The Eerie Vanishing Of The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Keepers

No one cared who I was until I put on the mask This week on Buzzfeed Unsolved we shed light on the mysterious disappearance of three

lighthouse

keepers

from the isolated Flanin Islands we shine a light that's right, that's a pun for a great start, that's right es, a play on words Start, yes, I'm excited, they really improved our office this season, we really knocked down that wall. I didn't realize how beautiful it was behind the whole open concept now, so yeah, it would be nice to have us here. Think about

lighthouse

s, well we know I love them, I want to live in one and I want to die in one, do you think you could ever be a lighthouse keeper? 100 What if I told you that you were going to disappear?

Sounds good and after this year oh yeah just a little 20 20 humor I didn't realize how much I could slap my thighs here without the desk in front of us we should get into it please oh the Flanin Islands Also known as the seven hunters, they are a group of uninhabited rocks. Islands off the west coast of Scotland, the mysterious islands supposedly had a profound effect on sheep and shepherds took their flocks to the islands to the graves. Sheep that dined on the grass of the Flanin Islands were said to give birth to twins or recover from illnesses despite its positive effect on the sheep.

The legend of a spirit that haunts the islands prevented any shepherd from spending the night. It can't be real sheep magic what are you talking about? Well, apparently it wasn't so much the sheep that were magical but the magical grass. for double sheep for twin sheep or for a sheep with a cold is fine, however, in 1896 the board of trade approved the construction of a lighthouse on the largest of the flanin islands aylin moore aylin moore is also home to sombathies, a Scottish term for a small cottage which is now in ruins, as is the chapel of Saint Flannen, of the islands' namesake, in December 1899 the lighthouse was completed and lit for the first time.

Four lighthouse

keepers

were assigned to the lighthouse, each of whom would work on a staggered six-week rotation. With two weeks off this meant that there were always three men on the island guarding the lighthouse at the same time. It's good to have friends. It's good to have company when you're stranded on an island. Well, I guess if you don't have companions around you. Got those sheep anyway, it's nice not to die alone, you know, I mean, we're talking, but this isn't resolved, so things aren't going to happen, cool stuff in mid-December 1900, a year after the headlamp was put on for the first time.

On duty, the three men stationed on the island were James Duquette, the 43-year-old main caretaker, with a wife, four children and 20 years of experience, Donald Macarthur, the 40-year-old married casual caretaker who replaced the first assistant caretaker who was on sick leave and Thomas Marshall, the youngest of the trio, was 28 and the second assistant goalkeeper. The fourth goalkeeper, Joseph Moore, was not on the island as it was his two-week break. The youngest was 28 years old. That's right, how old are you now? 29. i' m 29 so let me put me put yourself there if you could choose your destiny would you light up who's looking at the lighthouse I love working oh light light light helmet what's going on with your face give me a passionate one I want to hear from you now that we've worked, I love it work at the lighthouse, I don't know, man, hello, hello, I love it, I love working at the lighthouse, this is not offensive, I don't think I'll apologize if you are, if you're Scottish and This offends you.

You should be there around midnight on December 15th. The course of the steamship bow passed near the Flanin Islands. Captain Hulman noted that he could not see the light although conditions should have allowed him to do so when the ark's haul reached port. the absence of the light, although this was never communicated to the north lighthouse board, quite active board, I imagine there are lights on, yes, well, okay, check and then just rest, yes, that is much easier, one day of hard work, another day, oh Jesus Christ. On December 26, the lightship Hesperus made a routine visit to Aylin Moore.

As it approached the island, Captain James Harvey found it strange that there was no flag on the staff. The Hesperus sounded its horn to try to call the lighthouse. attention of the three lighthouse keepers but there was no response, then they tried to fire a player again, joseph moore did not respond, the fourth lighthouse keeper was on board the hesperus with no signal coming from the island, moore was sent ashore upon arriving at Alan's east landing moore, nothing seemed wrong, everything was where it had been the last time Moore had been on the island Moore headed to the island where he found the front door, the front door and the door after that, everything closed, the The kitchen door was found open, however the fireplace had not been lit for several days all the clocks stopped as per Moore's quote, I then entered the rooms in succession and found the beds empty just as they were left early in the morning. tomorrow.

End of the date with no sign of anyone. Moore realized something was very wrong and returned to the Hesperus to get more men to help him investigate. They found the lighthouse lamp working and fully prepared, but there was no clue as to what happened to the three missing men, so Moore went ashore and knocked on the door, that's what you're doing. saying you're right, I like that, I always find that when people are missing and nothing is out of place except people, creepy, very creepy, there's something about it, I guess it would be scarier if there was blood everywhere, but in I actually don't.

