This story is insane. He goes from stranded and hopeless to building shelter, acquiring pets, farming goats, getting a revenge bod, and entertaining guests. Best episode of Naked & Afraid ever.
At first, I thought what a pity but learning there were cats, goats and junk on the beach he could use and he had the skills to harness them makes it sound like it was a good time actually. Incredible how he could reframe his situation and get on so quickly. Alexander was a smart man and should an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing this story!
I have serious social issues, probably Autism, and I get along with cats far better than people. I was fostering a couple recently and was so much happier with them around. Cats would 100% make me happier if stranded on an island.
This is actually a great allegory about how reframing one's circumstances and utilizing ones available skills, knowledge and resources can make almost any situation bearable.
Allegory??? You mean a clear example? Your use of the word i think is correct but I just find it weird to be used in a story where it is beyond clear that being resourceful is good.
@@jakobquick6875 he's an idiot for not wanting to sail on a ship with a damaged hull, which the rest of them refused to fix? Who also ended up later being captured by the Spanish? That's some logic right there, man. I'd have rather taken my chances on the island as well.
I know you've probably heard it a lot, but you're a fantastic storyteller. You clearly and concisely detail the lives of these people with the imagery and illustrations of their times rather than resorting to stock images and really paint these people as actual people rather than caricatures. I've been a fan of your channel for a long time and whether you're narrating someone lost in a cave in the 2000s or a mutineer in the 1700s, your knowledge and care for the subjects of your videos always comes through crystal clear. Keep up the fine work, man. You're one of the best at what you do.
Swiss Family Robinson and Cast Away are made on the basis of the Daniel Dafoe novel (Robinson Crusoe), which was by far the earliest. And yes, that novel was heavily inspired by the true story of Alexander Selkirk.
Wow, he was extremely fortunate to be left on an island with so many resources available. Also fortunate to know many of the skills that helped him survive!
Yes! First I thought "there's rats? Oh yea, from ship..Cats too? Lovely! ..GOATS TOO?" And edible vegetables. Pretty lucky island to land on. For that it's so remote I couldn't believe there had apparently been so many ships there before to leave all kinds of animals behind and that in the 1700s, really seems like no speck of earth is left untouched.
@@slaveNo-4028 It’s precisely because it is so remote that made so many ships dock there, ironically. The North-South trade route along the coast of Chile was very important even then, as much of the vast gold and silver exports of Peru was exported that way in return for slaves and European goods. The mainland is mostly desert there, so if you were short on freshwater the island was the perfect place to stop and resupply, and there were no other good alternative islands to use. The Spanish had no need to settle it since they controlled the mainland, but it was still only a few days sailing from the mainland, so it was too risky for the British or anyone else to settle it. As a result it ended up as just an uninhabited fresh water stop.
DEF!! Me too! Upon first seeing this episode I thought for a second it was the one that Anna Garcia covered recently on True Crime Daily the Podcast! It was kinda sorta somewhat similar and OHHHH MAANNN just as interesting maybe more so! It is like 10 stories in one! I’ll post the name of it if y’all would like to go listen. @scaryinteresting I’d LOVE to see you cover it!! Hang on let me see the full name of the video...
If anyones ever visiting Scotland and finds Alexander Selkirk’s story interesting, there’s a really lovely statue of him at his former home in Lower Largo (which is worth visiting by itself), ended up south and visiting Fife for a few days, the coastal villages are beautiful and found his statue, was a really cool find when visiting the area!
I lived in Scotland. That statue is Robinson, the character. Why? Because that book established the English novel as a genre. We have statue space for the real man who endured that plot. Chapter One. I was born. Chapter 5. Stranded. Chapter 38. Give this man a statue!
isn't it crazy, you sit ,you contemplate ,you regret your decision,cry for them to take you back, than your forced to make due with what you got, only to find out years later that it was the best decision in your life, what a rarity of a W
This man's story was a major inspiration for the novel Robinson Crusoe. The novel was actual a big reason the island later became a popular tourist spot, so much so that the Chilean government renamed Más a Tierra Island, "Robinson Crusoe Island" in 1966.
Not really that weird. Almost all viruses are species or Family specific, meaning he wouldn't be getting them unless there are people around. After all, no people with malaria means no mosquitos with malaria. Venomous bites arent as common as you would think for people who are versed in bushcraft. I agree with the infection tho, it was pretty lucky he didnt pick up any diseases from the rats, feral cats, unclean water, or constant handling of raw and undercooked meat. I guess he just got lucky.
What an amazing story, I loved getting to hear something totally new to me that had a happy ending. I love that you've started mixing in some stories where people survive, it both provides a relief from some of the sadness while also adding to the suspense of things because you don't know for sure whether someone will live or die.
If this story seems somewhat familiar, it may be because Alexander Selkirk's ordeal formed part of the basis for Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel "Robinson Crusoe."
I love that he raised a bunch of cats and they were his friends, that's absolutely fantastic EDIT: This may be one of my favorite stories you ever told! Definitely remembering this one
Im so impressed by how much an ordinary man back then could do in his own. How many of us could do what he did on the island? He is a builder, weaver, hunter, tanner, carpenter, and more. Its remarkable he didnt just sink into despair
Nowadays a person is considered ignorant if they didn’t graduate after four years of college with a degree in women’s studies. If you know how to actually use a knife or a gun, then you’re a danger to society.
@spiritmatter1553 Hey don't bring women into this, people still don't give a fuck about women's studies😂 I agree that people don't value survival and crafting skills anymore tho! I love knowing the few skills I do know, and they come in handy more than you'd think. Sometimes I'm more of a handyman than the fellas thanks to the things my grandparents showed me growing up😂❤
@@spiritmatter1553it’s simple. Back then, if you didn’t have skills to survive, you won’t be a productive member of society. Today, there is no need for survival skills in a first world country where everything is dependent on capitalism. If you do live in a rural area in Vietnam for example, survival skills like the guy had in the video is extremely valued.
This was a story I needed to hear. I’ve had a hard life so far. But recently I’ve got the strength to fight back. This story shows with a lot of mind over matter and willpower (and maybe some sprinkles of luck - can’t ignore that) you can get through mountains!
Since I loved Robinsons Crusoe as a child and read the book at least a dozen times, I can really tell that many of the things you mentioned found its way into that book. The strong religious feelings, the importance of the goats, a lot of the attitude...damn, it might be time for another read.
I,too,loved Robinson Crusoe as a child and read it many,many times! The similarities are not coincidental. This well known real life adventure was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe.
I was homeless and living in a tent in the forest a couple of years back, and while it was rough survival, afterwards I too feel like I have never been happier. There is something absolutely liberating about not owning a single thing and only focusing on the here and now, today and tomorrow...
I do think its interesting that here in the west where most of us have never truly been hungry for more than a few hours, have good houses, heating, cars, medicine etc etc etc.... yet we have huge numbers of people depressed.
this guy got in one of the most horrifying scenarios that anyone could imagine at the time, and had the most unbelievable amount of luck "wow that fall only cracked some ribs and winded me, thankfully my dinner broke my fall, i could've died" "all my clothes are starting to fall apart, no matter, i'll just skin the goats i domesticated because i happen to be a tanner as well" "man these rats suck, good thing there's a litter of kittens i can domesticate as well to eat the rats"
Some of it was design. The reason the cats were on the island were the same reason the rats were. Skinning a dead animal is probably not that difficult, and he would've had all the time to refine the skill. I looked up the island; it's at a pretty decent size of 18.5 sq. mi.; can't know how much that figured into his initial marooning-himself stunt, in any case the decent size and vegetation without being so big that there were long time natives who would've probably been hostile to him made it a good place to be stranded for someone with decent survival skill.
