GHOSTS of GREAT ISAAC LIGHT

 by Steve Singer

     A haunted lighthouse? The Great Isaac Lighthouse sits atop a coral island in the middle of the so-called Bermuda Triangle. It lies about 20 miles NNE of Bimini, Bahamas. Originally built as an exhibit in 1852 for the Great London Exposition, it was later shipped in pieces to Great Isaac Cay in 1859.

     Multiple ghosts are said to haunt the site. It’s said that during the construction of the light, a supply ship wrecked off the cay and all were saved but one young boy who was devoured by sharks, and some have reported seeing his poor soul wandering the cay.

     Then there’s the story of “The Grey Lady.” A ship was reportedly lost off Isaac in the late 1800’s and all perished except an infant. During a full moon, the Grey Lady is said to wander the grounds searching for her infant son, and her cries have been heard by a number of people.

    The light is now automated and her light shines every 15 seconds today, but until 1969, lighthouse keepers manned the site. In August of that year, it was found that the two lighthouse keepers had disappeared and were never heard from again. A hurricane had been in the area a few days earlier, but Isaac was not directly hit, and the lighthouse would have offered refuge. Their disappearance remains a mystery.

     We liked to swing by when entering the New Providence Channel. You can’t climb the light as the lower stairs have been removed. It is a spooky place and the abandoned keeper’s house, cistern, and storage buildings remain in a crumbling condition. If sailing near,  maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of a ghost!