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When I was a kid I wanted to be a lighthouse keeper. All alone for weeks or months on end, nothing but solitude while you could be your own boss and just work on the machines to keep the lighthouse going. Sounded nice. Even stories like this didnt really bother me too much, they're fairly uncommon in the grand scheme of things and the reward outweighed the risk. I don't like crowds, and other people mostly just annoy me, so a job with endless hours of solitude sounds grand. Then I found out that "Lighthouse Keeper" was a dead profession by the time I was born and that made me really sad.
My father was stationed at Ft. Jefferson Dry Tortugas lighthouse while serving in the Coast Guard in the late 1940's. He had VERY interesting stories about it. Even then, lighthouse service was harrowing with a low quality of life.
I try... but really i can only imagine what it must be like to have experienced such conditions. No hope in heaven to be rescued if something happened, daily dominated by solitude and the immense power of the ocean. Scary.
The problem wasn't that no one knew there was an emergency, Howell had signaled that there was an emergency and the people on the mainland were well aware of it. The problem was that the weather was so bad, for approximately four months, that no boat could get close enough to the island to land or hear any reply from the man waving from the railing. (which of course was never coming)
I've dived the Smalls. It's only do-able in the best of weather and you have to get slack water right or you can get swept in between two of the the rocks and away. It's a looong trip from Milford Haven out past Skomer and Green Island with all its gannets, including some spreadeagled on the rocks, pinioned by the polypropylene rope and fishing net they harvest to build nests. The seals on the Smalls are friendly and curious as they don't see many divers so have never been bothered. You're working at 20m and they will come in and tweak your fins - 'Go away, seal, I'm trying to count!" Bu99er, I'l have to start again). A very wild place, beautiful on a calm sunny day and wonderful diving, but you just know it''ll be horrendous in rough weather.
I’ll gladly drink a toast to the courage of anyone who stayed to work in that lighthouse, but certainly not to the wisdom of the architect who built it! It’s easy to understand why they had to get a musical instrument maker to build it, since probably no one else wanted to construct the impossible job. The tragic irony is that the outpost and its resources were silvery scanty, no doubt on account of how hard it was to build there, when a certain logic dictates, and it should’ve been a larger, sturdier, even more impressive structure, both to understand the elements and to store in more extensive supply of provisions and other items. This building needed to be like a small castle, not just a tower.
growing up on Cape Cod, the lighthouses were such an integral and fascinating part of my existence. there's a whimsey and a magic to them, until you realize that its not all its cracked up to be. ive heard this story a few times, and this honestly the best retelling of it i've ever heard. i adore this channel, and i love the way you tell stories, it gives "sitting a campfire" vibes. comfortable, and soft but still so eerie.
Thank you for narrating this video with your own smooth, relaxing voice. So much better than any AI stuff any day! Thank you for this video. The music in the background is perfect by the way❤
To put things into perspective, three days before they set out to construct the first lighthouse, George Washington was named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. By the time it was replaced, Kentucky had joined the Confederacy. That was one tough pile of sticks.
The Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army on June 19, 1775. Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861. in case anybody else on this planet has those dates not accurate in mind atm
@@eisenkopf69 yeah I'm a Canadian who recognized the war of independence and the civil war being 1776 and 1861 respectively, but I don't think any of my friends know those dates, cheers.
@bearcatracing007 My grandma's house was built close to the cliffs at Whale Beach, NSW. I loved the sounds of the crashing waves, especially at night, drifting off to sleep. It was soothing in a way.
"Three men are enough." The three vanished keepers of Flannan Isles would probably say that a fourth could have saved them... Personally, I'd love to stay on a lighthouse with a friend for a few weeks. But not with a corpse. THAT really is a nightmare. So much so that I would probably have jumped into the sea myself, just to get away.
Easier to ditch it in the sea. Corpses aren't very interesting after your first couple. Everyone dies and almost all of us are disposed of with or without ritual by other humans. No way I'm spending time next to that much rotten meat.
Ever hear of the Minot's Ledge Lighthouse? No big tragedies there because it's unmanned but, perched on a rock in the wild Atlantic, it's no place any sane man would want to be.