@@PoochieCollins”probably not that difficult” lmao you haven’t done it, small animals are easy. Even medium animals are easy. Big animals have to be processed fast or the meat will spoil while you’re still cutting. And this is all hand tools; it is simple in idea but it is not easy or simple in practice lmao
This was great story! Keep it up! I loved the part about how he slowly had an army of cats to keep him company and keep away the pest. I bet that helped so much to keep his sanity. Having pets and goats to tend to had to help.
@mehrimazedehAs someone who does live 95% off grid in a very rural area, it's largely people who want to be left alone. That doesn't mean we're evil or mean. I was surprised to find after 3 years on my property that I had a neighbor about 4 miles away, a Vietnam vet. We both enjoy solitude and self sufficiency, but we check in via ham radio often. We don't rely on each other but we have helped each other in various ways over the years. If you haven't lived the life, please don't speak like an authority.
I also have dreams of being a forest hermit... and I know without a doubt I'd be dead in a week. Well, maybe two. I have skills. They're just... extremely limited. And I'm squeamish. Lol
This is an amazing story, i absolutely love these shipwrecked stories. something about the sea is scary as hell. so much power and distance, extreme isolation. great vid man, your getting really good at telling these stories, and you provide lots of stuff to look at. good job man👍
I've never felt scared of the sea. Below it at 100 feet or above it 70 feet on aircraft carries . only when I'm bobbing up and down with a life jacket on have I felt afraid to be fish food. 🐟 I love the sea and grew up on it. I plan on being buried at sea as well.
I've been binging on maritime disasters. What some sailors survive is just miraculous. God bless those who put out to sea. I keep you all in my prayers. I wish you calm seas and good fortune 🌹⚓
Even more so for someone like myself who is completely terrified by deep bodies of water-I've nearly had a panic attack while in the deep end at my local pool-I never learned how to swim either, though-I was always too scared to! 😳😬😰🙄😏
@@Davidsavage8008 it only scares me when I'm alone at night fishing. With friends it's fine, but all alone it's scary and exhilarating. Fishing on cozumel island was very scary and stressful at night, I was on a reef with a huge drop like 25 feet straight down. Huge waves would roll in and complete cover the reef every few minutes. I just had to listen for them because my headlamp wasn't bright enough to see them coming in very well. Every big wave brought smaller fish up onto the Reef, it was insane, free bait too. Sharks are absolutely scary as hell to catch, all I wanted was snappers. They try to bite you the second you touch their tale. My heart was pounding the entire time. So yes the ocean can be very scary, you just need the right circumstances haha.
The real-life inspiration of the famed novel character, Robinson Crusoe, which was published 10 years after Alexander was found and 2 years before he died. Though there are numerous differences such as Alexander chose to stay on the island, it was uninhabited by humans, and he was on the island for 4 years. Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked, the island had people, and he stayed for 28 years. But no matter the huge differences, he was the reason why Daniel Defoe wrote one the greatest and most well-known novels of all time.
I grew so accustomed to your voice, rhythm and the calm you tell your stories, with.. that when I tried listening to some other channel's stories.. it just felt weird and I stopped :)) I did listen to pretty much all your stuff, some more than once. So, you must be doing something right. Anyways, great story, as always!
These stories of people stranded on islands are so intriguing. Love watching these. So happens to come at a time while I'm looking at getting into sailing on a cheap boat. Gonna fix it up, learn the craft of sailing and solo circumnavigate the globe. Can't wait. Just so hoping to never be stranded.
This was one of your best productions, totally fantastic. The story itself was amazing but the way you framed it with the stellar audio & visuals. GREAT JOB, you made my day!
Holy shit! He’d been stranded for years and the sight of William made him reluctant to get on the boat?! Someone thinking that low of me would make me reconsider my entire life.
Incredible story. Its amazing how much we understand about human resiliency is illustrated in Alexander's story. Reframing, having a touchstone of faith, falling back on your skills, and just maintaining hope... Loved this. Feels good to hear he survived and was able to have a happier ending than both Thomas and William.
This was SO interesting! It's unreal, living on an abandoned island for that long and being able to survive and make that island his home? Just amazing. I'd love to hear more like this. Honestly, this story would make a fantastic movie!
Amazing. I can even envy him a bit. I'm Chilean, so we know the story -never been top the island, as it can only be reached by an army boat and I'm told the journey is not very agreeable. Anyway, I hope he took the cats with him. They get very attached.
This story is incredible. I listen to all your videos while I work, it helps me to focus, and this is my favorite one!! I hope he brought a couple of his favorite kitties with him on the ship.
My own great, great, ever-so-great maternal Grandfather was a privateer out of Scotland. Whatever you have thought, heard, read, dreamed or imagined, they were NOT "nice" people.
i liked this story and how you told it. its one of the best examples of 'making the best out of the worst' and/or 'a man with a strong enough why can endure any how'. thanks shawn!
For those saying that he was lucky not to get sick, get an infection, etc. Remember this was the 1600s. There were no antibiotics! life expectancy was very low. He was probably a lot safer on the island than a major city where disease was rampant !
Hi, this is Vinay from India. Glad to hear the story. Once again. I must tell everybody that I have read the story in my childhood in my language Which was probably a transcript of this story. Very happy to hear this again. Thank you so much for this.
Wow what a life. A mixture of ingenuity and luck with resources, and the training with tanning etc... This was a fascinating story and makes me feel like most of us don't have any real life skills or grit. This was inspiring.
Many men in their 40's and younger are quite pathetic! He would have had access to salt from the sea , fresh water , animal fat and sun so hide tanning wouldn't be too difficult. I. @@Caffeinated_Acrobat
Definitely one of the best story tellers on UA-cam.. i genially get excited when I see a new video out from you..! I can count on one hand the channels on UA-cam that I get this pumped about new vids. Love ya work mate.👍
I was homeless for 3 months after getting fired from job I hated. Owner decided to sell the house I was renting a room in with my mom so we had to leave and we had no where to go. We slept in the car and spent most of the time walking around and enjoying scenery. It was the most fun we've ever had together. We didn't have enough money for rent but we had enough to buy water and fruits and we had help from friends occasionally. Eventually we were able to rent a place thanks to and old work friend but the freedom we had and felt was like nothing else. This story reminds me of that time
I don't. Even the specific cats that he worked to domesticate to assist him with rodent issues were still only partly domesticated but still very much wild and generally feral. That island was their home by that point. Taking them on a crowded ship, away from the only home that they ever knew, would've been unfair to them and a selfish act.
I LOVED this story! Can you please do more of these as I find them fascinating and your voice soothing! I enjoy all of your videos! Thank you for all you do! Hugs!
I love that he brought his Bible and it was a big part of his life on that island. I will have to remember to pack my Bible if ever I go on a cruise 🙂👍🏻❤️
Sir Francis Drake was also a pirate of the Caribbean a couple hundred years earlier who was hired by the English crown to rob Spanish ships. As a matter of fact, he was the richest pirate ever.
Great story. While listening to it I immediately thought of Robinson Crusoe. I did a search for Más a Tierra and found that it is now known as Robinson Crusoe Island (Spanish: Isla Róbinson Crusoe) due to consideration that Alexander Selkirk's story had at least partially inspired novelist Daniel Defoe's novel, Robinson Crusoe. Thank you for a great telling of it.
If it makes you feel any better, while the cats may be sad to lose their owner at first, they almost certainly lived a full life after! Being natural predators they would thrive off of the small animals on the island, and likely join another group of feral cats or start their own!
I understand Alexander's feelings. The happiest days of my life where are the nearly 15-odd years I spent living in a motel with my adopted cats and an old German Shepherd dog. I barely had enough money for the rent, food and cigarettes, but I had worked up to obtaining a car and leading a crew of subcontracted laborers in the moving industry. A slipped disc put that to rest and forced me to work in counseling before making a segue into rideshare driving. That was years 49 to 64 for me, and I'm 72 now.
