to maintain the water chemistry. You will definitely need to clean out the skimmer basket regularly and use the net to skim from the surface and the bottom. Below are some specific instructions. 

Pool: 

Our pool is a combination pool and spa. There are jets located along the bench that surrounds most of the pool. You will have the option to send water to the pool and waterfalls, or to the spa jets, by altering the position of 2 valves. You can then also turn on a 'blower' that sends bubbles via a switch on the wall near the pool pump. See the kiosk for pictures that explain it better. Always OPEN one valve before closing the other.  NEVER let the pump run with both returns closed. One or the other should always be completely open. 

There are no lights IN the pool. Therefore, for safety, it is important to make sure that the flood light in the pool area is on when you swim after dark.  The 3 way switches are on the wall of the Sunroom and just inside the exit of the Master bedroom.  

We have a removable child/pet fence available that surrounds the pool. It will only be set up by request of those with small children or pets.  If it is set up, you can put it up and down as needed.  Also, it is possible to open up individual panels while leaving the rest in place.  

The pool tech will usually be here on Monday. She won’t come inside the house.  She’ll usually be here for less than a half hour. 

At the corner of the pool, near the waterfall is a water level control device attached to a hose.  This works the same way as a toilet tank.  It has a float that starts and stops as the water level changes.  The hose is attached to the valve on the north side of the house.  It should always be turned on and at a moderately low flow level. If the pool is low, it means someone has turned off that hose.  Please don’t let anyone play with or disturb the device.   

Empty the skimmer basket regularly and use the net on the pole before swimming or anytime to remove floating debris. Use a net on the pool bottom as well.   

The pump/filter is set to run 8-12 hours per day during daylight hours.  We will soon be able to remotely change the schedule (not available at this time). For now, you will have to manually turn on and off the pump if you want to use the jets later in the evening. 

No smoking in the house includes no smoking on or near the pool deck.  Ash is not fun to clean out of the pool. 

Kayaks: 

To keep nightly rates as low as possible, kayaks are available for one very reasonable fee for your entire stay. Access the guest portal to add them after booking. We have 4 individual kayaks and 2 tandem kayaks.  They are all stored on a kayak tree in the backyard. They are secured with a chain and a lock.  You will receive the code for the padlock if you have paid. Life jackets and paddles are stored in one of the outdoor closets on the North side of the house. If you prefer not to wear a life jacket, just attach one to each kayak to be in compliance. Drain them when you are finished using them and store them face down. Put them back on the tree when you leave. You will be charged an additional fee if the kayaks and supplies aren't put away when you leave. 

Dock: 

You are welcome to launch kayaks and tie your watercraft to the dock. There are dock bumpers stored in one of the outdoor closets. There is a removable ladder at one end that you are welcome to use to get into the water if, for example, there are manatees in the area. There are noodles in one of the outdoor closets for your use. We do not provide goggles or snorkel gear.  Too hard to keep clean.  The boat lift is not available at this time.  

Manatees: 

You are welcome to get in the water of the cove to observe manatees.  The basic instruction is to view them passively from the surface, as in "look, but don't touch". It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee." Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 

Grill: 

We have a pellet grill with a combo propane griddle for your use.  If you are not familiar with using a pellet grill, please use the griddle. Please clean the grill thoroughly after it has cooled. You will be charged a fee if the grill is dirty when you leave.  

Fire Pit: 

The fire pit is available for your use.  We do not keep any firewood. The Adirondacks chairs are good for around the fire pit and there are Citronella candles available for your use. 

Bathroom Spa: 

We have an on-demand hot water heater, so it takes a while before hot water gets to the tub, and its flow rate is not ideal for a large tub. Run water until it gets warm and then be careful that it doesn't get TOO hot. Make sure the tub is filled above the highest jet before engaging the jets.  There is a package of cleaning tabs under the sink if the jets are expelling debris.  Follow package instructions.   

Kitchen: 

We try to leave the refrigerator clean and empty for you.  The ice and filtered water dispensers are good to use.  

You are welcome to use - and leave behind - any spices and staples in the cupboards. Though we don't regularly stock these items, we do leave them for your use rather than disposing between guests. 