I appreciate this side story to the ships we all enjoy learning about. The trials of man throughout history are many times hart breaking. Thank you for these well researched mini documentaries.
I feel a song coming on... "I want to marry a lighthouse keeper And keep him company. I want to marry a lighthouse keeper And live by the side of the sea. I'll polish his lamp by the light of day, So ships at night can find their way. I want to marry a lighthouse keeper, Won't that be okay?" Songwriters: Erika Eigen
My paternal grandfather was a light house keeper in Nova Scotia, Canada. He said it was a good job if you had "not enjoyed the war". He was one of Canadians who invaded Italy in September of 1943.
I remember hearing about this story on the Lore podcast a few years ago - I much prefer your retelling!!! The history of the lighthouse was fascinating and your dramatic narration really pulled the Howell and Griffith story together!
Tasting History with Max Miller did a video awhile back about what lighthouse keepers ate while on duty and he covered the mental challenges they faced. Another great production, Sir
Christ, the thought that Thomas could've been rescued sooner if it weren't for the body "waving" is... If it were a novel, I'd call it heavy handed dramatic irony. But the fact that it actually happened is both deeply tragic and soul-rending. That poor man.
They left out the fact that he did not know that he had raised the wrong flag over his light house. He did not fly the distress flag, he had raised an administrative flag of no significance.
Your narration is top notch! Your content is always interesting and well planned and executed! I really enjoy your channel and am always excited to listen. Thank you
BOB that is kinda creepy. Just goes to show that a light keeper in an isolated house, needs to have a certain mind set. Like, not need a lot of social or outside contact. Just someone who is is happy to be by themselves.
The way you two communicate is priceless. When Gly came across the rail trestle I thought most would just pass it by. But he let us know why it was put there. Thanks for us laymen. BTW do you ever worry about vandalism of Old Bob while your exploring ?
Lighthouses: You have nothing around you but the sound of the waves crashing on the rocky shores The smalls lighthouse: Your on your own, keeping the beacon shining
You know what would make a great video, Piracy on the Great Lakes. I enjoy all of your about the Great Lakes and decide to google Great Lakes piracy because I never knew if it existed and was shocked to see not only did it it was still going on in the 1920s! There was also the massive smuggling operation’s going on during prohibition when millions of dollars in liquor flowed through the Lakes as well.
It must be some kind of special hell to not only be afraid of being blamed for the death of your co-worker, but then to have to contend with the stench of a corpse, and THEN to have that corpse just waving at you, all day every day, never letting you forget it's there. I desperately hope he was never told that nobody came to relieve him because of the waving corpse as well, because that's its own layer of f*cked up. The corpse is not only tormenting you, but is actively preventing your rescue. That's beyond grim.
Just got back from a cold, chilly damp walk with dog- and can now lie on the sofa and listen to this lovely narrator and warm up . I'm not too far from where this Lighthouse is, either! 133 miles away.
I bet even back then a bottled message was well known to be of significance, even to the illiterate, especially if they were men of the sea themselves. To organize a response or to deliver the message, they had to go back to shore anyway, where there always was someone who could read, and be that the local priest.
You should investigate the H.M.T. Rohna tragedy. Sunk in the Mediterranean Nov. 1943 by what is believed to be a guided weapon. 1100 troops killed including my Uncle Tony 💜
“Yes, I have a dream, and it’s not some MLK dream for equality. I want to own a decommissioned lighthouse. And I want to live at the top. And nobody knows I live there. And there’s a button that I can press, and launch that lighthouse into space.” - Stanley Hudson. Wise words 😁
“Should pale death with treble dread, Make the ocean caves our bed. God who hearst the surges roll, deign to to save the suppliant soul.” -Thomas Wake does this mean we could possibly get a flannan isle lighthouse video in the future?
I took a day for relaxation today, and I got more angry and irrational after just a couple of hours home. I however have the luxury of going out and doing something, yet I write this filled with hate for for this day. I simply cannot imagine what these people went through.
I Would've loved to work in a light house...! 100% solitude, no annoying people, no backtalk from the wife, fishing during the day....! Starry nights...!