Very interesting to hear about how he survived his time alone. Years ago I’d take 3 months off a year and go to an unknown campground 30 west of Mt. Shasta, CA up an old logging road. There was only one campsite on a small lake that took me about 15-20 minutes to walk around. I’d take canned veggies and some canned meat. Most of my meals were from the fish I’d catch in that small lake. I’d always take steel stakes and clothes line up with me. Some of the fish I’d catch I would dry on the clothes line. On occasions I would kill a rabbit or other small animals for food. On very rare occasions a Forester Ranger would happen to stop by. He was a kind man. The first time I met him, he was curious on how I found that area. I told him about a family who lived near Mt Shasta and that he was a tow truck driver. He knew my friends . In the beginning I don’t think he believed me in knowing David, but I talked about him and his wife and their 2 daughters. As it turned out, they went to the same small church there in Shasta. The next time the Ranger saw me, he had inquired about me to David. David had assured him that indeed it was him who had shown me that lake a few years prior and I’d always spend the night with David and his family before beginning my 3 month vacation. Every time after that, when the Ranger would show up, he’d always bring me some fresh fruit. I appreciated it very much. I had a small camper on the back of my F150, where I slept at night. On occasions while hiking around the area, I’d come across some bear, or deer scat. One time while fishing I saw a bear on the other side of the lake. I often saw deer and elk. I kept my food in a cash up in a tree away from where I was “camping”, as I didn’t want to give a bear or mountain lion any ideas of coming into my area. The lake had a small stream feeding it and on the other side was another stream flowing out. The stream that was running out is where I’d bathe and wash my clothes on the rocks. This was long before bottled water was available, so I would catch the water coming into the lake and boil it before drinking it. I’d save my drinking water in an old plastic , 1 gallon milk jug. I cooked all my food on an old cast iron skillet. When I’d get low on onions, potatoes, etc, I’d drive back down the mountain to Mt. Shasta and get basic supplies and some fresh fruit and veggies that would last awhile without refrigeration. But I would always treat myself to a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake and head back up into the forest. I always took books with me so during the days of rain, I’d have something to read and not be bored. I did my yearly trip from 1990-1995. That was almost 30 years ago and I’m glad that I was able to do that. I was working for my family’s business, so that was the only way I was able to take those 3 months off every summer. I made some good investments when I was younger so I was able to retire when I was 43. My wife is a Nurse and she enjoys working so now I keep myself busy during the early spring through late fall planting our garden, building raised garden and flower beds, retaining walls, planting new trees, trimming bushes, pruning our fruit trees, harvesting, canning, freeze drying, etc. My winters are about plowing our driveway, private road, etc. We live in a very mountainous area of north central Washington state. We’re 5 miles up the mountain from town (25 miles from the city). We get 5-7 feet of snow every winter and we have to maintain our road ourselves. After my wife decides to retire, we’ve already decided to sell our home and move to a more remote location.
Greetings from Auckland, New Zealand. I enjoyed your post... hope your life is going well. I'm 73, retired lawyer and previous to that I was a teacher, married and raised 3 children. I've visited the USA several times in my life, but only as a tourist. Have been to California, Nevada and surrounds, but never been to eastern US. It looks and sounds beautiful. Hope recent storms and floods haven't devastated your district as much as the Cyclone and later huge floods damaged us here in the North Island of New Zealand. They said it is "once in 200 years' flooding" but we know in our bones that it is Climate Change and it will be back. Very sobering to live with that knowledge. I have a house at Mairangi Bay which has had two leaks in the roof [storm damage] and about 30 years of deferred maintenance due. So I've got the Renovation team of builders and sub-trades in. Cannot live in the house with the interior walls being ripped out to install some insulation, plus the old kitchen, laundry, bathroooms, all gone! I've rented a small apartment in the City fringe, just me and my 4 year old cat. It's similar to being marooned on an island ! I can go days without anyone to talk with, my adult children are all busy in their own lives, we are good when we do get together. But the spaces between visits get longer and lonelier. My little cat misses the garden, and trying to catch the birds or lizards or anything he can. He gives me a sad look sometimes, and I tell him it's only for another few months. Yes, I have enough money for food and to pay essentials, but it's tough being away from friends and neighbours and my usual activities. I rather like living alone, that's my choice at my age. But loneliness is something we have to manage with our own internal resources. I loved the story of Alexander Selkirk. Wish I'd seen his statue when I was touring through Scotland in a VW Combi van with my husband, in1977 --- before children ! May Spirit keep you well and safe....
@@franceshorton918 I have personally never been to the Eastern side of the USA. We live in north central Washington state, above California, and Oregon and below Canada. We seldom watch the news as it’s so depressing. Last year we did hear about all of the flooding in California. It was a long cold winter here. We had our roof raked in late November to get the 2 feet of snow off. I’m thankful that we did because by spring we had an additional 5 feet of snow on our roof. The other homes in our area had 7 feet of snow on their roofs by spring melt. People were charging homeowners up to $1 thousand dollars to rake their roofs. To my knowledge no roofs collapsed in our area because of the pitch of our roofs, which is mandatory in accordance with our county regulations. My wife and I have an awesome marriage. I’m older than she is by 7 years. We throughly enjoy spending life together. We’re praying that the good Lord takes us both at the same time as we don’t want to live without each other. People in bad relationships can feel alone with their spouse sitting next to them. I lost all 3 of my children to death from my first wife. My son would have been 25 next year and my daughter’s would have been 27 next year. My current wife and I have no children only because we were married when I turned 50. I could still produce children, but I’m simply too old to raise them. So our 115# Chocolate Lab is our “kid”. He’s our gentle giant, “Joe”. My grandpa died in 1992 and my grandma remarried in 1994. He passed away at the age of 96 in 2022. My grandma passed away this past January at the age of 97. I had flown down to California for my stepdad’s funeral as he died 8 days before my grandma. I was thankful that I was able to say goodbye to her a few hours before she went home to be with our Lord. I’ll be praying that our Lord brings a nice man into your life for companionship. Take care and be blessed !
@@ThePrairieChronicles Yes we’re about 3 hours west of Spokane. We live in the mountains between Wenatchee and Leavenworth. After my wife retires we’re looking to build a 2 bedroom 2 bath house for late spring, summer and early fall. Our winter months will be in our condo one a Virgin Island. I’m the summer while we’re gone, we’ll rent our condo through Airbnb for additional income. We have an attached 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment to our house. We have a full time renter in now. I’m a few years older than my wife and I’m tired of using the snow blower and plowing our private road in the winter months, as we get 5-7 feet of snow in the winter. So the idea of being a snow bird is on our radar.
@@ThePrairieChronicles Yes AK does get more snow than our measly 5-7 feet. My wife and I are looking around Flathead Lake, Kalispell, Polson, St. Regis or Missoula to buy some land and build a 2 bedroom 2 bath log home with an office to use as our spring through fall summer home. During the winter months we’ll be living on St. Thomas (Virgin Islands), to escape the cold and long winter months of Montana. Our plan is to rent our condo through Airbnb while we’re in Montana to help us bring in more income. We finished building our current home in September of 19, (thank goodness it was just before the pandemic started). Our house has an attached 800 sq ft 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment with a full kitchen and a small dining room. My dad is currently living in it as he’s too old to take care of himself so we have nurses coming in 24/7 to help us help him. Prior to him moving into the apartment we had it rented through Airbnb. We were a 5 star host and were booked almost full time. After my dad passed away, we’ll rent it to either a single person or a couple with no children. The apartment has its own private entrance and their porch is covered with our covered deck above the apartment on the 2nd story. Our renter’s can park their vehicle in a designated carport with walls on 3 sides. We park our vehicles in our oversized heated garage and our pickup is in a detached single car garage that we’ll be putting a shop heater in next year. We keep our attached garage at 50 degrees, so that’s what we’ll keep our detached garage at as well. I will miss gardening once we sell our current home, as the growing season is too short In Montana.
