5 Ghost Ships Sighted on the West Coast

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Featured Haunted Places Horror Mystery and Lore

The sea has always been a prime spot for terrifying tales. From the monstrously beautiful creatures that lurk in the depths of the ocean (think mermaids) to the countless people who have vanished at sea without a trace, this large body of water is as scary as it is stunning. And it’s not just human spirits that you’ll come across on the water, but also ghost ships. These urban legends have been told for centuries, with stories of sailors who disappear and mysterious ships that quite literally go passing in the night. Flying Dutchman is a classic ghostly vessel that you may have heard about at a bonfire or two, but do you know about the spirit ships that sail along the West Coast? From Washington to Alaska, here are the spooky mariner tales that will keep you away from the water. 

SS Baychimo

SS Baychimo Ghost Ship

Formerly used to trade provisions for pelts in Inuit settlements, this ghost ship cruised along the Alaskan coast for nearly four decades. There have been countless sightings of the SS Baychimo since she broke free of the ice, and her crew, in 1931… always sailing with no crew in sight. The scary part? Quite a few people have managed to board the ship, but have been unable to salvage her due to intervening factors – like the creeping ice floes that stopped Captain High Polson or the freak storm that trapped a group onboard for 10 days in 1933. It’s almost like supernatural factors always help her escape, right? The last known sighting of the SS Baychimo was in 1969, around 38 years after she initially went missing. The Alaskan government has been unsuccessfully trying to find her since 2006, and we’re sure that she’s still cruising along the ice somewhere!

Squando 

Squando Ghost Ship

There are some tales about ghost ships that are simply low-key, with the vessel escaping its crew and calmly sailing the seas solo for decades. The story of Squando is not one of them. In fact, it’s downright brutal. This Norwegian ship docked in San Francisco back in 1890, and took a violet turn when the Captain and his wife decided to murder and decapitate the first mate. The reasons for the killing vary by telling, but one fact remains the same – the headless corpse was discovered in the San Francisco bay some time later. As a result, the Captain and his wife were captured and executed. While the ship found a new crew shortly afterwards, they eventually murdered the new Captain… and the next two were also killed in violent ways. By 1893, the Squando’s reputation as a cursed ship preceded it, and the entire crew decided to desert the vessel in the Bay. However, that hasn’t stopped its legacy from sailing on. Over a century later, there are still stories about the Squando, and how you can still make out the ghostly outline of the ship sailing off the Embarcadero along the San Francisco coastline.

Siletz Bay Ship

Siletz Bay

Does the fact that this ghost ship has no name or backstory make it even scarier? Quite possibly. Siletz Bay is a scenic area in Oregon composed of gorgeous blue waters, and it’s been said that you might just get another view on foggy days: a phantom ship. Many guests have reported seeing a ghost ship sailing away at a distance, only for it to disappear within seconds. It’s quite literally a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. Not much is known about the ship or why it was seemingly abandoned, but the spiritual vessel has created quite the buzz in Oregon. It’s a top location in many haunted tours within the state, and guests arrive from all over the world to catch a glimpse of this ghostly ship. 

Lost Ship of the Desert 

Lost Ship of the Desert Ghost Ship

Spanish treasure galleons and riches buried deep beneath the desert grounds of Coachella? That’s what the urban legends say. The Lost Ship of the Desert has been a subject of folklore for centuries, with people saying that an ancient vessel is buried along the Colorado Desert in California. People have tried to dig up the remains to no avail for years, while others claim to have seen the ghostly ship in either its full or deteriorated form. Whether you believe the legends about Spanish explorers, think it’s Viking ship (many people do!), or have doubts about whether it’s there at all… the Lost Ship of the Desert will have a place in folklore for years to come.

The Queen Mary

Queen Mary ghost Ship

This legendary vessel gives a new meaning to the term “ghost ship.” The ship itself isn’t a ghostly apparition that you need to stretch to get a sight of – in fact, it’s one of the top landmarks in California. What makes it ghostly? The countless spirits and haunted experiences that happen within the halls of this 80+ year old ship. Time magazine named it one of the top 10 haunted places in America back in 2008, and people flock in from all over the world to stay in the haunted rooms and participate in the hotel’s many ghostly encounters. From the well-dressed man who appears at the end of the hall to the little girl who supposedly drowned in the pool many years ago, the spirits have made a home for themselves at The Queen Mary. And they’re dying for you to come and visit this ghostly ship. 

Another infamous ghost ship we just added to our encyclopedia of supernatural horrors is The Ghost Ship Jenny and it might be the most terrifying yet.

Sources:

http://www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=160

https://www.beachconnection.net/news/ghost_siletz061420.php

https://www.desertsun.com/story/desert-magazine/2019/12/02/5-facts-lost-ship-california-desert-what-we-know/3981175002/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Ship_of_the_Desert

https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotels-resorts/most-haunted-hotel-america-queen-mary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary#Haunting_legends

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7 Sea Hauntings Worth Watching

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Best Of Best of Movies Featured Scary Movies and Series

“Red Sky at night, Sailors delight; Red Sky in the morning, Sailors take warning.” Ahh the sea, it offers freedom, mystery, tales of glorious expedition, and epic struggles. Sailors have always been a superstitious folk from reading the sky to minding birds for bad luck. The sea is possibly the best backdrop for a good haunting and ghost ships are no exception here. Ships are often seen as almost human entities from being named to how they are referred to as he or she. It’s no surprise that there are piles of lore around haunted ships, ocean locations and sea creatures. It’s definitely one of my favorite locations for horror and here are a list of some of the great sea fairing horror movies out there.

