Cocos Island - The mysterious island in the Pacific "Coconut Island protrudes from the Pacific Ocean as the peak of a lone volcano, far off the Costa Rican coast. At the end of the 18th century, the English author Robert Louis Stevenson is said to have received the inspiration for his novel "Treasure Island“ here."
All the talk about quarantines reminded me of this thread. Many of the islands off NYC were used to quarantine patients with contagious diseases at one time or another. Rat Island, NYC "The island is 2.5 acres, and was purchased from Native Americans in 1654 by the Pell family. By the 1800's, it was the location of the 'Pelham Pesthouse,' a yellow fever hospital that quarantined 40 people. New York bought it in 1888, but didn’t put it to any use. In the 1930's a group of artists and writers lived there." Eventually it went back into private ownership, and then went up for auction in 2011. The auction was won by Alex Schibli.
Comprised of several islands, one being Cooper, which was the site of a devastating murder some years back. People are now warned off as it has always been privately owned, but the U. S. now services it.
The Staten Island Ferry The Richmond Turnpike Company began to operate the first motorized ferry between New York and Staten Island in 1817, Nautilus, which was commanded by Captain John DeForest, the brother-in-law of Cornelius Vanderbilt. There are now eight ships in the Staten Island Ferry fleet. Up to five are in operation at any one time and carry nearly 70,000 passengers per day. The ferry travels between the St. George Terminal in Staten Island and the Whitehall Terminal (also known as South Ferry) in Manhattan, a distance of 5.2 miles (8.4 km). The John F. Kennedy ferry retired in the fall of 2019 Launch of the SSG Michael H. Ollis, 11/15/2019 After the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, the Staten Island Ferry transported tens of thousands of people out of lower Manhattan to safety on Staten Island.
When I was a teenager and starting to date, that ferry was the cheapest date on earth. A nickle a ride, a nickle for a coke and nickle for a bag of popcorn. Cost my date all of 30 cents for a few hours of back and forth acoross the hudson, good music and dancing and we kids had a ball.
Wheeling Island was my most Unusual Island, because I lived on it for the first 8 years of my life (1936-1944). Looking south, toward the hotel, racetrack, and fairgrounds. West Virginia to the East, Ohio to the West. I lived right on the Western riverbank. Hal
Thanks for the great picture @Hal Pollner. I read there was a flood on the Ohio River in 1937. Did you all get swamped? Oh! And did you ever see the Sistersville/Fly Ferry?