Please hand wash pots and pans and wood-handled knives. Nearly everything else can go in the dishwasher. The dishwasher will work best if it is not overfilled and if you use a lengthy time setting (quick wash doesn't seem to get things very clean).  

Check the labels on dishes and cookware for microwave and dishwasher compatibility. Soap pods are under the sink. Kitchen towels are in the pantry.  

Other:  

We like nice towels.  But we seem to lose a lot of them.  So for accountability, we are providing the equivalent of 2 towel sets (bath towel, hand towel, wash cloth) for each person up to six people.  Then one set for each additional guest. Please use black washcloths for makeup removal.  

In a basket in the Sunroom, you will find a collection of 'retired' towels that you are welcome to use at the beach, on a boat, for pets, and for messy jobs. Please don't use nice bath towels for these types of things so that they stay nice longer! 

There will be one pool towel per registered guest stored in the entertainment console in the sunroom.  Hang them out to dry or launder them as necessary. 

You are welcome to use the laundry facilities and any cleaning supplies. We’ve tried to provide enough supplies (toilet paper, shampoo, dish sponges, etc) for a short stay. Don’t overuse laundry soap. We try to provide soap 'pods'. A medium load needs only one pod. Medium loads are best for the sake of getting things dry. Check the guidebook for where to buy additional supplies.  

Television. All TVs are smart TVs. There are a variety of free services that include many of the broadcast networks. We do not provide cable. If you have your own TV service, Netflix, etc., you will be able to log in on any TV. 

Trash pickup is on Monday and Thursday. There are two bins outdoors on the north side of the garage. Please roll the can out the night before.  They come VERY early.  There is no recyclables pickup.  Please keep lids on the trash cans and do not leave trash bags outside of the cans - they will be torn up by critters.   

There are games in the entertainment center in the front living area. 

There is an Amazon Echo (Alexa) in the house (kitchen counter).  You can ask her to play music, etc. We have Amazon Music Unlimited, so just ask "Alexa" to play a certain song or playlist.  Also, the strip of lights near the pool come on by request of Alexa. Just say "Alexa turn on the pool lights". Check for additional smart- home items on the kiosk. 

If you choose not to use the Echo device, the switch to control the colorful pool lights is located on the north wall of the house at the corner nearest the pool.  There is also a flood light over the pool with a switch on the Sunroom wall. 

There are water items in the closets on the North side of the house.  You will be given a code for access. 

There are folding chairs in the main closet and a folding table for additional eating space, etc.  There is a porta crib in the Master Bedroom closet.   

The sofa beds are not premade, the linens are stored in the entertainment consoles in the Sunroom and the Front Living room. Please use linens if the sofa beds are opened. Move coffee tables as necessary before opening. 

Enjoy your stay!  

Departure:  

We pass along what is truly a very small amount for 'resetting' a house of this size. That is because we rely on you to clean up after yourselves. Please try to leave the house the way you found it.  

Please leave unmade but do not strip the beds that you used. (housekeeper has found this the best routine). If sofa beds were used leave them open.   

You can help us by washing and drying as many towels as you can, and please keep the whites separate from colors!  

Set the thermostat to 75 cool and 67 heat. Do not turn it off.  

Please dispose of any perishable items that you don't think the housekeeper will want to take home. You can leave behind for others any unopened dry goods with lengthy expiration dates!  

Please roll the trash cans out when you leave, even if not a trash day.   

If you need to run the dishwasher one more time, do not overfill it, and make sure it is running when you leave. Please wash all dishes. 

Thoroughly clean the grill if you used it.  This needs to include the grates, the burner covers, and the grease catcher. You will be charged if it is not cleaned, as this would be an unexpected job for the housekeeper. 

Please wipe everything down and sweep to disappoint bugs and critters.  

Please make sure there is nothing left outdoors that you found inside. 

Turn off all lights and ceiling fans.  

Make sure all windows and exterior doors are closed and locked.   

Lock the front door by closing firmly and pressing the lock button.  Please test it to make sure it locked.  

This manual and a local guidebook will also be available on a tablet kiosk when you arrive.