I spent a couple of nights with some loggers in a tent with a wood stove way up a logging trail in Washington State? I remember sleeping in the tourist info centre (left open with a bathroom!). The morning I headed out to hitchhike, these loggers stopped and invited me to come visit with them. I remember the howls of the wolves at night! There were reservoirs (not natural lakes) on the way up to the camp site. Very isolated.
This is a great survival story, man left alone invents his own life and managers to be happy once in awhile and manages to smile and laugh. I live on a boat and I lived on it for 27 years, with little or no interference from civilization. But civilization always manages to catch up, and even though I am on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico a small city has decided that I am trespassing on a Billionaire's bottom rights. They have attempted to make my life miserable without success. But they haven't given up I go to court and three days for trespassing on the oceans. They gave me a trespass warning but doesn't even have an address for where I'm being trespassed warned from. Totally understandable why this man would prefer his Island over the complicated life of a world gone mad. There are so many things that we can live without that we don't realize until we live without
Sean-Man! This is a phenomenal story! I loved this video! I mean, I love all your videos and the stories you tell, mostly. Your story-telling voice is great. I see your channel has grown rapidly and wanted to give you an early congrats on 800k subs --- won't be long and you'll get that million! Anyway, if you can find more stories and content like this one - doesn't always have to be a 'happy' (if you will) ending - it would be awesome for you to share your narration of them! I love old stories or stories like this when those in the dire straits come to terms and it molds them into better versions of themself. Anything like that - thanks again, Sean!
Was really happy to hear about the cats. Having cats around is the main thing that's let me crawl out of depression, and I can easily imagine how much better my mental state would be if I was along on an island with cats, as opposed to one without them.
We live on 5 acres in the county and had rats and field mice bad when we first moved in. They were in our garage every day when I'd get home from work when the door would open, the rats would scurry around. We had some getting in the house and my wife started setting up traps. I hated those damn rats badly and I finally started looking for a cat. Just so happens that same week my wife was driving down the highway and actually saw a small tabby kitten running around near a ditch culvert. She turned around and went back, after some coaxing, she was able to nab the kitty. We named him Potter and he was the best mouser we ever had. Within a few months, he was capturing those rats and mice in record numbers. He would play with them until he killed them and would eventually eat them, well, most of them, would always leave the head. This was 29 years ago and ever since then, we've had many cats, right now we are down to just two, Pickles and Gretchen. They've all been outside cats all these years and I have never, I mean never, have had another mouse or rat inside our house. Cats are great to have around.
Very interesting story. One has to say though he really got stranded on the perfect island. Lots of food and fresh water, temperate climate and no dangerous predators in sight. Also no major storms or anything.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
This story is insane. He goes from stranded and hopeless to building shelter, acquiring pets, farming goats, getting a revenge bod, and entertaining guests. Best episode of Naked & Afraid ever.
Yea… more like 4 long seasons culminating in a final episode where he’s entertaining guests…
Ha ha I laughed out loud and love at your comment. Thank you!
The original minecraft smp
How does throwing a tantrum and leaving the ship equate to being stranded??
@@sharksport01 if there's no way off, there's no way off. Doesn't matter why, stranded is stranded.
At first, I thought what a pity but learning there were cats, goats and junk on the beach he could use and he had the skills to harness them makes it sound like it was a good time actually. Incredible how he could reframe his situation and get on so quickly. Alexander was a smart man and should an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing this story!
Goats but no women . Hmmm
I have serious social issues, probably Autism, and I get along with cats far better than people. I was fostering a couple recently and was so much happier with them around. Cats would 100% make me happier if stranded on an island.
@@michaelblankenau6598 yes women are an absolute source of joy on this earth. Ever been divorced?
Lmfao😂@@mikemieding4773
@@mikemieding4773 Oh look, an incel :< Yeah, they are source of joy to normal people...
This is actually a great allegory about how reframing one's circumstances and utilizing ones available skills, knowledge and resources can make almost any situation bearable.
Yeah the reframing is key
It does. I've done it for 26 years.
In this world today... youde, or myself, surprised myself..
Allegory??? You mean a clear example? Your use of the word i think is correct but I just find it weird to be used in a story where it is beyond clear that being resourceful is good.
@@screamityeah it appears I meant a parable. My bad.
@@jakobquick6875 he's an idiot for not wanting to sail on a ship with a damaged hull, which the rest of them refused to fix? Who also ended up later being captured by the Spanish? That's some logic right there, man. I'd have rather taken my chances on the island as well.
I know you've probably heard it a lot, but you're a fantastic storyteller. You clearly and concisely detail the lives of these people with the imagery and illustrations of their times rather than resorting to stock images and really paint these people as actual people rather than caricatures. I've been a fan of your channel for a long time and whether you're narrating someone lost in a cave in the 2000s or a mutineer in the 1700s, your knowledge and care for the subjects of your videos always comes through crystal clear.
Keep up the fine work, man. You're one of the best at what you do.
This needs to be a movie, this is incredible! I saw it so vividly in my mind. Fantastic work!
It wasn't exactly made into a movie, but it was the basis for an excellent novel called Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Dafoe, published a few years later.
It's actually a book and it's been a movie several times
Swiss family Robinson
They did! Its called Cast Away with Tom Hanks.
Swiss Family Robinson and Cast Away are made on the basis of the Daniel Dafoe novel (Robinson Crusoe), which was by far the earliest. And yes, that novel was heavily inspired by the true story of Alexander Selkirk.
Reminds me of Jack Sparrow
Wow, he was extremely fortunate to be left on an island with so many resources available. Also fortunate to know many of the skills that helped him survive!
Yes! First I thought "there's rats? Oh yea, from ship..Cats too? Lovely! ..GOATS TOO?" And edible vegetables. Pretty lucky island to land on.
For that it's so remote I couldn't believe there had apparently been so many ships there before to leave all kinds of animals behind and that in the 1700s, really seems like no speck of earth is left untouched.
from stranded and hopeless to building shelter, acquiring pets, farming goats, getting a revenge bod
@@slaveNo-4028 It’s precisely because it is so remote that made so many ships dock there, ironically. The North-South trade route along the coast of Chile was very important even then, as much of the vast gold and silver exports of Peru was exported that way in return for slaves and European goods. The mainland is mostly desert there, so if you were short on freshwater the island was the perfect place to stop and resupply, and there were no other good alternative islands to use. The Spanish had no need to settle it since they controlled the mainland, but it was still only a few days sailing from the mainland, so it was too risky for the British or anyone else to settle it. As a result it ended up as just an uninhabited fresh water stop.
@@luxborealis wow! Thank you for the background info, that's fascinating.
"An uninhabited fresh water stop" lol, neat!
And the cats kept him company
I'd love to hear more super old stories like these!
I've got some more coming!
The past was the worst.
Super old like from the cavemen era? :D
@@Loralanthalaswrong channel
DEF!! Me too! Upon first seeing this episode I thought for a second it was the one that Anna Garcia covered recently on True Crime Daily the Podcast! It was kinda sorta somewhat similar and OHHHH MAANNN just as interesting maybe more so! It is like 10 stories in one! I’ll post the name of it if y’all would like to go listen. @scaryinteresting I’d LOVE to see you cover it!! Hang on let me see the full name of the video...
If anyones ever visiting Scotland and finds Alexander Selkirk’s story interesting, there’s a really lovely statue of him at his former home in Lower Largo (which is worth visiting by itself), ended up south and visiting Fife for a few days, the coastal villages are beautiful and found his statue, was a really cool find when visiting the area!
God definitely has a good plan for his life. He’s have had a much different life had he gotten back on board with Thomas!
its actually a statue of robinson crusoe (apparently) which is the main character of a novel written in 1719 loosely based around alexander's story.
I lived in Scotland. That statue is Robinson, the character. Why? Because that book established the English novel as a genre. We have statue space for the real man who endured that plot. Chapter One. I was born. Chapter 5. Stranded. Chapter 38. Give this man a statue!
