Alex Shibli purchased 'Rat Island' but hopes to rename it. (CBS 2 News)
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — We've all heard of buying a house, an apartment and a car. But an island?
CBS 2′s Mark Morgan spoke with one City Island man, who can now see his new acquisition from his backyard.
It may be called "Rat Island," but it's a thing of beauty to Alex Schibli. After spending years gazing from his City Island backyard at the small island jutting out of the water, Schibli has just become the ruler of all he surveys. He bought the small island at auction for $160,000.
How long did he stare out at the island and admire it?
"Oh every day. Every day," Schibli said. "I wanted to buy the island to protect it…that is doesn't get into wrong hands. That I don't lose it as my recreation place."
Schibli and his wife often kayak out to the island 2 or 3 times a week. Chopper 2-HD roamed overhead to get a birds' eye view of the island as Morgan spoke with Schibli and navigated the choppy waters of the Long Island Sound.
The small island, which is almost completely submerged at high tide, is mostly rocky, and is littered with thousands of mussel shells among the rocks and some small patches of grass.
Photo from the island (CBS 2)
As owner of the island, Schibli can make any changes he desires, but right now, he has no major alterations in mind.
"I'd like to have it as it is. That I can still go out there, take people out there. I might put a sign out there that it's a private island and that they should respect nature," he said.
As for the current name of the island, Schibli thinks it's quite "stupid." He says he's considering renaming the Island after his 5-year-old granddaughter, Malina.
"There are definitely no rats out there, it's a stupid name — Rat Island. I don't know if it's possible to re-name the island. I don't know," he said.
