In 1962, Bernard Grimshaw spent his last money on a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
His friends considered him a recluse who had had enough of the hustle and bustle of civilization.
For 40 years, he secretly searched for pirate treasures on the island and refused to sell his land to an Arabian sheikh for millions of dollars.
Grimshaw paid only $13,000 for the island. The size of Moyenne is 0.089 square kilometers, which is sufficient for one person.
After the purchase, the man immediately moved to the island and began exploring the terrain.
Freshwater had to be brought from neighboring islands in the first few years.
Grimshaw devoted all his spare time to improving the island. At least, that was his official version.
He planted palm trees, mango trees, and fruit trees, allowing him to dig deep holes without suspicion.
So, acquaintances considered Grimshaw a recluse.
They did not know that during an expedition to Africa, the man had found information about the treasures of the famous pirate Olivier Levasseur.
The East India Company pushed the pirate onto the last remaining ship right to Moyenne in 1729.
It was reasonable to assume that Levasseur had left the lion’s share of the treasures here. Historians estimate their value at about $40 million.
For 40 years, Grimshaw dug up the entire island. And at the same time, he turned it into a true paradise on earth.
Out of boredom, the man lured birds to his island and created a beach for the giant sea turtles that were hunted on all the other islands.
Already in the 2000s, Grimshaw confessed to journalists that he was looking for Levasseur’s treasures. However, whether he was successful remains unknown to this day.
There is confirmed information about the attempt by a Saudi prince to buy the island for $50 million. Grimshaw declined the prince’s offer.
Moyenne is now under public administration. It has been transformed into a national park, and treasure hunting has been simply prohibited.