I’m good
This was fascinating. His choice to leave the ship because of the risk Thomas was making turned out to be the right choice...
It was a ruse to change the caps mind.
isn't it crazy, you sit ,you contemplate ,you regret your decision,cry for them to take you back, than your forced to make due with what you got, only to find out years later that it was the best decision in your life, what a rarity of a W
Kind of crazy that it was just a bluff and he was terrified when they actually left, but it turned out he had saved himself
"You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from" - Cormac McCarthy
❤
This man's story was a major inspiration for the novel Robinson Crusoe.
The novel was actual a big reason the island later became a popular tourist spot, so much so that the Chilean government renamed Más a Tierra Island, "Robinson Crusoe Island" in 1966.
SHAME THEY DIDNT NAME IT AFTER A REAL PERSON
@@hangedups2608 Very true.
I was there this past January with a Cruise Ship for one day quite a place but not tropical like in the movie
about 800 people live there now
@@hangedups2608 there is actually an "Isla Selkirk" west of it. Maybe they mixed up the places.
I was literally thinking as to why the story is so similar to Robinson Crusoe.
Imagine being part of Thomas’ crew when their ship sank and realizing they stranded the man trying to save them…
Yeah, that's the kicker.... William said he was the best sailor they'd had... BECAUSE he'd been right and the rest of them sucked.
Oops.
They're the type to be doomed to not let themsleves even think about that, so if they survived, they'd never be able to learn.
Yeah, like when Trump gets re-elected and bankrupts the USA, I will be in South America laughing at Americans.
@@randymillhouse791just go down there anyway
Not dying on that island of infection, a venomous bite, a virus, etc. is amazing.
Didint sound like there was anything venomous on the island tho.
But yeah not being infected or catching some kind of a illness is unbelievably Lucky.
Not really that weird. Almost all viruses are species or Family specific, meaning he wouldn't be getting them unless there are people around. After all, no people with malaria means no mosquitos with malaria. Venomous bites arent as common as you would think for people who are versed in bushcraft. I agree with the infection tho, it was pretty lucky he didnt pick up any diseases from the rats, feral cats, unclean water, or constant handling of raw and undercooked meat. I guess he just got lucky.
Well, he was a man, that's all you need to know.
@@StarcatMkVthey don’t make em like they used too
He fuck da goats
What an amazing story, I loved getting to hear something totally new to me that had a happy ending. I love that you've started mixing in some stories where people survive, it both provides a relief from some of the sadness while also adding to the suspense of things because you don't know for sure whether someone will live or die.
I wouldn't say dying of Yellow Fever is a happy ending, but I know what you mean :)
@@crazymoo56 all of our stories will end in death, what you do until then is what matters.
If this story seems somewhat familiar, it may be because Alexander Selkirk's ordeal formed part of the basis for Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel "Robinson Crusoe."
@@charlesyoung7436 Thanks for that interesting extra info....a real life , minus Man Friday , but - hey, quite an amazing true story.
@@billbraskey3265amen 2 that
I love that he raised a bunch of cats and they were his friends, that's absolutely fantastic
EDIT: This may be one of my favorite stories you ever told! Definitely remembering this one
Have to wonder how many native species were wiped out by the introduction of these animals to those islands. Worked out for him though!
@@rattek2749 Oh yeah, definitely not ideal. Rats OR cats. But they were already there when he got there, he just cared for them, which was sweet!
@@bluejediforceyou realize he made love with the goats?
Im so impressed by how much an ordinary man back then could do in his own. How many of us could do what he did on the island? He is a builder, weaver, hunter, tanner, carpenter, and more. Its remarkable he didnt just sink into despair
Nowadays a person is considered ignorant if they didn’t graduate after four years of college with a degree in women’s studies. If you know how to actually use a knife or a gun, then you’re a danger to society.
@spiritmatter1553 yh I'm sure that's the case.
@spiritmatter1553 Hey don't bring women into this, people still don't give a fuck about women's studies😂 I agree that people don't value survival and crafting skills anymore tho! I love knowing the few skills I do know, and they come in handy more than you'd think. Sometimes I'm more of a handyman than the fellas thanks to the things my grandparents showed me growing up😂❤
@@spiritmatter1553it’s simple. Back then, if you didn’t have skills to survive, you won’t be a productive member of society. Today, there is no need for survival skills in a first world country where everything is dependent on capitalism. If you do live in a rural area in Vietnam for example, survival skills like the guy had in the video is extremely valued.
People could be very self sufficient back then. Today, many people seem to only care about chasing money or fame.
This was a story I needed to hear. I’ve had a hard life so far. But recently I’ve got the strength to fight back. This story shows with a lot of mind over matter and willpower (and maybe some sprinkles of luck - can’t ignore that) you can get through mountains!
I agree man! I’m bouncing back too and I’m so psyched for life. This guy is awesome! Really makes me want to build some skills!
That was a good story, thanks for sharing it! This guy was resourceful, I would've died in a week.
Me too, haha
you'd probably be surprised at what you can accomplish on instincts when desperate, especially on a tropical island covered with food.
👍👍❤️
Same! 😳😢😵💀🏴☠️
Wouldn't have lasted a day haha
Thanks!
Thanks so much for supporting the channel!!
Since I loved Robinsons Crusoe as a child and read the book at least a dozen times, I can really tell that many of the things you mentioned found its way into that book. The strong religious feelings, the importance of the goats, a lot of the attitude...damn, it might be time for another read.
I,too,loved Robinson Crusoe as a child and read it many,many times!
The similarities are not coincidental.
This well known real life adventure was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe.
I was stunned that Scary didn't mention the book at all!
The island of Mas a Tierra was actually renamed Robinson Crusoe island in 1966
Shame that Google Earth is a low res mess and patchwork satellite images ... no reason why Google is so shit, they do this all the time.
@@MW-nOttawa bro what are you talking about
I was homeless and living in a tent in the forest a couple of years back, and while it was rough survival, afterwards I too feel like I have never been happier. There is something absolutely liberating about not owning a single thing and only focusing on the here and now, today and tomorrow...
that is our history, this modern life is what messes us up
@@kalyxhighgrade8392 No. Social media and sitting on our butts all day is what messes us up.
Insurance the white man's burden. @@kalyxhighgrade8392
That is something buddhisim teaches
I do think its interesting that here in the west where most of us have never truly been hungry for more than a few hours, have good houses, heating, cars, medicine etc etc etc.... yet we have huge numbers of people depressed.
this guy got in one of the most horrifying scenarios that anyone could imagine at the time, and had the most unbelievable amount of luck "wow that fall only cracked some ribs and winded me, thankfully my dinner broke my fall, i could've died" "all my clothes are starting to fall apart, no matter, i'll just skin the goats i domesticated because i happen to be a tanner as well" "man these rats suck, good thing there's a litter of kittens i can domesticate as well to eat the rats"
That, and he unknowingly jumped off a doomed ship and her sailors
Lol OMG yes if this was a movie people would scream so many plot conveniences! xD But it's like real life so WTF?
Some of it was design. The reason the cats were on the island were the same reason the rats were. Skinning a dead animal is probably not that difficult, and he would've had all the time to refine the skill. I looked up the island; it's at a pretty decent size of 18.5 sq. mi.; can't know how much that figured into his initial marooning-himself stunt, in any case the decent size and vegetation without being so big that there were long time natives who would've probably been hostile to him made it a good place to be stranded for someone with decent survival skill.
@@PoochieCollins It worked out well for him, but if there had been natives, maybe they would have been friendly. So it coulda been worse OR better.
@@PoochieCollins”probably not that difficult” lmao you haven’t done it, small animals are easy. Even medium animals are easy. Big animals have to be processed fast or the meat will spoil while you’re still cutting. And this is all hand tools; it is simple in idea but it is not easy or simple in practice lmao
Thanks!
Alexander Selkirk became the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe
I’m really surprised that wasn’t mentioned in the video!
@@JosieJOK Same!
