The Lighthouse That Sent a Mayday Without a Soul Aboard

The Lighthouse That Sent a Mayday Without a Soul Aboard Fear knotting the ordinary: a radio sent a distress call at 23:47 on September 13, 2011, but the Coast Guard found no vessel, no person in the water, and the radio was locked inside the lighthouse-so who, or what, actually transmitted that Mayday? The story hinges on three concrete anomalies that don't line up: coordinates four hundred meters offshore, an unconscious keeper on the floor, and a dried bloodstain three feet above the waterline on an exterior foundation wall. In this episode, you’ll hear a chronological account of the night tropical storm Renata brushed Morrow Inlet, learn the daily routines and skills of the keeper who lived alone at Hadley Point Light, and follow how a quiet question from a visiting electrician slowly produced an explanation-so what do those three mismatched facts add up to? Person: Dawn Keller Date: September 13, 2011 at 23:47 Location: Hadley Point Light, Morrow Inlet Event: Distress signal transmitted with no vessel found Weather: Tropical storm Renata outer bands; 2 inches rain, 8 ft waves, 45 mph gusts - The distress signal transmitted coordinates placing the source 400 meters offshore. - The radio that sent the signal was locked inside the lighthouse watch room. - Dawn Keller was found unconscious on the floor of the lighthouse with the room otherwise undisturbed. - A dried bloodstain matching Dawn's blood type was on the north foundation wall, 3 feet above the waterline, on a surface unreachable from the watch room. - The iron bracket holding the lamp assembly, original from 1907, let go sometime between 23:20 and 23:40 while Dawn's last log entry was at 22:50. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].