All alone out
in Fishers Island Sound, on a tiny man-made island at the mouth of the Thames
River, is Ledge
Light. It has helped mariners navigate for over a
century. Completed in 1909, the square, red brick lighthouse features a mix of
Colonial Revival and French Second Empire styles—and the legend of Ernie the
Ledge Light ghost.
Lighthouse
keepers were very lonely at Ledge Light—and trapped, with no easy way back
to shore in an emergency. When the 1938
hurricane sent waves crashing into the second floor, the keepers had to run up
to the lantern room to find safety. When the lighthouse was automated in the
1980s, the lighthouse keepers left—all except Ernie.
According to the
website, Lighthousefriends.com, “Before
the station was automated, the Coast Guard crew on duty reported frequently hearing
strange noises: mysterious knocks on their bedroom doors in the middle of the
night, doors opening and closing, the television being turned on and off
repeatedly, and even having the covers pulled off the ends of their beds…The
final day of manned operation shows a log entry reading, ‘Rock of slow
torture. Ernie's domain. Hell on earth – may New London Ledge’s light shine on forever because I’m
through. I will watch it from afar while drinking a brew.’”
Jim and I
finally had a chance to meet Ernie when we booked passage to Ledge Light through Project Oceanology. Leaving from Avery
Point with several others, expectations were high. Once docked, we climbed up
to the platform and began a tour of the largely restored lighthouse.
Winding up
the staircase, we reached the top for a breathtaking view and the spot where
Ernie’s story begins. The New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation website states:
“According to the legend, Ernie was a keeper, probably in the 1920s or 30s. His
younger wife, who lived ashore, ran off with the Captain of the Block Island Ferry. Consumed with grief and loneliness,
Ernie allegedly climbed to the roof of the lighthouse and jumped. His body was
never found…Legend has it that Ernie haunts the lighthouse to this day…There
are cold spots inside. Strange noises, whispers. Boats are mysteriously
untied…”
To learn more, see my book: Mystic Seafarer's Trail: Secrets behind the 7 Wonders, Titanic's Shoes, Captain Sisson's Gold, and Amelia Earhart's Wedding.
It's available online as an e-book and softcover and in these shops: click here for locations.
