Boon Island is a barren, rocky island in the Gulf of Maine off the coast of York, Maine. The island, which is approximately by at low tide, is the site of Boon Island Light, at high, it is the tallest lighthouse in New England. Numerous vessels have been wrecked on its rocky shoreline. John Winthrop, the English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony mentions passing Boon Island in the 1600s. Boon Island Light A wooden day beacon was erected in 1799 but lasted only five years. Fierce storms repeatedly scour Boon Island, which has an elevation of above sea level at its highest point. Violent seas can heave boulders across its surface, demolishing structures. A stone day beacon was constructed. In 1811, a stone lighthouse was built which stood 32 feet above the water, then rebuilt in 1831 to stand 49 feet. But damage from the elements was relentless. Consequently, in 1854–1855 the tallest lighthouse in New England, Boon Island Light, was built — 133 feet (40 m) of massive granite blocks at a cost of US$25,000. It had a focal plane of 137 feet (42 m). Keepers willing to live in such a desolate place were few, arriving and departing in steady succession. Only one man seemed to thrive there; William C. Williams stayed 27 years and lived past the age of 90. In 1978, two lightkeepers on the island had to retreat from a powerful winter storm. They took shelter in the light chamber while the seas and wind demolished all other structures on the island. The water rose five feet up the tower and dislodged a number of its segments. The next day, they were rescued by helicopter. The tower was repaired and automated, no longer requiring a resident keeper. It is now powered by solar power. Shipwrecks Increase (1682) The wrecking of the coastal trading vessel, Increase, in the summer of 1682 is believed to be how the island got its English name. Four survivors — three Europeans and one native American — subsisted on fish and gulls' eggs. After a month on the island, they built a fire to attract attention when they saw smoke rising from the summit of Mount Agamenticus in York, Maine. The people on Mount Agamenticus saw the smoke from the island and the castaways were soon rescued. Seeing their survival as a