The island is a mass grave to over a thousand immigrants who died while in quarantine, seeking escape from the poverty and illness that was sweeping Europe.
Military fortifications have been present on the island home for over 150 years.
The rocky shores of the island have claimed the lives of several sailors and destroyed it's fair share of ships.
While once a popular historical attraction in the area, it has now been abandoned for more than a decade. It's active lighthouse still warns boats of the approaching shoreline, while beckoning the curious explorer to cross the dangerous breakwater, scale the steep banks and explore the historical treasures long forgotten.
An excellent write-up of this incredible island, along with it's tragic history can be found here:
https://legionmaga...-partridge-island/ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For two years, I gazed across the bay at the rotating beacon that called me to explore the island. I finally found the time and motivation to set aside two days, pack provisions and find a trusty explorer to join me.
I should have thought it terrifying to spend the night at such a place, but it was a whole other experience.
1.
Looking across the long breakwater at the rotating beacon, you can barely make out the observation posts poking through the trees. The breakwater took almost an hour and a half to cross. With 50 pounds of gear, climbing over boulders as big as cars for nearly a kilometer, my legs were shaking like crazy when we finally made it across. I was afraid of losing my footing. NOT an easy hike at all with so much equipment.
2.
We finally reached the island and stopped for a rest on the clean helicopter pad beside the active lighthouse. The property is maintained by the coast guard. The large observation post can be seen behind me (the dude with the chips)
3.
This observation post was our home for the night. Quite cozy, actually! Because the island is so difficult to get to, and almost nothing occupies the island, we did not run into any mice, rats, racoons or anything the entire time.
4.
Upstairs in the observation post, with the lights of the city of Saint John through the window.
5.
Same stairway, second attempt. The red light is coming from outside, where a walkway leads to the roof. It was incredibly beautiful up there with a great view of the harbour at night.
6.
Inside the observation post's top floor, you can see the waters of the Bay of Fundy, with an old radio tower and the other observation post in view. Notice the Celtic Cross memorial. It was placed in the memory of over 600 Irish immigrants who died on the island. The cross is now almost 100 years old. Still in good shape I'd say.
7.
This artillery post defended the entrance to the city harbour. Note the red entrance going under the gun. I believe spent artillery shells were collected below the gun, with artillery storage in the doorways around the perimeter of the gun.
8.
The view on the roof of the observation post. I had to cover the camera several times during the exposure to keep the lighthouse light from overpowering the rest of the exposure.
9.
Flanking the gun posts were trenches with small quarters for artillery personnel on standby. This was taken inside of a room looking out against the trench wall. Minerals were leeching through the cracks in the old cement, creating very stark white lines.
10.
The Flaming Dude is on artillery standby duty. It's a fact that not a single gun has been fired from this island in an act of aggression. Some military personnel that were posted here have remarked that it was the most boring place they had ever been posted.
11.
Daybreak and awake at 6am to explore the island. Through the night, we could hear the sound of soft waves crashing against the shore and the gentle clang of a buoy bell adrift near the island. It was almost hypnotic. A couple times I thought of how many people exactly must have died here, thinking it unbelievable that this island didn't appear on an episode of Creepy Canada.
12.
A view of one of the 12 pounder artillery posts.
13.
Some of the gun bases were concrete, but this one was wooden. The boards are long gone, and now some of the steel beams have holes rusted entirely through them. The second observation post can be seen in the background. With the windows covered in steel and interior partially collapsed and gutted, they weren't worth an interior photo. The Celtic memorial cross stands on a hill beside the structure.
14.
Balancing on the old mounting bolts around one of the artillery posts.
15.
A stairway leads the curious explorer underground and away from the guns, where an series of rooms kept generators, munitions, supplies and likely documents safe. The lower level is about 40 feet underground (I estimate).
16.
A shaft leads straight down from beside the artillery post to the underground storage areas. Likely where munitions were once hoisted to the surface.
17.
The peculiar holes between these rooms appear to make a face, and apparently the vandal that was down here before me thought so too.
18.
As the soft, warm sea breeze blew the gentle grass about, we made our way towards the main cemetery. The white picket fence borders one of the burial sites, with an observation light station on the corner.
19.
The old light station sits at the edge of a crumbling cliff, slowly being eroded by the incredibly powerful Fundy tides. A place so warm and peaceful, we decided to catch up on some sleep and took a nap in the warm grass beside the picket fence.
20.
An old memorial dedicated to Jewish immigrants buried on the island.
21.
A small plaque describes re-interred unidentified bodies that were moved, likely due to the dissolving shoreline. During the peak of immigration, there were mass graves on this island.
22.
This island sits in a permanent moment of silence that almost seems to persuade you to talk in a whisper.
23.
A broken cover used to protect this 40 foot deep hole that leads to the underground bunkers. In parts of the island, deep holes in deep grass can come as a surprise. Not a safe place to explore at night!
24.
Near late afternoon, we walked across the breakwater and were met by several locals hiking to the island for day trips. This place is not so taboo, and although difficult, there were even families making the trek to the island for some daytime explorations.
The reaction from everyone who we met was pretty much the same. "You spent the night there? Shit, that's brave."
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BONUS PICTURE: (idea inspired by Wolfheart)
Here's me and a Burrowing Owl
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