What an awful and horrifying thing to happen. I can't begin to imagine what Howell had to endure. It's even more unbelievable that he continued to keep the light lit and working. Whatever the circumstances surrounding the death of his mate, it is clear that two men died in that wretched lighthouse.
I'm surprised they didn't have a system of lights signals to indicate any emergencies or problems or that everything was okay, to be used on a regular basis. Ships used flags to communicate - seems they could have thought of something. Is this a reflection of the class system in Great Britain at the time, or were lighthouses run the same way around the world?
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Thank you for watching!
Good one! Thanks.
This should have been your Halloween special. Salute to those old lighthouse keepers.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a lighthouse keeper. All alone for weeks or months on end, nothing but solitude while you could be your own boss and just work on the machines to keep the lighthouse going. Sounded nice. Even stories like this didnt really bother me too much, they're fairly uncommon in the grand scheme of things and the reward outweighed the risk. I don't like crowds, and other people mostly just annoy me, so a job with endless hours of solitude sounds grand.
Then I found out that "Lighthouse Keeper" was a dead profession by the time I was born and that made me really sad.
Same here, still dreaming of it from time to time.
I think you can still do seasonal fire watch for the forest service.
What. What? What what what what whattt. Dammmm yeee Winslow !
Yeah. Sad that most lights are now unmanned.
Though nuke lights are kinda cool in their own way.
@@OgYokYokdepends on the forest, but yeah. I loved my time in that job.
My father was stationed at Ft. Jefferson Dry Tortugas lighthouse while serving in the Coast Guard in the late 1940's. He had VERY interesting stories about it. Even then, lighthouse service was harrowing with a low quality of life.
Any care to mention one of those stories?
I try... but really i can only imagine what it must be like to have experienced such conditions. No hope in heaven to be rescued if something happened, daily dominated by solitude and the immense power of the ocean.
Scary.
But there are much worse places to be stationed! Unless of course, there is a hurricane!
The classical cello music works extremely well with these videos, this might be my favourite Old Boats video
That was an incredibly bone chilling story, it's kin to an Edgar Allan Poe or H.P Lovecraft short story. Bravo my friend! 👏🏾
It's an honour to hear Big Old Boats tell a story from this side of the Atlantic.
Seems to me that if he'd just turned off the light for a night or two the mainland would have come running.
A clear thinking person would most likely do that. The stress this man was facing was too much
Madness usually doesn't include logic 😊
The problem wasn't that no one knew there was an emergency, Howell had signaled that there was an emergency and the people on the mainland were well aware of it.
The problem was that the weather was so bad, for approximately four months, that no boat could get close enough to the island to land or hear any reply from the man waving from the railing. (which of course was never coming)
Ok “DOWN” lol
All he had to do was risk a ship with potentially hundreds of lives to do that. I’d understand if he did. But it’s incredibly commendable he did not.
I've dived the Smalls. It's only do-able in the best of weather and you have to get slack water right or you can get swept in between two of the the rocks and away. It's a looong trip from Milford Haven out past Skomer and Green Island with all its gannets, including some spreadeagled on the rocks, pinioned by the polypropylene rope and fishing net they harvest to build nests. The seals on the Smalls are friendly and curious as they don't see many divers so have never been bothered. You're working at 20m and they will come in and tweak your fins - 'Go away, seal, I'm trying to count!" Bu99er, I'l have to start again). A very wild place, beautiful on a calm sunny day and wonderful diving, but you just know it''ll be horrendous in rough weather.
I’ll gladly drink a toast to the courage of anyone who stayed to work in that lighthouse, but certainly not to the wisdom of the architect who built it! It’s easy to understand why they had to get a musical instrument maker to build it, since probably no one else wanted to construct the impossible job.
The tragic irony is that the outpost and its resources were silvery scanty, no doubt on account of how hard it was to build there, when a certain logic dictates, and it should’ve been a larger, sturdier, even more impressive structure, both to understand the elements and to store in more extensive supply of provisions and other items. This building needed to be like a small castle, not just a tower.
growing up on Cape Cod, the lighthouses were such an integral and fascinating part of my existence. there's a whimsey and a magic to them, until you realize that its not all its cracked up to be.
ive heard this story a few times, and this honestly the best retelling of it i've ever heard.
i adore this channel, and i love the way you tell stories, it gives "sitting a campfire" vibes. comfortable, and soft but still so eerie.
