2 shipping containers, 2 acres + a lot of love create a cool Little River Canyon retreat for these Alabama adventurers

Experienced kayakers, scuba-diving enthusiasts and overall adventure-lovers, Gardendale residents Andy and Helen Shirey are not conventional thinkers, and their dream getaway near one of their favorite places in Alabama is not a conventional build.

Practical, resourceful and mindful of nature, absolutely.

Married in 2019 after meeting through their mutual love for whitewater kayaking, over the past year and a half, the Shireys have been creating a cool little shipping container cabin retreat along Teddy Bear Creek, near Little River Canyon in DeKalb County.

Read on to learn more about why this approach appealed to the Shireys, the progress they’ve made and what they’ve discovered so far.

The land + a fortuitous meeting

Not long after they married, the Shireys began looking for land to create a retreat close to landscapes they’d both enjoyed exploring over the years. When a fellow kayaker posted a listing in a Facebook paddlers’ group, they tuned in. The property was situated along Little River Canyon feeder Bear Creek, a place they both love. It’s a short drive to Canyon Mouth Park and perfectly positioned between Birmingham and other favorite paddling places like the Ocoee River in East Tennessee.

Despite the land being remote, oddly shaped and undeveloped, they were in. Then came the decisions about what they’d bring to fruition there. Helen says they made several visits to look at the land and figure out their next steps.

On one trip, they were standing on the side of the road contemplating it all when a man in an old Chevy S-10 pickup pulled over. After introducing himself as Billy Twilley of Lickskillet, the man offered to help them with anything they may need. When they explained they needed help putting in a road, Twilley “had a guy.” They met and initiated the project that very day.

More serendipity

The Shireys landed on the shipping container approach not long after. Andy says he’d explored several options, including traditional outbuildings and tiny homes. He chose the containers for their durability and added security, an especially important consideration given their schedules. They’d squeeze in weekend visits to work on the project around their full-time work with Jefferson County—he as a construction equipment operator and Helen as public information officer.

Andy found an Atlanta company selling containers and had a 40-foot and a 20-foot container delivered to the lot at a total cost of about $5,000. The couple found another great Facebook marketplace deal for the temporary electric pole they needed for the initial phase. On the other hand, the new door ended up being more expensive than one of the containers, albeit a critical splurge, Helen says.

“Before that, we had a mosquito net. I somehow thought it would also protect us from bears. We would camp inside, roll up everything and get to work.”
_{Helen Shirey}

Since then, they’ve spent about $10,000 more in materials, bringing their total so far, land and all, somewhere between $40,000 and $50,000.

Small spaces + intentional choices

The Shireys worked with the county on permitting and questions, which they found to be straightforward. Instead of a septic system, they opted for a composting toilet, something Helen says she was skeptical of until seeing similar systems during a trip to British Columbia. She says the result has been odor-free and well-suited to their needs and time spent there.

They’ve also added:

💦 Water access
🧣Insulation + a large dehumidifier to remove condensation
💨 An energy-efficient mini-split system for climate control
🚿 A heated outdoor shower with a privacy screen

Beyond the basics, the cabin’s interior now features a few essential amenities, including an induction cooktop, toaster oven, microwave and a single-serve Keurig in a dark green color that inspired the paint choice for the butcher block cabinet, Helen says.

“There were a lot of situations where we just got to a point and would go, ‘Yeah, that’ll be cool. Let’s do that!'”
_{Andy Shirey}

Preserving access

After a relatively small investment of money and a large commitment of time and care, the Shireys have transitioned their “Steel Haven” from a worksite to a real retreat. The couple is excited to welcome friends to hammock camp or pitch tents, and a fire pit area is next on their ongoing list of projects, Helen says.

Over breakfast at the Rim of the Canyon Cafe in Fort Payne, they’ve already made some new boating friends. Many of the regulars had seen the property and wondered who’d purchased it. When they asked if they could put in or take out their boats there, the Shireys replied, “Of course!” Protecting and increasing access was another important reason they chose the land, Helen says.

Meanwhile, new favorite moments are happening with every visit, most recently in December.

“We saw our first deer this weekend. We were just sitting there, looking out the door, which is what we’ve dreamed about. This deer was just walking by, and I thought, ‘Okay, yeah. This is cool!'”
_{Helen Shirey}

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