I came down here to say the same thing! I didn't read the whole book in one night (I was in college; I was busy) for nothing!
I read Robinson Crusoe before I found out about Selkirk; both great stories.
I once drank in the pub in Bristol UK which was famous for being the place where Alexander Selkirk told Daniel Defoe his story.
This was great story! Keep it up! I loved the part about how he slowly had an army of cats to keep him company and keep away the pest. I bet that helped so much to keep his sanity. Having pets and goats to tend to had to help.
really heartbroken about how impractical this makes my dreams of living alone in the forest seem
Real 😔
@mehrimazedehAs someone who does live 95% off grid in a very rural area, it's largely people who want to be left alone. That doesn't mean we're evil or mean. I was surprised to find after 3 years on my property that I had a neighbor about 4 miles away, a Vietnam vet. We both enjoy solitude and self sufficiency, but we check in via ham radio often. We don't rely on each other but we have helped each other in various ways over the years. If you haven't lived the life, please don't speak like an authority.
I also have dreams of being a forest hermit... and I know without a doubt I'd be dead in a week.
Well, maybe two. I have skills. They're just... extremely limited. And I'm squeamish. Lol
@mehrimazedehSpoken like a true ignorant female.
@@juniper9251I'm such a picky eater 😭 an "adult" who needs to get over textures lmao and also hate seafood 😆
For 22 minutes I was gripped. I always enjoy your storytelling. This was brilliant.
This is an amazing story, i absolutely love these shipwrecked stories. something about the sea is scary as hell. so much power and distance, extreme isolation. great vid man, your getting really good at telling these stories, and you provide lots of stuff to look at. good job man👍
something about the sea is scary as hell
as a Subnautica player, I cannot agree more
I've never felt scared of the sea. Below it at 100 feet or above it 70 feet on aircraft carries . only when I'm bobbing up and down with a life jacket on have I felt afraid to be fish food. 🐟 I love the sea and grew up on it. I plan on being buried at sea as well.
I've been binging on maritime disasters. What some sailors survive is just miraculous. God bless those who put out to sea. I keep you all in my prayers. I wish you calm seas and good fortune 🌹⚓
Even more so for someone like myself who is completely terrified by deep bodies of water-I've nearly had a panic attack while in the deep end at my local pool-I never learned how to swim either, though-I was always too scared to! 😳😬😰🙄😏
@@Davidsavage8008 it only scares me when I'm alone at night fishing. With friends it's fine, but all alone it's scary and exhilarating.
Fishing on cozumel island was very scary and stressful at night, I was on a reef with a huge drop like 25 feet straight down. Huge waves would roll in and complete cover the reef every few minutes. I just had to listen for them because my headlamp wasn't bright enough to see them coming in very well.
Every big wave brought smaller fish up onto the Reef, it was insane, free bait too. Sharks are absolutely scary as hell to catch, all I wanted was snappers. They try to bite you the second you touch their tale. My heart was pounding the entire time.
So yes the ocean can be very scary, you just need the right circumstances haha.
Absolutely amazing, as a sailor that lives on a tropical island i can totally relate to this story Thank you
The real-life inspiration of the famed novel character, Robinson Crusoe, which was published 10 years after Alexander was found and 2 years before he died. Though there are numerous differences such as Alexander chose to stay on the island, it was uninhabited by humans, and he was on the island for 4 years. Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked, the island had people, and he stayed for 28 years. But no matter the huge differences, he was the reason why Daniel Defoe wrote one the greatest and most well-known novels of all time.
My childhood story
Incredible story. Thanks for sharing!
I grew so accustomed to your voice, rhythm and the calm you tell your stories, with.. that when I tried
listening to some other channel's stories.. it just felt weird and I stopped :)) I did listen to pretty much
all your stuff, some more than once. So, you must be doing something right.
Anyways, great story, as always!
I love his voice
@@zanagaraplija1956 Me too 😊
These stories of people stranded on islands are so intriguing. Love watching these. So happens to come at a time while I'm looking at getting into sailing on a cheap boat. Gonna fix it up, learn the craft of sailing and solo circumnavigate the globe. Can't wait. Just so hoping to never be stranded.
This was one of your best productions, totally fantastic. The story itself was amazing but the way you framed it with the stellar audio & visuals. GREAT JOB, you made my day!
👏👏❤️
Danke!
Thanks so much for supporting the channel!
So Alexander was the luckiest one in the entire ordeal
No matter who you are or how you get there, when left alone we all turn into Crazy Cat Lady
I really enjoy all your videos , thanks for the solid detailed and great stories, I can tell you enjoy what you do.
Thanks so much for watching and supporting the channel! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!
Holy shit! He’d been stranded for years and the sight of William made him reluctant to get on the boat?! Someone thinking that low of me would make me reconsider my entire life.
Incredible story. Its amazing how much we understand about human resiliency is illustrated in Alexander's story. Reframing, having a touchstone of faith, falling back on your skills, and just maintaining hope... Loved this. Feels good to hear he survived and was able to have a happier ending than both Thomas and William.
Incredible story telling as always! Although he went through incredible trials and tribulations, Alexander really was blessed.
This was SO interesting! It's unreal, living on an abandoned island for that long and being able to survive and make that island his home? Just amazing. I'd love to hear more like this. Honestly, this story would make a fantastic movie!
All of that to die of yellow fever, incredible. Well told and thank you!
One of the best stories ive6 ever heard. I was transfixed the whole time. Your descriptions were so incredible, I felt like I was there.
Amazing. I can even envy him a bit. I'm Chilean, so we know the story -never been top the island, as it can only be reached by an army boat and I'm told the journey is not very agreeable. Anyway, I hope he took the cats with him. They get very attached.
Exactly, I think the cats kept him company as his friends
That was the best telling of the selkirk story i’ve heard. Excellent job!
I love the way Mel is just so focused on him. Mel seems like the perfect friend you can vent to and he would hear and understand everything.
If I’m not mistaken Alexander’s misadventure became an inspiration for Robinson Crusoe. Cant imagine his horrendous struggle
This story is incredible. I listen to all your videos while I work, it helps me to focus, and this is my favorite one!! I hope he brought a couple of his favorite kitties with him on the ship.
Such an uplifting story! Being able to make the best of his situation was incredible. Thank you for sharing this with us.☺
Did he take any of his cats with him when he left the island??? 😭
But isn't that best for them? Sounds like he shouldve stayed with them lol
The island is the cats home kinda cruel to take them away. Especially if they're already wild they will be fine
They ate rats
Back then they would have made a delicious cat stew
😭😭😭😭
I’m always excited to see a new video from this channel. Seems like a fascinating story.
This was a great story. It's not every day we hear an amazing tale like we'd hear in fantasy novels. I'm glad he lived such a happy life there.
My own great, great, ever-so-great maternal Grandfather was a privateer out of Scotland. Whatever you have thought, heard, read, dreamed or imagined, they were NOT "nice" people.
What an interesting life. That island was a blessing in disguise, so bountiful with resources, food and character development.
i liked this story and how you told it. its one of the best examples of 'making the best out of the worst' and/or 'a man with a strong enough why can endure any how'. thanks shawn!
What an amazing story! It's incredible how well he managed on that island. Wow
For those saying that he was lucky not to get sick, get an infection, etc. Remember this was the 1600s. There were no antibiotics! life expectancy was very low. He was probably a lot safer on the island than a major city where disease was rampant !
He was born and lived specifically in my hometown of lower largo in fife. Cool statue of him there too 😊
That's cool
Hi, this is Vinay from India. Glad to hear the story. Once again. I must tell everybody that I have read the story in my childhood in my language
Which was probably a transcript of this story. Very happy to hear this again. Thank you so much for this.
😊
Hey man i just want to say, i love survival stories. you do a great job giving a narrative. Love from MN
"Known for his mischief and restlessness."
*Drinks salt water, gets laughed at, tries to commit murder.*
Mischief.