My Newfoundlander great, great, great grandfather was a light house keeper. ❤❤❤😊
I live in Newfoundland although I am not a Newfoundlander
@roderickcampbell2105 it's not really new anymore
@@patrickglaser1560 True. Newfoundland is not so new. There were many folk tramping around this place for many centuries.
Love it. Lighthouses are often such iconic places.
Thank you for narrating this video with your own smooth, relaxing voice. So much better than any AI stuff any day! Thank you for this video. The music in the background is perfect by the way❤
To put things into perspective, three days before they set out to construct the first lighthouse, George Washington was named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. By the time it was replaced, Kentucky had joined the Confederacy.
That was one tough pile of sticks.
That is a very interesting fact.
The Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army on June 19, 1775.
Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861.
in case anybody else on this planet has those dates not accurate in mind atm
@@eisenkopf69thank you! I don’t live in the centre of the universe and thus had no idea what this timeline was..
@@eisenkopf69 yeah I'm a Canadian who recognized the war of independence and the civil war being 1776 and 1861 respectively, but I don't think any of my friends know those dates, cheers.
I can only imagine the sound (Noise) of crashing waves 24/7 would be enough to push you over the edge.
I have heard it for 42 years, I can't sleep without it now.
@bearcatracing007 My grandma's house was built close to the cliffs at Whale Beach, NSW.
I loved the sounds of the crashing waves, especially at night, drifting off to sleep. It was soothing in a way.
The movie “The Lighthouse” is VERY lightly based on this incident.
I was wondering about this.
Excellent movie!
Think that was based on Flannan Isles lighthouse, a real mystery.
@@drake000666 it’s based on both but mostly this
@@drake000666 I love the Flannan lighthouse mystery
"Three men are enough."
The three vanished keepers of Flannan Isles would probably say that a fourth could have saved them...
Personally, I'd love to stay on a lighthouse with a friend for a few weeks. But not with a corpse. THAT really is a nightmare. So much so that I would probably have jumped into the sea myself, just to get away.
Easier to ditch it in the sea. Corpses aren't very interesting after your first couple. Everyone dies and almost all of us are disposed of with or without ritual by other humans.
No way I'm spending time next to that much rotten meat.
I spent a week rough camping on a small island off Maine & would rather be in a prison than alight house alone
With 2 men there's no redundancy, 3 men there's at least some redundancy.
Ever hear of the Minot's Ledge Lighthouse? No big tragedies there because it's unmanned but, perched on a rock in the wild Atlantic, it's no place any sane man would want to be.
It's unmanned NOW, but was most definitely manned in the past. And 2 keepers were swept away when the lighthouse broke apart in a hurricane in 1851.
It's a landmark locally. Point of reference from the beach & dunes & mariners headed through the Nantasket Roads sealane.
I appreciate this side story to the ships we all enjoy learning about. The trials of man throughout history are many times hart breaking. Thank you for these well researched mini documentaries.
I feel a song coming on...
"I want to marry a lighthouse keeper
And keep him company.
I want to marry a lighthouse keeper
And live by the side of the sea.
I'll polish his lamp by the light of day,
So ships at night can find their way.
I want to marry a lighthouse keeper,
Won't that be okay?"
Songwriters: Erika Eigen
Screw that. Sitting out there on a couple wood pillars. Hell NO.
God bless you Big Old Boats for your work. My life is on the verge of going down the drain, but your videos keep me calm and focused. Thank you.
God bless you.
Hoping things get better for you.
I hope things level out for you.
Wishing you well thru your own life storm at the moment.
I love a lighthouse story and your narration makes it special, thanks bro!
My paternal grandfather was a light house keeper in Nova Scotia, Canada. He said it was a good job if you had "not enjoyed the war". He was one of Canadians who invaded Italy in September of 1943.
For those curious, the large glass lenses of Lighthouses are called a _fresnel lens_
I remember hearing about this story on the Lore podcast a few years ago - I much prefer your retelling!!! The history of the lighthouse was fascinating and your dramatic narration really pulled the Howell and Griffith story together!
