That's my theory, too. The boat-folks are going to encounter them, I'm pretty sure. I think we meet Analucia because we need to be able to recognize her as a fellow Oceanic plane crash survivor. (Those people in the airport commenting on Sun and Jin? I hope we don't see her, at least. What a bitch.) There's also the "No, we're the survivors...!" from the radio transmission, plus yes, what you said about Rose's husband.

The Black Rock looks like an old ship, 1800s, maybe early 1900's. Perhaps they crashed there years ago and are stealing babies to keep their little culture going.

Curioser and curiouser. I was totally weepy by the end.

(Drat, the copy of the ep that I got didn't have any previews. :( )