After 40 years operating a travel and tourism business in the Caribbean, Marilyn Mackay and her husband of 51 years, Michael, traveled a "circuitous route" of their own before settling into their lakefront home at 92 Wyassup Lake Road in North Stonington.

In the mid-90s, they'd decided to depart the islands and headed north. Her husband had gone to Yale, so he was familiar with New England, and he wanted a house on a property with a body of water — preferably, a waterfall. They built a home in the Catskills, but the winters were particularly harsh and the community not very tight-knit. "I lasted one winter in the Catskills," she said.

The couple decided to travel and find a new place to settle. They went to the Hamptons for a while, but never abandoned their quest. Looking through The New York Times classified section one morning, her husband spotted a home for sale in Noank; it redirected their attention to southeast Connecticut. That home proved to be too much of a project house, but it did, ultimately, lead them to the little community around Wyassup Lake in North Stonington.

Mackay said she immediately fell in love with the setting — and the house, too, with one small exception. It was pink.

"The pink was hideous," she said, explaining how that was one of several major improvements they made to the house. They got rid of the painted-pink shingles, adding new shingle shake siding, and they added an expansive deck off the house, taking full advantage of the breathtaking view.

"Every neighbor thanked us for moving in and getting rid of the pink," she said, laughing at the memory.

The original part of the house — its debut date remains a mystery — was a small one-room fishing cabin. "Over the years, they built the house around it," the owner explained.

Broker Jeff Valentine grew up not far from the Mackays' house, and he has fond memories of his childhood and Wyassup Lake. Most of the homes around the lake were conceived as summer cottages, but the Mackays' home is a quite-comfortable year-round residence. There are two woodstoves incorporated into the main-level living spaces, which supplements the heating system during the coldest winter months and creates a cozy atmosphere.

'When they bought it, they redid the entire interior and exterior. They did a beautiful job," Valentine said. Valentine was recommended to Mrs. Mackay, who said she's enjoyed working with him to get the house ready to sell.

Today, the house has four bedrooms and decidedly open-plan living and dining areas.

In the listing photos, buyers will note that the owner has a green thumb. There are plants incorporated into her décor, demonstrating how much natural light fills the interior spaces.

The Mackays relished entertaining here on the lake. The deck proved a useful addition, as it served as a venue for special occasions. "We had parties and sit-down dinners there with tables and chairs. We had cocktails there, and I think we had close to 60 some odd people here for my 80th birthday," she noted.

Asked about the how the lake is "used," her Realtor pointed out that it's not a huge body of water — just 101 acres — but there are deep sections. In the summer, you'll find residents kayaking and fishing, boating and water skiing. There are islands in its middle, he said, recounting how they'd swim out to them and pick wild blueberries from the bushes there. He added that there is a community association that governs use of the lake.

The Mackays were able to access the lake by way of their floating dock.

In the wintertime, the lake can freeze. "My kids were actually out on the lake with my father-in-law the other day, ice fishing," Valentine said.

Mrs. Mackay gets out daily to walk the neighborhood around the lake with her beloved Beagle, Caper.

Steps from the house, there's a carriage house that has been used for garaging and a second-story in-law suite. There's also a barn on site that's used for storage, but it originally served as horse stables for the 4.12-acre property.

92 Wyassup Lake Road is "coming soon" to the market. It will be actively listed for sale on February 5, 2022, according to Valentine. Hoping for a buyer who will adore the home as much as she and Michael did, Mrs. Mackay said she has plans to travel again. She'd like to see more of the Middle East and some of the smaller Asian countries that she hasn't yet explored. "It's a big world out there," she said.

Property: 92 Wyassup Lake Rd., North Stonington

Bedrooms: 4

Baths: 4

Square Footage: 3,100

Acreage: 4.12

Asking Price: $1.3 million

Seller's Agent: Jeffrey S. Valentine, William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty, Niantic brokerage; Office: (860) 572-6400; Mobile: (860) 912-7223; jvalentine@williampitt.com