Tasting History with Max Miller did a video awhile back about what lighthouse keepers ate while on duty and he covered the mental challenges they faced.
Another great production, Sir
That's a terrific channel.
Hard to imagine what devils were chasing him as he awaited rescue with a dead man waving to him.
Love the increase in content!!! Keep it coming love your vidios
I do, too...the quality of the uploads and the soothing voice.
Christ, the thought that Thomas could've been rescued sooner if it weren't for the body "waving" is... If it were a novel, I'd call it heavy handed dramatic irony. But the fact that it actually happened is both deeply tragic and soul-rending. That poor man.
They left out the fact that he did not know that he had raised the wrong flag over his light house. He did not fly the distress flag, he had raised an administrative flag of no significance.
Your narration is top notch! Your content is always interesting and well planned and executed! I really enjoy your channel and am always excited to listen. Thank you
BOB that is kinda creepy. Just goes to show that a light keeper in an isolated house, needs to have a certain mind set. Like, not need a lot of social or outside contact. Just someone who is is happy to be by themselves.
The way you two communicate is priceless. When Gly came across the rail trestle I thought most would just pass it by. But he let us know why it was put there. Thanks for us laymen. BTW do you ever worry about vandalism of Old Bob while your exploring ?
I worked at sea for 40 years.
Before GPS, lights were so important for navigation
Awesome video as usual. But could you be so kind to use some more maps so we get an idea where these places are.
I'm to lucky enough to live in a town with not one, but two, of the Great Lakes' most recognizable lighthouses. St. Joseph, MI.
Lighthouses: You have nothing around you but the sound of the waves crashing on the rocky shores
The smalls lighthouse: Your on your own, keeping the beacon shining
I've always thought I was born too late and missed my calling; lighthouse keeper. Just..not THIS lighthouse!
Chilling and fascinating. Many thanks!
Glad to see a new video. I had gone thru the entire great lakes series on Wednesday and was hoping for some new material soon.
That fog horn always creeps me out 😂
This channel has definitely moved into my top 10... Each time I watch a story it is usually the favorite of the day
You know what would make a great video, Piracy on the Great Lakes. I enjoy all of your about the Great Lakes and decide to google Great Lakes piracy because I never knew if it existed and was shocked to see not only did it it was still going on in the 1920s! There was also the massive smuggling operation’s going on during prohibition when millions of dollars in liquor flowed through the Lakes as well.
BOB, a great way to start the day
"This is a story about madness." That is some excellent storytelling.
I really appreciate your videos. Well produced and well narrated.
It must be some kind of special hell to not only be afraid of being blamed for the death of your co-worker, but then to have to contend with the stench of a corpse, and THEN to have that corpse just waving at you, all day every day, never letting you forget it's there. I desperately hope he was never told that nobody came to relieve him because of the waving corpse as well, because that's its own layer of f*cked up. The corpse is not only tormenting you, but is actively preventing your rescue. That's beyond grim.
It's 7:30am on the west coast, and I wake up to this. Awesome. 🌹⚓
Just got back from a cold, chilly damp walk with dog- and can now lie on the sofa and listen to this lovely narrator and warm up . I'm not too far from where this Lighthouse is, either! 133 miles away.
Not often I praise the 'algorithm gods', but on this occasion, finding your channel, I will! Great video!
What did you search for? Isolated men who haven't seen a woman in a year?
Idk why but lighthouses seem cozy and peaceful
Still think so after the vid?
Except when you have to be in one during storms or Hurricanes
I've never heard of this one, interesting.
Being someone who has a phoebia with deep waters and it doesn't help that this lighthouse is literally in the middle of the ocean....nope...smh...lol
Love your stories... You're a fantastic narrator. 👍
More lighthouse stories if you can. This was great!
Smalls? You're killing me, Smalls...
-"The Sandlot
I wish we still had more of the old light houses. They are history to a great many shore lines
loved the music in this, really set the mood well. great video as always :)
It’s too bad that all of them are automated these days.
It's *amazing* that you used the Russian painting of Ivan the Terrible killing his son, to convey lighthouse staff going insane!
Honey! Wake up from your turkey coma! Big Old Boats dropped a video!
