Can I get cable out here?
June 12, 2012 4:31 PM Subscribe
While not as famous as its photogenic neighbor, Boon Island six miles off the town of York, Maine has quite the history of cannibalism, ghosts and shipwrecks. Would you like to own the tallest lighthouse in New England?
In their defense, I've almost gnawed off my own arm looking for a decent eats around there too.
posted by yerfatma at 4:55 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by yerfatma at 4:55 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
An estimated 16,000 pounds (7ΒΌ t) of mercury remain unrecovered and is believed to have settled in the low point of the cargo hold.
YIKES!
posted by poe at 5:07 PM on June 12, 2012
YIKES!
posted by poe at 5:07 PM on June 12, 2012
That's ~$100,000 of mercury according to WolfamAlpha.
posted by feloniousmonk at 5:13 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by feloniousmonk at 5:13 PM on June 12, 2012
My dream is to retire after a successful career and open up a used bookstore in a lighthouse somewhere in New England; unfortunately, I don't think this lighthouse would be a very good candidate for used bookstore staging. Maybe a restaurant, though.
posted by ChuraChura at 5:19 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by ChuraChura at 5:19 PM on June 12, 2012
Would you like to own the tallest lighthouse in New England?
I think as the internet people say: TAKE MY MONEY.
posted by jessamyn at 5:35 PM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I think as the internet people say: TAKE MY MONEY.
posted by jessamyn at 5:35 PM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Were I a freshly-minted billionaire, this would be my first order of business to express my eccentricities.
Make up some sort of non-profit, take ownership of the lighthouse and use it for ... purposes.
posted by Tevin at 5:50 PM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Make up some sort of non-profit, take ownership of the lighthouse and use it for ... purposes.
posted by Tevin at 5:50 PM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
"It's got a great history," he said. "It's Maine's tallest lighthouse; it once had lighthouse keepers out there; it's the only place cannibalism took place."
posted by R. Mutt at 6:09 PM on June 12, 2012
posted by R. Mutt at 6:09 PM on June 12, 2012
On Dec. 11, 1710, the Nottingham Galley shipwrecked on Boon Island during a sleet storm. All 14 men aboard survived the initial wreck but resorted to cannibalism before the remainder were rescued 24 days later.
Talk about not giving enough info. I know a good word problem when I see it. How many people were left? I need to know this before I know how many were eaten.
Also, my letter of interest goes out tomorrow.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:08 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Talk about not giving enough info. I know a good word problem when I see it. How many people were left? I need to know this before I know how many were eaten.
Also, my letter of interest goes out tomorrow.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:08 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Huh, I had never heard all the lore about Boon Island. The survival cannibalism story is gruesome and fascinating. The ME State Museum apparently had a show on this just recently. Here's an archaeology report. One of the crew accused the captain of arranging the wreck to cash in on insurance money and wrote an account of the episode which is on archive.org.
posted by Miko at 7:19 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 7:19 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Kenneth Roberts wrote a very readable fictionalized account, Boon Island.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:26 AM on June 13, 2012
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:26 AM on June 13, 2012
Would you like to own the tallest lighthouse in New England?
That's a very kind and generous offer, thank you. When can I pick up the keys?
posted by reynir at 2:48 PM on June 13, 2012
That's a very kind and generous offer, thank you. When can I pick up the keys?
posted by reynir at 2:48 PM on June 13, 2012
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posted by New England Cultist at 4:49 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]