I think so, I think it will be too much, it takes a little more nuance to scare the burgomaster, as you have all seen in every episode of this show, Moore and three others stayed on the island to operate the lighthouse while the Hesperus sailed . Returning to telegraph to the North Lighthouse Missing Board the next day, Moore and the others scoured the island for more clues, while the eastern pier where Moore had arrived the day before was in perfect order, it was a story. different on the west ship. The western ship's jetty was damaged and a box containing mooring tackle and robes was missing.

The robes were found scattered on the rocks and the iron railings around the area had been broken with some missing completely. However, that damage was already detailed in the goalkeeper's report. record implying that it was not directly related to the disappearance, most notably missing upon further investigation was an emergency life preserver that had been kept between the railings approximately 110 feet above sea level; The ropes holding the buoy in place, however, had not been removed by man, implying that the sea had torn the buoy from its place, something bad, a bad buoy thing, seems a bit vague, you know it's 110 feet up in the air and you say, yeah, it must have been the ocean that took that bad boy out 110 feet up. in the air yeah, I don't understand that, I guess you could have a big wave of calibunga, but I don't believe it, so what are you buying, oh, what's on the shelf, I don't know, oh, some object that works, yes.

Yeah, go ahead, what does a Gatorade look like? No, it looks like an alien juice can. Where is this going? It has nothing else in it, just alien juice, while some may wonder if a 110-foot wave is possible. Historian Mike Dash found evidence from a lighthouse keeper in the 1950s that water splashed onto Aylin Moore as high as 300 feet, wetting the streetlight. In fact, while he was trying to photograph these waves, the lighthouse keeper was almost swept away. for a big wave, good, good for him, getting up there and getting there, up close and personal, it's scary to take a photo of a big wave, you guys will end up in uh kook slams, he'd end up in kook slams, slippery, the lighthouse keeper of the 50s it sank.

Buster returned to the lighthouse by taking inventory of the clothing he had left behind. Moore was also able to determine exactly what his co-workers were wearing when they disappeared. Macarthur in particular had left behind the only coat he was known to wear, implying that he had disappeared in the cold of a December on the coast of Scotland without a coat. Logs from the caretaker's final days were also discovered. It does not say whether they were or not. in the bathroom I knew that was where he was going we had to let him go there he went Come on, he's happy about that and we can keep moving his final records.

The last entry was for December 13, but a blackboard had details for December 14 and 15, including the time the light went out on the morning of the 15th, as well as the atmosphere. readings as late as 9am, I didn't realize they were doing anything more than just flipping a switch, so they're doing readings and stuff, they also have to take care of the grounds and maintenance, I'm sure it's like when you cut the grass Stuff like that on the lawn, make sure the fence has the right paint if you're in a coastal area, the elements there could be harsh, they'll probably erode on the structure and your sanity, oh the highlight to take from all that . it's the fact that they weren't saying that maybe on my last check in I saw a big wave outside and it looks like it's coming towards me, sure nothing like that, yeah okay, apparently a normal couple of days there, the check in noted that Morale had been low among the Guardians, peculiarly, they also took note of the recent strong storms and winds, although there had been no reports of storms in the area, so either the turbulent weather had been extremely localized to their islands or the men had hallucinated or faked the storms.

Have you ever been like this? Angry because you imagined there was a storm outside your house, yeah, no, I haven't had too much of the devil's juice and you're like, oh, look at those clouds, what if two of them are really bad and they're playing pranks? In the third, they are creating a storm. A source reports that the discovery of additional records made by Thomas Marshall, 28, inside the second assistant porter, details how the storms had been so terrifying that they had caused the men to pray despite their location at the top. a 150 foot cliff in a building that was only a year old practically guaranteed that his security marshal describes ducat as very calm in recent days and gref macarthur had been seen crying the final entry read the quote the storm ended see calm god is above all fin quote, although some have found major holes in the authenticity of these records, even if they are true, they still do not offer much explanation for what may have happened to three missing men.

Sometimes things can make you sad. You already know everything about that master of emotions. Yes, I cry all the time, I cried with the little women a year ago, the movie, right, no, I just saw some little women on the street and I saw why they are so small. It's the way you said it. It really sounded like you were at Ralph's house. You saw some of them as little women picking fruit, so the storm wasn't what wiped them out. If these logs are true, that's not necessarily true because they might think the storm is over.