One time when I was 6, I lost track of my mom at Walmart.
So this story really hit home with me
I'm stranded in Target so I can also relate
Brother turned a nightmare into a paradise
Wow what a life. A mixture of ingenuity and luck with resources, and the training with tanning etc... This was a fascinating story and makes me feel like most of us don't have any real life skills or grit. This was inspiring.
Lol. The modern human is definitely soft compared to these dudes.
Many men in their 40's and younger are quite pathetic! He would have had access to salt from the sea , fresh water , animal fat and sun so hide tanning wouldn't be too difficult. I. @@Caffeinated_Acrobat
That's so wholesome he had these pet kitties to train and keep him company 😊
Definitely one of the best story tellers on UA-cam.. i genially get excited when I see a new video out from you..!
I can count on one hand the channels on UA-cam that I get this pumped about new vids.
Love ya work mate.👍
What an incredibly engaging story. Your narration made it all the more so. Thank you so much.
This is an absolutely incredible story, extremely well told! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Imagine being on an island, surviving 4 years, becoming what was essentially a millionare and then dying from a bug.
This is one of my favourite Scary Interesting videos so far. What an amazing story.
I was homeless for 3 months after getting fired from job I hated. Owner decided to sell the house I was renting a room in with my mom so we had to leave and we had no where to go. We slept in the car and spent most of the time walking around and enjoying scenery. It was the most fun we've ever had together. We didn't have enough money for rent but we had enough to buy water and fruits and we had help from friends occasionally. Eventually we were able to rent a place thanks to and old work friend but the freedom we had and felt was like nothing else. This story reminds me of that time
The part with the cats was so sweet, I hope he took them with him when he left.
I don't. Even the specific cats that he worked to domesticate to assist him with rodent issues were still only partly domesticated but still very much wild and generally feral. That island was their home by that point. Taking them on a crowded ship, away from the only home that they ever knew, would've been unfair to them and a selfish act.
@@nickd1930 true true
😊
I LOVED this story! Can you please do more of these as I find them fascinating and your voice soothing! I enjoy all of your videos! Thank you for all you do! Hugs!
I love that he brought his Bible and it was a big part of his life on that island. I will have to remember to pack my Bible if ever I go on a cruise 🙂👍🏻❤️
Sir Francis Drake was also a pirate of the Caribbean a couple hundred years earlier who was hired by the English crown to rob Spanish ships. As a matter of fact, he was the richest pirate ever.
tbh being trapped on an island w cats and living off a diet of sea food sounds like a dream minus the lack of hygiene products
Um, his diet was mainly goats, not seafood.
Great story. While listening to it I immediately thought of Robinson Crusoe. I did a search for Más a Tierra and found that it is now known as Robinson Crusoe Island (Spanish: Isla Róbinson Crusoe) due to consideration that Alexander Selkirk's story had at least partially inspired novelist Daniel Defoe's novel, Robinson Crusoe. Thank you for a great telling of it.
From the moment I heard he was rescued I couldn’t help but wonder if he took his beloved cats with him back to England 😢
Same!! 😭
If it makes you feel any better, while the cats may be sad to lose their owner at first, they almost certainly lived a full life after! Being natural predators they would thrive off of the small animals on the island, and likely join another group of feral cats or start their own!
@@Jubernuaght Teh description suggested they already had a small army while he was there.
I get the feeling he probably didn't, but I think they would have had a better life on the island.
Being stranded on an island full of cats sounds like a best case scenario lol.
After a month I've finally watched every episode.. love this channel ❤
What an incredible story! Super fascinating stuff with awesome narration once again!
Love your stories and how you present them!
I'm actually a little jealous. Being stranded on a Pacific island sounds like a total upgrade to the modern world.
what a great story, I love these. cheers!
I think my favorite videos on this channel are the ones where someone is surviving against all odds
I understand Alexander's feelings. The happiest days of my life where are the nearly 15-odd years I spent living in a motel with my adopted cats and an old German Shepherd dog. I barely had enough money for the rent, food and cigarettes, but I had worked up to obtaining a car and leading a crew of subcontracted laborers in the moving industry. A slipped disc put that to rest and forced me to work in counseling before making a segue into rideshare driving. That was years 49 to 64 for me, and I'm 72 now.
Very interesting to hear about how he survived his time alone.
Years ago I’d take 3 months off a year and go to an unknown campground 30 west of Mt. Shasta, CA up an old logging road.
There was only one campsite on a small lake that took me about 15-20 minutes to walk around.
I’d take canned veggies and some canned meat.
Most of my meals were from the fish I’d catch in that small lake.
I’d always take steel stakes and clothes line up with me. Some of the fish I’d catch I would dry on the clothes line. On occasions I would kill a rabbit or other small animals for food.
On very rare occasions a Forester Ranger would happen to stop by. He was a kind man.
The first time I met him, he was curious on how I found that area. I told him about a family who lived near Mt Shasta and that he was a tow truck driver. He knew my friends . In the beginning I don’t think he believed me in knowing David, but I talked about him and his wife and their 2 daughters. As it turned out, they went to the same small church there in Shasta.
The next time the Ranger saw me, he had inquired about me to David. David had assured him that indeed it was him who had shown me that lake a few years prior and I’d always spend the night with David and his family before beginning my 3 month vacation.
Every time after that, when the Ranger would show up, he’d always bring me some fresh fruit. I appreciated it very much.
I had a small camper on the back of my F150, where I slept at night.
On occasions while hiking around the area, I’d come across some bear, or deer scat. One time while fishing I saw a bear on the other side of the lake. I often saw deer and elk. I kept my food in a cash up in a tree away from where I was “camping”, as I didn’t want to give a bear or mountain lion any ideas of coming into my area.
The lake had a small stream feeding it and on the other side was another stream flowing out. The stream that was running out is where I’d bathe and wash my clothes on the rocks.
This was long before bottled water was available, so I would catch the water coming into the lake and boil it before drinking it. I’d save my drinking water in an old plastic , 1 gallon milk jug. I cooked all my food on an old cast iron skillet. When I’d get low on onions, potatoes, etc, I’d drive back down the mountain to Mt. Shasta and get basic supplies and some fresh fruit and veggies that would last awhile without refrigeration. But I would always treat myself to a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake and head back up into the forest.
I always took books with me so during the days of rain, I’d have something to read and not be bored.
I did my yearly trip from 1990-1995. That was almost 30 years ago and I’m glad that I was able to do that.
I was working for my family’s business, so that was the only way I was able to take those 3 months off every summer.
I made some good investments when I was younger so I was able to retire when I was 43.
My wife is a Nurse and she enjoys working so now I keep myself busy during the early spring through late fall planting our garden, building raised garden and flower beds, retaining walls, planting new trees, trimming bushes, pruning our fruit trees, harvesting, canning, freeze drying, etc.
My winters are about plowing our driveway, private road, etc.
We live in a very mountainous area of north central Washington state. We’re 5 miles up the mountain from town (25 miles from the city). We get 5-7 feet of snow every winter and we have to maintain our road ourselves.
After my wife decides to retire, we’ve already decided to sell our home and move to a more remote location.
Greetings from Auckland, New Zealand. I enjoyed your post... hope your life is going well. I'm 73, retired lawyer and previous to that I was a teacher, married and raised 3 children. I've visited the USA several times in my life, but only as a tourist. Have been to California, Nevada
and surrounds, but never been to eastern US. It looks and sounds beautiful. Hope recent storms and floods haven't devastated your district as much as the Cyclone and later huge
floods damaged us here in the North Island of New Zealand. They said it is "once in 200 years' flooding" but we know in our bones that it is Climate Change and it will be back. Very sobering to live with that knowledge.
I have a house at Mairangi Bay which has had two leaks in the roof [storm damage] and about 30 years of deferred maintenance due. So I've got the Renovation team of builders and sub-trades in. Cannot live in the house with the interior walls being ripped out to install some insulation, plus the old kitchen, laundry, bathroooms, all gone!
