If
you think where you live is a bizzare place and the people around are strange.
Then here’s a list of islands that will give you the creeps. Some of these
islands have characters that are stuff of the nightmare. Read at your own risk
and be ready for the chills.
1. Sable Island
Let’s
start with the less scary one. Sable Island is governed by the Canadian
Government. It is 175 kms away from Nova Scotia. The island is known for
shipwrecks and is a host to horses. The estimated number of shipwrecks stands
at 350 and the first noted shipwreck dates back to 1583. The island now has
lighthouses on both the ends which have contributed to a decrease in the number
of shipwrecks.
2. Tashirojima Island
If
you are a cat person then this is an island you should have on your bucket
list. Tashirojima, a part of Japan, is also known as the 'Cat Island'. The cats
outnumber human population by a 6 to 1 ratio. The history of the island states
that the predecessors were into growing silk worms and had cats to fend off
mice. Over time, the human population moved to cities and the cat population
grew extensively. The island has a small cat shrine as well.
3. Okunoshima Island
Also
known as the “Rabbit Island”. On this island, rabbits could be seen hopping
around and approaching the tourists visiting the island. This island was used
to research and develop chemical weapons during the Russia-Japan war. Later,
the rabbits used for testing were killed and the untested rabbits were left to
habitat in the island. The island is now turned into a national park and still
has the ten forts created during the war, but people are not allowed to enter
those forts.
4. The Great Pacific Garbage
Patch
As
the name suggest, this is not an island made of rocks or sand but purely of
plastic waste that gets thrown in to the North Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon
was first observed in 1950. The garbage from California and Hawaii is caught in
the Pacific gyre to form the island. The density is so low that it doesn’t get
detected in satellite imaging.
5. Vulcan Point
Most
people will simply describe it as an island within a lake within an island within
an even bigger lake within a bigger island… well, I don’t even know if I got it
right! But as the image shows, its like peeling an onion. The outer island is
Luzon Islands inside which is the Taal Lake, this lake has a small volcano
called Taal volcano, which has a Crater lake within this lake lies a small
island called Vulcan Point. This island is governed by Philippines.
6. Floating Islands
Floating
islands are of two types- naturally made and artificial island. When naturally
formed, it is usually a mix of aquatic flora, mud and other decomposable material
merged together. The size of such islands vary based on the area in which it is
formed.
Whereas
the most famous example of artificial flooding island are the reed-used
floating surface made by the Uros community at Lake Tticaca in Peru. The people
of Uros live on such island, previously to be safe from any attack of
neighbouring clans.
7. Howland island
This
island lies in the Central Pacific Ocean and is under the supervision of United
States. The island is famous as this was where Amelia Earhart was supposed to
land on her round the world expedition. But she never made it to the island as
her aircraft disappeared on July 2, 1937. The island has a beacon named after
her which was damaged during World War II.
8. Poveglia Island
Well,
now starts the real creepy islands. Poveglia Island was first spoken of in 421.
In 1776, the island was used as a quarantine station for people suffering from
sickness like plague. This span for over 100 years and later it was said that
the island was made into a mental hospital. Some say that over 50% of the soil
on the island has traces of human skeleton in it. The hospital was shut down in
1968 and since then the island has been deserted.
9. Isla De Las Mulecas
Also
known as the Island of Dolls is located in Mexico City. The tragic story dates
back to 1950 when Don Julian Santana was the care-taker of this floating
island. One day, it is said, that he found a little girl’s body floating on the
canal. He couldn’t save her and being haunted by this thought, a couple of days
later he found a doll floating on the water and though it must be the little
girl’s. He hung it on a tree. Later he felt that the girl’s spirit was haunting
the island and hence, he hung all the dolls on trees as he found them to keep
the girl company. These dolls are mutilated and grotesque to see. In over half
a century, he collected over 1500 dolls. This island is now a tourist
attraction.
10. Isolla Della Gaiola
This
small island had only two isles forming the whole island but the curse stories
are as big as a continent. It all started in 1800 when, it is said that, a
wizard known as Il Mago came to live at the island. He lived there all by
himself. Occasionally, some fishermen gave him some food, otherwise no one went
near the island. One day he suddenly vanished as if he never existed. He was
followed by Luigi de Negri who built a grand villa (the one in the image) but
he soon suffered from financial issues.