I mean, how accurate are these guys? They are not. He's not a roker, you know, and he never makes a mistake, he never does, he never does, great guy, I love roker, shout out to roker, big rogue head, I'm a big rogue, you watch him on roku, no i watch it on nbc with the island completely searched and finding some clues there was a man who could still shed some information on the last days of the keeper a roderick mckenzie because there was no radio contact with the lighthouse elin moore's men essentially They were stranded if something happened and they needed help they needed a way to signal to someone who could get help the lighthouse keepers did this using poles with balls or disks attached and placed sticking out from the lighthouse balcony in the hope that someone would spot their message 18 miles away. southeast of the island. head gallon where gamekeeper roderick mckenzie was paid £8 a year to monitor Flanin Islands communications each night, mackenzie was to observe whether he could see the light and whether any signal was seen during the day when investigators contacted mackenzie after the disappearances.

He reported that he had not been able to see the lighthouse tower between December 7 and 29. However, he was able to make out the light on December 12, but did not see it again until Moore turned it on on the 26th. Mackenzie admitted the absence of the light for two weeks had worried him, but there is no indication that he reported this to no one until the northern lighthouse board came to question him, so it's essentially your duty to check on them to make sure they're okay and you couldn't see the lighthouse for two. For weeks it was his job to see if something was weird and then report it and he was like, that's weird, let's get back to this sausage I'm cooking, well wait, it's only been a week and six days, we'll see how.

This shocks the inaction. It wasn't why McKenzie was being paid those eight pounds a year. According to the National Lighthouse Board, Mackenzie had agreed to report a failure quote immediately by telegram to head office in Edinburgh so that actions could be taken.Necessary measures to have someone dispatched to carry out any repairs as soon as possible It should be noted that Ducat, the head lighthouse keeper, had asked the superintendent of the lighthouse board if an experiment had been carried out. Some things could be done with the aim of seeing how long it would take for someone to notice a signal from the shore and respond. properly.

Unfortunately, the experiment was not approved, but Ducat would eventually get the answer from him too long. I guess it's too late by the time I. I told you, I mean, I could still say it, but he did it very well, tell him, so with three lighthouse keepers missing in the air, it's time to jump to theories about what happened that cold December on Aylin Moore. Our first theory is that the men were accidentally swept out to sea perhaps a wave caught the missing tackle box scattering the contents over the rocks if two of the men went to try to retrieve the supplies and a wave carried one away the other could have ran back into the house to look for the third It is possible that the third man was Macarthur, who could have run out to help without grabbing his coat, perhaps while trying to rescue his co-worker.

The rest were hit by a renegade wave and also swept out to sea, as we have already mentioned. They are known to hit the island, so even if the keepers thought they were far enough from shore, they may have been caught off guard. There is also a possibility that the men were literally driven off the island. Lewis's near rear had been at one point. considered by Guinness to be the windiest place in the United Kingdom. The funny thing about that is that Shane's butt is the windiest place in the U.S. Do you have that locked and loaded?

Oh yeah, I did, baby, no bodies washed ashore, which leaves room to question this. Theory as to how three experienced lighthouse keepers could be caught so off guard, especially if one had already been swept away by rough seas, why would the other two risk helping me? the rope down there or something and then, well, you know we're in the sea now, I would think they have some kind of protocol when you fall and it doesn't immediately become like they'll start sliding or if they're drunk, I guess so were drunk, yes, if they are hallucinating, even worse, look, it's possible, but I don't think it's very plausible, perhaps due to the romanticism of an isolated Scottish island, some theorize that one or more of the guardians could have had a breakdown psychological that led to their disappearance, as records described that morale was low among the keepers and there was a possibility that they were hallucinating storms, perhaps a fight broke out with one keeper killing the others by throwing their bodies into the waves and then jumping into the ocean himself macarthur in particular was known for his rough nature and violent tendencies.

It is also speculated that a romantic relationship could have arisen between the men and then turned sour or that one went crazy running down the cliff while the other slid in pursuit because no signs of violence were found on the island, however, this theory is held up. based mostly on speculation, the lighthouse is more like a fight house, it needs work, it's perfectly plausible that one of them lost control on this island, but there was no hint of violence and I'm assuming it's the three of you. grown men you'd see some signs of a fight, yeah, yeah, that place would be marked, you know, yeah, scuffs like no one was going to go out there, like okay, take me to the ocean, I guess here you go, I wrap myself like this.

