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Brendon GrimshawA man who lived alone on an island for 50 years
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- A Man Who Lived Alone on an Island for 50 Years
- Life on Moyenne Island
- A Solitary Life
- A Treasure Hunt
- A Life of Contemplation
A Man Who Lived Alone on an Island for 50 Years
Brendon Grimshaw, a British man, fulfilled the dream of many by buying his own uninhabited island over 50 years ago. Since then, he lived on his own island, waking up and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. Brendon Grimshaw purchased Moyenne Island in the Seychelles in 1962 for a mere 8,000 pounds. The island was not suitable for human habitation at the time, with only a couple of unnamed pirate graves and over a hundred skulls amidst the dense tropical vegetation.
Life on Moyenne Island
Moyenne Island, located in the Indian Ocean, is one of the 115 Seychelles islands and is considered one of the most spectacular and amazing islands on the planet. When Brendon purchased the island, it was so overgrown that even coconuts falling from the palm trees couldn't reach the ground and remained stuck in the branches. Brendon enlisted the help of Rene Lafortune, who became his companion and helped transform the island into a habitable place. Together, they planted mangoes and papayas, built a shelter, and turned Moyenne Island from uninhabitable to habitable.
A Solitary Life
Brendon Grimshaw lived with marine turtles and a variety of birds on the island for the last 50 years of his life. He also had a few dogs that he specifically brought to the island. Despite his solitary lifestyle, Brendon was always glad to welcome visitors to his island and regretted not getting married during his lifetime. He passed away in July 2012 at the age of 87. In recent years, he was offered significant sums of money for the island, but Brendon refused as Moyenne Island had become something much more than mere property to him.
A Treasure Hunt
Rumors circulated that there was a buried pirate treasure on Moyenne Island worth over 30 million pounds, and Brendon secretly hoped to uncover it one day. Whether or not there was a treasure on the island remains unknown, but Brendon Grimshaw was unable to find it. It is known, however, that the island served as a refuge for pirates over 200 years ago.
A Life of Contemplation
Brendon Grimshaw lived a relatively unknown life until shortly before his death, when journalists became interested in the modern-day Robinson Crusoe. A documentary was made about him, and people became intrigued by his life on the island. Brendon always maintained that he never intended to turn his island into a national park or anything of the sort. Moyenne Island was simply his home for half a century, and any improvements made were solely to make his home more comfortable.
'Brendon once said, 'The only reason someone would want to buy this island is to build a big hotel.' When asked if he ever felt lonely, he replied, 'Only when I lived in an apartment in London. I was unhappy there, but never here.'
A Grain of Sand: The Story of One Man and an Island is Brendon Grimshaw's autobiographical book, which was published in 1996.
