Two Girls One Ghost – Episode 338: Boon Island, Maine: Cannibals & Hauntings

Hosts: Corinne Vien and Sabrina Deana-Roga
Release Date: September 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this haunting episode, Corinne and Sabrina take listeners to Boon Island, Maine—the site of shipwrecks, desperate survival, cannibalism, and chilling ghost stories. Beginning with Boon Island’s grim history and infamous cannibalism incident, the hosts delve into the island's supernatural reputation, especially the tragic tale of lighthouse keeper Catherine Bright. The second half features a listener’s uplifting “angelic rescue” at a nearby Maine beach, offering a poignant counterpoint to the episode's darkness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[03:15] Meet Your “Ghostesses” & Setting

• Corinne and Sabrina greet listeners and introduce Boon Island—“a small island that has been killing people for centuries” (Corinne, 04:06).
• The island is located six miles off the coast of Maine and is notoriously desolate, barren, and dangerous.
• The pair reflect on their own ancestry and jokingly debate the probability of having cannibals “somewhere back there.”

Notable Quote

“This is an island that brings people to the brink of total insanity, forces people to question their own morals, and has birthed many hauntings. This is the nightmare of Boon Island.”
— Corinne (04:22)

[05:59] The Early Shipwreck – 1682

• The first recorded shipwreck involved four survivors (three white Europeans, one Native American).
• They survived on seabird eggs and fish until rescued after one month by using a smoke signal.
• This episode is contrasted with what would happen decades later—hinting at much darker events ahead.

[08:49] The Nottingham Galley & Cannibalism (1710)

• The main story: December 1710, the Nottingham Galley crashes on Boon Island during a nor’easter.
• All 14 crew survive the initial wreak. The island, a low, barren rock, offered no food or shelter.
• Starving and freezing, the men eventually resort to eating their deceased carpenter to survive.
• Rescued after 24 days; only 10 survive. Upon rescue, they are stigmatized as “the Cannibals of Boon Island.”
• Corinne and Sabrina discuss the psychological toll—trauma, survivor’s guilt, rumors, and whether consuming human flesh can make people “go mad.”

Notable Quotes

“To keep themselves alive, they consumed seaweed. They gnawed on their leather shoes, and they sucked frozen moisture from rocks. Hunger clotted their insides. Insanity began to fray.”
— Corinne (12:39)

“Reluctantly, they swallow pieces of their friend, sustaining their own bodies for just a little while longer.”
— Corinne (15:42)

[21:10] Boon Island Lighthouse: Building and Curses

• 1811: First lighthouse built to prevent further shipwrecks.
• Multiple iterations collapse under harsh conditions; the site is rumored to be cursed—builders allegedly die returning to shore.
• The modern-day lighthouse is New England’s tallest (133 feet).

[22:49] Catherine Bright: The Lighthouse Ghost

• In the mid-1800s, assistant keeper Lucas Bright brings his wife, Catherine, to Boon Island.
• After a fierce nor’easter, Lucas dies in a tragic accident while tending the light.
• Catherine retrieves his body in her grief and, alone for days, keeps the lighthouse burning until help arrives. She dies shortly after rescue, likely from heartbreak and exposure.
• Catherine’s ghost is still seen—reports of a “lady in white,” ghostly knocks, and the lighthouse light being tended mysteriously.
• Interviews with later lighthouse keepers and coast guard staff recount strange happenings: doors opening, the light turning on without explanation, and animals behaving fearfully.

Notable Quotes

“Her only solace was the presence of her husband’s body below, which she continued to tenderly embrace each night.”
— Corinne (26:46)

“We figured the island must be haunted, but nothing bothered us. Kind of nice to have more people.”
— Coast Guard keeper Dave Wells (31:20)

[32:58] Modern Era and Abandonment

• 1978 storm leads to automation of the lighthouse.
• In 2012, the U.S. tries to give the lighthouse to preservation groups—no takers. Eventually, a real estate developer buys it for $78,000.
• The lighthouse remains automated and uninhabited; the island is inaccessible except by sea or air.

Notable Quote

“Perhaps the wisest choice is to appreciate its haunting beauty from a very safe distance of the mainland shore.”
— Corinne (34:42)

[41:31] Listener Story: "The Angelic Rescue at Ogunquit Beach"

• Listener Madison recounts a near-drowning with her aunt as a child.
• While stuck in a river riptide, Madison sees a “glowing” woman and girl—mirror images of herself and her aunt—who throw them a rescue tube.
• After being saved, the mysterious pair vanish instantly and are nowhere to be found. No one on the crowded beach saw them, nor did anyone recognize the description.
• Sabrina and Corinne discuss whether these were guardian angels, their doppelgangers, or spirits of past victims—marveling at how paranormal encounters are not always dark.

Notable Quote

“It was like these two people were angelic versions of my aunt and I.”
— Listener Madison (45:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dark Humor Amid Dread:

  “They parted their friend’s flesh from his bones. Sorry.”
  — Corinne (15:03)

• Reflection on Survival:

  "Before we got to cannibalism, I think I’d already be attempting to swim to shore... I think I would drown in an attempt to escape."
  — Sabrina (14:14)

• Empathy for the Haunted:

  "It does make me so sad for her that what she experienced, because it was only four months out of her life... that she still... remains on this completely isolated, barren [island]."
  — Corinne (31:35)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:15] – Episode introduction, set-up of Boon Island's dangers
• [05:59] – 1682 shipwreck, survival, and rescue
• [08:49] – The infamous 1710 Nottingham Galley shipwreck and cannibalism
• [21:10] – Construction and curse of Boon Island Lighthouse
• [22:49] – Catherine Bright’s tragic love and enduring ghostly presence
• [32:58] – Automation, ownership, and current status of Boon Island Lighthouse
• [41:31] – Listener submission: miraculous rescue at Ogunquit Beach
• [47:30 to end] – Hosts’ reflection on uplifting paranormal stories and call for listener stories

Tone & Style

Corinne and Sabrina maintain their signature blend of dark humor, deep empathy, and curiosity for the supernatural throughout the episode. They balance chilling, heavily-researched historical tales with lighthearted banter and community stories, creating an atmosphere that is eerie yet warm.

For Listeners:

Whether you delight in ghastly shipwreck lore, resonate with stories of tragic love, or believe in guardian spirits, this episode is a poignant exploration of both the darkness and light lurking in New England’s coastal legends.

Listener Callout:
If you’ve visited Boon Island or have your own paranormal rescue story, the hosts want to hear from you! Send your tales to Two Girls One Ghost.