I can't escape, there was no way for them to get out of there on their own. They could have just run away as if the three of them had walked into the ocean. Well, because you said that two of them could have fallen in love and I. thinking well and if the three of them were like this this works what we have here this works the three of us are in love we are three men who love each other a tripod a tripod let's go out and then one day one of them says I think this should be a bipod oh no, I'm saying the three of them lived happily ever after and you know, they moved to Jamaica or something.

Oh, I see our third theory is, of course, that the men were abducted by aliens here. come on, that's it, no, no, yes, no, no, there's more, that's what the rest says, theory four, our final theory is what, that's a little bit of a setback for you, you're just having fun, I want to say, look, this is not something serious. In theory, 110 feet in the air was knocked down by something other than man and there were no signs of a major wave hitting the lighthouse. There were no signs of a fight. All abandoned logs were immaculate.

Who's to say they didn't see something? Kind of a big light outside and they were like, hey, what is that? Because they would say, hey, nice light, they are lighthouse keepers, they love the light, oh, have you seen our light? What light do you have there? Oh, bigger, yes, our light is a little like that. the light goes out yes, there is another light, it is much bigger than mine on the ground, let's get closer to it, it is possible that our final theory is that some other supernatural event happened to the three lighthouse keepers of the Flanin Islands, there are legends about the water sprites in Scotland, particularly the blue one. men of Minch or Storm Kelpies in the Outer Hebrides, where the Flanin Islands are located.

I suspect everyone watching this is eagerly waiting for me to really dive into this, but I have to say, I love, yes, I love telling me more about these. Men, these strong green-haired creatures, are believed to live in caves and sink ships to drown sailors, according to legend. If the lighthouse keepers encountered a clan of these elves, their only hope for survival would be to have the last word in a rhyming duel. Don't you love the idea that the only way, and I repeat, the only way to survive a sprite, is if you beat it in a rap battle?

He says he gets the last word in a rhyming duel, a rhyming duel, okay, so here we go, Ryan. well I am a goblin and that is your impression of a goblin, you just say I am a goblin, well I am a goblin and I have come to your island and if you want to live you will have to defeat me. I didn't even rhyme the first two sentences you said I'll do it in a rhymed way I thought you had to rhyme with what I said didn't you say like I'm a goblin let's test your power it's alright and I'm here in this dark dark night oh are you leaving to be scared?

No, you better hold it steady. I'm very tough and I'm trying. I've had enough. I sure like my big high beam and no. like you sir uh um, how could it look like your gentleman is headed to the falls, if not, you could suck my blue ball, okay. I know when I'm defeated there is also a local legend surrounding Moore's arrival on the island, supposedly when he entered the lighthouse building three giant black birds perched on top of the lighthouse flew into the sky the people claimed that those birds were the three guardians who transformed into avian form as punishment for violating the island's supernatural power my brain is just imagining Animorphs cover of a lighthouse keeper who turns into a crow.

Can you imagine they're perched on top of the lighthouse and they see all these people trying to look for them and they're trying, they're calling and calling, is it us, is it us, please? m the bird is me, it's me, they have little raincoats on them, there's the coat, it's on the bird, he shrunk with them, a little corncob pipe, tragic, it's tragic, it's fun to imagine, uh, and a bunch of horses, that's what happens when I've entered the twilight zone No, this is not resolved, you're right, yes, sorry, the keepers looked after Alan Moore's lighthouse until 1971, when it was fully automated.

During those 70 years, the sudden and

eerie

disappearance of three men charged with managing the island must have hung heavily over the heads of lighthouse keepers on the Flanin Islands and lighthouse keepers reported hearing the men's names whispered by someone in the wind. As for what wiped out people like James Ducat, Donald McArthur and Thomas Marshall 120 years ago, that mystery remains unsolved. Well, I should say a little, what's that look on your face? you really have to know that you have to really understand it you liked the way he did it I liked a body movement I loved this story I like it yes that's good it's that you've improved with the During the episode, a real three structure acts, it's really fun, funny and a good cameo for aliens in this one and I have to say I've been stuck in my apartment for most of this year.

It's good to continue a little. travel with our minds, yeah that's good and it's a good lesson for you, anywhere you may be locked inside, but you'll never be locked inside here, yeah, oh, you don't want to be locked inside, let me. I'm telling you it's a nightmare palette, it's not good, when are you going to realize that I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me, Jesus Christ, I know you're just quoting a movie that's too intense for you. That was very scary. See you next week. Do we usually do that at the end of a show?

Now we're outside, where are we going?