I've rented a small apartment in the City fringe, just me and my 4 year old cat.
It's similar to being marooned on an island !
I can go days without anyone to talk with, my adult children are all busy in their own lives, we are good when we do get together. But the spaces between visits get longer and lonelier.
My little cat misses the garden, and trying to catch the birds or lizards or anything he can.
He gives me a sad look sometimes, and I tell him it's only for another few months.
Yes, I have enough money for food and to pay essentials, but it's tough being away from friends and neighbours and my usual activities. I rather like living alone, that's my choice at my age. But loneliness is something we have to manage with our own internal resources.
I loved the story of Alexander Selkirk.
Wish I'd seen his statue when I was touring through Scotland in a VW Combi van with my husband, in1977 --- before children !
May Spirit keep you well and safe....
@@franceshorton918 I have personally never been to the Eastern side of the USA.
We live in north central Washington state, above California, and Oregon and below Canada.
We seldom watch the news as it’s so depressing.
Last year we did hear about all of the flooding in California.
It was a long cold winter here. We had our roof raked in late November to get the 2 feet of snow off. I’m thankful that we did because by spring we had an additional 5 feet of snow on our roof. The other homes in our area had 7 feet of snow on their roofs by spring melt.
People were charging homeowners up to $1 thousand dollars to rake their roofs. To my knowledge no roofs collapsed in our area because of the pitch of our roofs, which is mandatory in accordance with our county regulations.
My wife and I have an awesome marriage. I’m older than she is by 7 years. We throughly enjoy spending life together. We’re praying that the good Lord takes us both at the same time as we don’t want to live without each other.
People in bad relationships can feel alone with their spouse sitting next to them.
I lost all 3 of my children to death from my first wife. My son would have been 25 next year and my daughter’s would have been 27 next year.
My current wife and I have no children only because we were married when I turned 50. I could still produce children, but I’m simply too old to raise them.
So our 115# Chocolate Lab is our “kid”. He’s our gentle giant, “Joe”.
My grandpa died in 1992 and my grandma remarried in 1994. He passed away at the age of 96 in 2022. My grandma passed away this past January at the age of 97. I had flown down to California for my stepdad’s funeral as he died 8 days before my grandma. I was thankful that I was able to say goodbye to her a few hours before she went home to be with our Lord.
I’ll be praying that our Lord brings a nice man into your life for companionship.
Take care and be blessed !
@@ThePrairieChronicles Yes we’re about 3 hours west of Spokane. We live in the mountains between Wenatchee and Leavenworth.
After my wife retires we’re looking to build a 2 bedroom 2 bath house for late spring, summer and early fall.
Our winter months will be in our condo one a Virgin Island.
I’m the summer while we’re gone, we’ll rent our condo through Airbnb for additional income.
We have an attached 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment to our house. We have a full time renter in now.
I’m a few years older than my wife and I’m tired of using the snow blower and plowing our private road in the winter months, as we get 5-7 feet of snow in the winter.
So the idea of being a snow bird is on our radar.
@@ThePrairieChronicles Yes AK does get more snow than our measly 5-7 feet.
My wife and I are looking around Flathead Lake, Kalispell, Polson, St. Regis or Missoula to buy some land and build a 2 bedroom 2 bath log home with an office to use as our spring through fall summer home.
During the winter months we’ll be living on St. Thomas (Virgin Islands), to escape the cold and long winter months of Montana.
Our plan is to rent our condo through Airbnb while we’re in Montana to help us bring in more income.
We finished building our current home in September of 19, (thank goodness it was just before the pandemic started). Our house has an attached 800 sq ft 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment with a full kitchen and a small dining room.
My dad is currently living in it as he’s too old to take care of himself so we have nurses coming in 24/7 to help us help him.
Prior to him moving into the apartment we had it rented through Airbnb. We were a 5 star host and were booked almost full time.
After my dad passed away, we’ll rent it to either a single person or a couple with no children. The apartment has its own private entrance and their porch is covered with our covered deck above the apartment on the 2nd story.
Our renter’s can park their vehicle in a designated carport with walls on 3 sides.
We park our vehicles in our oversized heated garage and our pickup is in a detached single car garage that we’ll be putting a shop heater in next year.
We keep our attached garage at 50 degrees, so that’s what we’ll keep our detached garage at as well.
I will miss gardening once we sell our current home, as the growing season is too short In Montana.
I spent a couple of nights with some loggers in a tent with a wood stove way up a logging trail in Washington State? I remember sleeping in the tourist info centre (left open with a bathroom!). The morning I headed out to hitchhike, these loggers stopped and invited me to come visit with them. I remember the howls of the wolves at night! There were reservoirs (not natural lakes) on the way up to the camp site. Very isolated.
This is a great survival story, man left alone invents his own life and managers to be happy once in awhile and manages to smile and laugh. I live on a boat and I lived on it for 27 years, with little or no interference from civilization. But civilization always manages to catch up, and even though I am on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico a small city has decided that I am trespassing on a Billionaire's bottom rights. They have attempted to make my life miserable without success. But they haven't given up I go to court and three days for trespassing on the oceans. They gave me a trespass warning but doesn't even have an address for where I'm being trespassed warned from. Totally understandable why this man would prefer his Island over the complicated life of a world gone mad. There are so many things that we can live without that we don't realize until we live without
Sean-Man! This is a phenomenal story! I loved this video! I mean, I love all your videos and the stories you tell, mostly. Your story-telling voice is great. I see your channel has grown rapidly and wanted to give you an early congrats on 800k subs --- won't be long and you'll get that million!
Anyway, if you can find more stories and content like this one - doesn't always have to be a 'happy' (if you will) ending - it would be awesome for you to share your narration of them! I love old stories or stories like this when those in the dire straits come to terms and it molds them into better versions of themself. Anything like that - thanks again, Sean!
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i love this kind of stories 🥰 thank you so much keep it up!
I can't believe you're at 756k subscribers! You've come so far, and your storytelling was flawless!
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Too fast!!
@@JohnEltin Agreed. Thank goodness we had subtitles. Diction was appalling.
I LOVE this channel. So much information in 20 minutes or so. Thanks! ❤❤❤
1704 is dang near primitive times. People back then knew how to make fire, find water, and catch food. Today, people would be dead in 3 days.
This was a really good story, you told it very well.
I enjoyed it very much, Thank you!✌🏼
Did I think I would be rapt by a deserted island story? Nope.
He tells a tale so well. Always great choices; written and narrated so well.
Same, almost didn't click because I thought it wouldn't grab me. This guy is a fantastic storyteller.
Was really happy to hear about the cats. Having cats around is the main thing that's let me crawl out of depression, and I can easily imagine how much better my mental state would be if I was along on an island with cats, as opposed to one without them.
We live on 5 acres in the county and had rats and field mice bad when we first moved in. They were in our garage every day when I'd get home from work when the door would open, the rats would scurry around. We had some getting in the house and my wife started setting up traps. I hated those damn rats badly and I finally started looking for a cat. Just so happens that same week my wife was driving down the highway and actually saw a small tabby kitten running around near a ditch culvert. She turned around and went back, after some coaxing, she was able to nab the kitty. We named him Potter and he was the best mouser we ever had. Within a few months, he was capturing those rats and mice in record numbers. He would play with them until he killed them and would eventually eat them, well, most of them, would always leave the head. This was 29 years ago and ever since then, we've had many cats, right now we are down to just two, Pickles and Gretchen. They've all been outside cats all these years and I have never, I mean never, have had another mouse or rat inside our house. Cats are great to have around.
Absolutely amazing! This was so interesting and so beautifully told!
I absolutely love these older stories I'd love to hear more like this💯
Very interesting story. One has to say though he really got stranded on the perfect island. Lots of food and fresh water, temperate climate and no dangerous predators in sight. Also no major storms or anything.