😂😂😂
Great work!
the greatest miracle, in my opinion, is not the fact that the bottle was found, but that these 18th century fishermen could read
I bet even back then a bottled message was well known to be of significance, even to the illiterate, especially if they were men of the sea themselves.
To organize a response or to deliver the message, they had to go back to shore anyway, where there always was someone who could read, and be that the local priest.
It's Great Britain, that is why they are literate
Thank you for an amazing piece of history !!!! Really appreciate your channel !!!
I couldn't imagine being stuck all alone for months and a rock in the middle of the ocean
Great video, cheers. Fascinating stuff. Thanks for the upload.
Great video Big Old Boats! What a harrowing ordeal for that Keeper.
I love your channel, personally I turn up the speed to 1.25 so it moves along a little faster... but otherwise perfect.
You should investigate the H.M.T. Rohna tragedy. Sunk in the Mediterranean Nov. 1943 by what is believed to be a guided weapon. 1100 troops killed including my Uncle Tony 💜
It still sounds like my dream job. I only live for solitude.
YAYYYY BIG OLD BOATS
Well done sir!! Keep up thegood work!❤
What an amazing video this was. Great, great job!
Interesting how you use the painting of Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan at 13:18
I thought I recognised that face, too. {Ivan the terrible, with his red rummed son on the rug.....}
@@Oakleaf700 Yea, but so symbolize madness, it is fitting.
“Yes, I have a dream, and it’s not some MLK dream for equality. I want to own a decommissioned lighthouse. And I want to live at the top. And nobody knows I live there. And there’s a button that I can press, and launch that lighthouse into space.” - Stanley Hudson. Wise words 😁
I have a friend like that. He's like a brother, but we also quarrel over anything. Animated discussions. People sometimes mistake it for a fight.
Fascinating!! I absolutely love your channel.
“Should pale death with treble dread, Make the ocean caves our bed. God who hearst the surges roll, deign to to save the suppliant soul.” -Thomas Wake
does this mean we could possibly get a flannan isle lighthouse video in the future?
How terrible. What a devastating turn of events. Those men were so brave to take on the job. Great video!
You should have released this around Halloween, this is a truly chilling real life horror story.
Really great story. Interesting and spooky. 😊
Good stuff! Thanks
This has got to be one of the most chilling stories you’ve ever covered on this channel. Chilling and interesting. Genuinely made me feel the horror.
I've heard this story before. Really messed up! I can't imagine what it must have been like for them. The irony of the waving dead arm...🖖🇨🇦🍻
I took a day for relaxation today, and I got more angry and irrational after just a couple of hours home. I however have the luxury of going out and doing something, yet I write this filled with hate for for this day. I simply cannot imagine what these people went through.
I Would've loved to work in a light house...! 100% solitude, no annoying people, no backtalk from the wife, fishing during the day....! Starry nights...!
Mercury poisoning?
This is essentially a nonfiction version of an Edgar Allan Poe short story.
What a horror! At least they had that cello music.
What an awful and horrifying thing to happen. I can't begin to imagine what Howell had to endure. It's even more unbelievable that he continued to keep the light lit and working. Whatever the circumstances surrounding the death of his mate, it is clear that two men died in that wretched lighthouse.
This would have been a great Halloween story, it's absolutely dreadful! Thanks again for the excellent work!
I'm surprised they didn't have a system of lights signals to indicate any emergencies or problems or that everything was okay, to be used on a regular basis. Ships used flags to communicate - seems they could have thought of something.
Is this a reflection of the class system in Great Britain at the time, or were lighthouses run the same way around the world?
There was a flag to passing ships but the survivor hoisted the wrong non emergency flag.
Love the occassional bits of comedy in these videos.
Roses are red
Your boats are big
When I see your new videos
I do little jig
I always quite fancied the idea of working as a lighthouse keeper but never in a wooden one, must have been hell.
Great story! Would be nice if you could speak up just a little so i dont have to crank my audio and blow out my ears when a Ad pops up
It's always an excellent video 👍
Bad luck to kill a seabird!
Yay! A new video!
I've never heard of thid tragedy really interesting
Gang
Aye
Way to ruin my childhood impression that working in a lighthouse was like Pete's Dragon.