The
third victim was Hans Braun who lived on the island in 1920s. His murdered body
was found wrapped in a carpet. His wife was found drowned soon after. The
fourth owner died of a heart attack and the fifth killed himself in a mental
hospital. The more recent one is the Fiat company owner, Gianni Agnelli, whose
son committed suicide and his nephew died of a rare disease at a young age. Now
the island is a part Gaiola Underwater Park.
11. Partridge Island
Partridge
Island or better known as the quarantine island as war and famine saw many
European immigrants fleeing to North America. These immigrants travelled on sea
for days before reaching the island, hence prone to carry disease and
infection. Anyone who came to the island had to follow the rules of taking
kerosene showers and washing their clothes in steaming hot water. The island
had six cemeteries and anyone not adhering to the rules would find a place in
one of the six.
In
1840, the potato famine had many Irish immigrants migrate through Partridge Island
that gave the island title of “Canada’s Emerald Isle”. In 1927, George McArthur
erected a 40-foot celtic cross. Later, his body was laid under it. The island
is now under military of Canada and is accessible via private boat.
12. Sacotra Island
This
island lies to the south of Arabian Peninsula and is officially a part of
Yemen. This island has flora and fauna that is not found anywhere else on
earth. It is best described by visitors as the “most alien look place on
earth”. A research team from America confirmed that Sacotra has around 700
endemic species of plants and creatures. The most observed plant is the Dragon
Blood tree, which looks like a mushroom or an umbrella with red color sap which
was said to be dragon blood in ancient times. Some other plants are Dorstenia
Gigas, dendrosicyos socotranus, aloe perryi to name a few.
As
for the fauna, Socotra Starling, Socotra Sunbird, Socotra Golden-winged
Grosback are some of the unique species. Legless lizard, chameleon and spiders
are also found on this island. Bats are the only native animal.
13. Ilah da Queimada Grande
In
English, Island of Snakes. This island is forbidden for any human admission as
the island is home to some rare species of poisonous snakes with no anti-dot
available. The estimated number of snakes on this island is around 4,000 and
some so dangerous that a person could die within an hour from snake bite. The
island was habited till 1920, when the island’s light house keeper and his
family were killed by vipers. Now, only the Brazilian navy visits the island to
stray away any wanderers and for maintenance work on the light house. For
people with Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), including me, should keep this
island out of our trip list.
14. Ramree Island
This
island is another island that got famous due to war. During the World War II, many
Japanese troops fell victim to the rampage of crocodiles infesting the Ramree
Island. It is said that over a 1000 Japanese soldiers were eaten alive by the
herd of crocodiles. This incident was incited due to a standoff between the
British army and the Japanese army which went on for six week. In the end, the
Japanese soldiers were fewer in number compared to the British army. Hence,
they decided to flee in to the thick mangroves with full knowledge that the
salt water crocodiles are known to eat humans.
15. North Sentinel Island
This
island is located at the Bay of Bengal and is the last uncontacted people in
this world. The sentinels have lived on this island of over 6000 years and have
successfully kept all outsiders at bay. Anyone who tries to approach the island
is greeted with arrows and spears. The island is also known for cannibalism.
Today, Indian government has declared North Sentinel Island as a sovereign
entity and has left it undisturbed.
On November 17th, 2018, American citizen John Allen Chau made his seconds attempt to blend in with the Sentinelese and spread gospel to them. But this attempt became futile as the Christian missionary was shot with arrows and died before making it to the island. In his first attempt on a kayak, the arrow hit the kayak and the Bible he was carrying, destroying the kayak forcing Chau to return to safety.
16. Alcatraz Island
You
might have heard this one in movies. The Alcatraz prison is as famous as any
monument on earth, being home to the scariest of prisoners like Al Capone,
Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Stroud to name a few. The island has a lighthouse, a
military prison and a federal penitentiary.
Alcatraz is also famous for the grand escape of three inmates: Frank
Morris, John and Clarence Anglin. The prison was shut down in 1963. The island
is now a tourist sight under U.S. National Park Service.
