# Identify this hauntingly sad island story

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 9, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414 "2015-09-09T04:44:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414/21 "2015-09-09T23:23:46Z")

</div>

> [@UDS](#):
>
> Never heard the story, but it’s unlikely to be true. A lighthouse on a barren waterless rock would be staffed by single lighthouse keepers, not by anyone with a family and young children. Why would the lighthouse authority want to take on the cost and responsibility of provisioning an infant child on a barren rock? If the lighthouse keeper marries, he’ll be transferred to a more family-friendly station. Or, his family will live on the mainland and not see him that often.

Sounds reasonable, and yet…

[http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Commercial/Shipping-safety/Aids-to-navigation/Lighthouse-keepers-their-work-and-family-life.asp](http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Commercial/Shipping-safety/Aids-to-navigation/Lighthouse-keepers-their-work-and-family-life.asp)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414/22 "2015-09-09T23:53:51Z")

</div>

> [@WF\_Tomba](#):
>
> Thanks, but did you mean to move it to IMHO?

Nope, I overthrew it.🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414/23 "2015-09-10T01:11:03Z")

</div>

> [@WF\_Tomba](#):
>
> Well, I did try searching for it, with no luck. And I agree that this thread probably belongs in CS. I’ll flag it.

I searched through 400+ links looking for it (insomniac for many years now) but no luck. Plenty of crazy lighthouse stories - crazy and homicidal keepers, crazy and depressed wives, crazy and upset ghosts.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-hauntingly-sad-island-story/730414.md?page=1)