17. Hashima Island
Also
known as Battleship Island (Gunkanjima), is under the Japanese government. It
is almost 9 miles away from Nagasaki. The island was known for its undersea
coal mines which operated from 1887 till 1974. During World War II, Korean and
Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work as labourers. It is said that
around a 1000 labourers have died on the island due to the gruelling weather
and working condition, also they were not provided with enough food. While the
island is now a tourist destination, what one cannot decide upon is whether to
marvel at the early advancement of Japan in industrializing through coal or to
despise the cruel and inhuman treatment
received by the forced labourers.
18. Vozrozhdeniya island
This
island is under the Soviet Union and is tagged for its biochemical
weapon-making history. In 1920s, this island was chosen by the soviet
government to create and test biochemical weapons for warfare. In 1948, a laboratory named as Aralsk-7 was
erected on the island. The island inhabited only the scientists and the people
contributing to the research along with their family. Other structures on the
island were a stadium, a club, school and a couple of stores.
While
the structures made it feel like any normal town, some of the deadliest
pathogens such as plague, anthrax, smallpox, brucellosis, tularemia, botulinum,
among others were recreated with a resistance to the existing medication. The
scientists would expose monkeys to these pathogens and wait till they die in a
couple of weeks to perform autopsies on them.
It is
said that when the Russians left in 1972, they burnt most of the pathogens. But
in 2000, U.S along with Uzbekistan set several other buildings on fire.
According to scientists, most pathogens would have died in fire or in the
scorching heat of summer where the temperature raises upto 60°. Some of the
scientists that worked in those labs have said that bubonic plague bacteria and
anthrax pathogen could survive for centuries even under the harsh climatic
conditions.
19. Palmyra Island
There
are ample of scary stories around this island to give you the spooks. While
history notes shipwrecks and ship disappearance, the most famous one is the
twin murder of the Graham couple. Malcolm Graham III and his wife, Eleanor
LeVarne Graham, better known as Mac and Muff among friends and family. They
decided to take a two-year halt at Palmyra island before continuing their
voyage on their boat called “Sea Wind”. Though, Muff was against the idea,
after knowing the history of the island, Mac insisted on sticking to the plan.
When the couples reached the island, there were other voyagers residing on the
small island. With the entry of Buck Walker and Stephanie Sternes, the peace on
the island was almost lost as their three dogs would always pounce to bite
anyone other than its owners. Soon enough most of the others left and Muff begged
Mac to live the place but he didn’t approve. After a couple of month, the
family and friends of the Graham couple started worrying when there was no
radio communication from the couple for a long time.
A
friend and pilot, Martin Vitousek, flew over the island a couple of times and
came back with the news that the island looks deserted like there was nobody
ever on that island. In October of 1974, Walker and Sternes were arrested at a
harbour in Hawaii as the boat they came in looked a lot similar to Sea Wind.
The couples were charged with theft of ship and the Graham couples were yet
considered missing. I wish the story ends here but the spooky part just began
as six years later, a South African couple Robert and Sharon Jordon found a
shrine on the island dedicated with newspaper clips of the missing Graham
couple. A few days later, Sharon found a container and next to it was a skull
and some fragments of bone. Upon testing it was found to be the remains of Muff
Graham. An expert later claimed that the remains would have been washed out to
the sea due to the high tide that was to happen just 20 minutes from when the
remains were discovered.
Apparently,
she was killed, dismembered, burnt and then stuffed into the container. Walker
was charged with the murder of Muff, and Mac’s remains are still not found.
During the trial, another voyager, who stayed at the island at the same time as
the Graham couple, found specific charts pertaining to Palmyra island washed
onto the shore of Puget Sound while taking a walk. According to the friends
whom Muff had written letters to, she had mentioned that the island had an
eerie feel to it and that she wanted to leave immediately.
20. Christmas Island
To
end on a much less spookier note and to not have any of my readers go sleepless
from trauma, here’s an island that is weird and funny at the same time.
Christmas Island lies on the Indian Ocean under the Australian territory. The
island is like most usual island through the year except during October or
November, which is the beginning of wet season, when the adult Red Crab
suddenly starts to migrate from forest to the coast in order to bread and lay
eggs. They all move in a synchronized manner and is quite unique to watch due
to the large queues of red found walking down the road. The island has around
14 different types of crabs. I’m not sure if they are used for eating purposes
too.
So
now that you know of some of the strangest places on earth, which ones gave you
the chills and which ones made it to your trip list? Make a smart choice.