The Fog-1980

The Fog Horror Movie Poster

 You may think that everything is safe, however, when a dense fog rolls into town, you may think otherwise. On the coasts of Oregon, you will find that this fog comes with vengeful spirits looking to haunt. 100 years after a ship mysteriously disappeared and sank, the spirits are back. The people of this small town must take a look at their history to stop this serious problem. One of Jon Carpenters many horror masterpieces here.

The Fog is rated R. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-fog-1980/id707558494

Ghost Ship – 2002 

Ghost Ship Movie Poster

A 1962 passenger ship that has been lost for many years is soon discovered. This ship was floating in an isolated area of the Bering Sea. It was believed that all the passengers had died until further discovery has shown otherwise. The crew that discovered this long-lost ship is in for a huge surprise when the original crew of the boat is still on board…. in a supernatural sort of way.

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Ghost-Ship/9750

Death Ship- 1980 

Death Ship Horror Movie Poster

Going on vacation on a modern-day cruise could have you thinking twice. A ghostly-looking ship rams into the cruise ship. The passengers aboard the cruise ship who survive climb to this large vessel. The survivors soon discover that it is a Nazi torture vessel from World War II. They soon realize that they were better off dead than on this new ship.

https://tubitv.com/movies/454503/death_ship?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

Triangle- 2009 

Triangle Horror Movie Poster

Nothing is better than a group of friends on a yacht… Until they are in an incident that leaves their yacht upturned. Luckily, they find a cruise ship that was drifting in the open sea. However, soon after climbing aboard this ship, they realize they were better off floating on their capsized yacht.

https://tubitv.com/movies/480291/triangle?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

Deep Rising – 1998 

deep rising horror movie poster

Hijacking a luxury ocean liner is not an easy task, however, it is made even more difficult when you are faced with some pretty crazy creatures. Hijackers are looking to loot this luxury ship, however, they soon discover that they are not the only ones that have taken over the vessel. They are faced with man-eating creatures. 

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Deep-Rising/13317

Below -2002 

Below Horror Movie Poster

An encounter that occurs between two world war II vessels soon becomes the perfect camouflage for paranormal activities to begin. There are not that many submarine horror flicks out there so this one goes on the list simply for picking a new vessel.  

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Below/31486

Mary – 2019

Mary Horror Movie Poster

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5834854/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10

An empty sailboat is found adrift at sea and is brought into port. When the owners cannot be located it goes to auction. Unwittingly a fishing boat captain buys it to restore and start his dream business charting tourists on the new sailboat. He sets sail on it’s maiden voyage with his family only to find out it has a haunted past.

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Jenny – Ghost Ship and its Frozen Crew

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Featured Horror Mystery and Lore

The Last Voyage of Jenny

“May 4, 1823. No food for 71 days. I am the only one left alive.” – Was the captain’s last entry in the ghost ship Jenny’s log book. Jenny was an 1800’s English schooner that became frozen in ice crossing the Drake Passage in 1823.

Very little in this world is as fascinating and terrifying as a ghost ship. A vessel wandering aimlessly on the vast oceans instills the true meaning of being a ghost. The history of phantom ships dates back to the early 1700’s, with many pieces of ghost ship lore having no known origin date at all. Add in a frozen Antarctic passageway, and Ghost Ship Jenny takes the terror of ghost ships to another level.

Captain Brighton writing his last passage in the schooner Jenny's ship log
Captain Brighton writing his last passage – Art by David Romilly

Date of Discovery

The ship set sail in 1822 and went missing in 1823. According to Polar Record, it was rediscovered in 1840 by a whaling ship “Hope.” By the time of discovery, the ship had been encased in ice for almost 7 years. Other accounts place the discovery in 1860, however, the most commonly agreed-upon timeline is 1840. On either timeline, the frozen bodies of the crew were encased in ice for no less than 7 years or up to 27 years.

Ghost Ship Jenny’s – Frozen Crew

Frozen Crew likeness of the ghost ship jenny

The article from Globus in 1862, a popular German magazine, recaps the fantastic re-discovery of the ghost ship Jenny. As the story goes the whaling ship, named “Hope,” happened upon Jenny after the ice had broken revealing what appeared to be a fully manned ship. To the horror of the men aboard the whaling ship, the crew for the Jenny were actually frozen in place and had been for 7 years. It is reported that Captain Brighton of the ship Hope found the captain of the ghost ship Jenny still with pen in hand as he scribed the last entry. Some say that Captain Brighton properly buried the ship’s captain, crew, wife, and dog all at sea. Other urban legends state that the Jenny and Crew are still aimlessly lost at sea.

To this date the ship remains a true ghost ship as it has yet to be seen aside from reports that are nearing 200 years old. Are the crew of the phantom ship Jenny still frozen somewhere at the bottom of the ocean near the drake passage or is the ship still completing it’s doomed journey?

Ghost Ship Jenny

Ghost ship Jenny is one of many ghost ships out there, but the way in which it went missing and was re-discovered surely makes it one of the most terrifying.

Books About Ghost Ship Jenny

Seafaring Lore and Legends books including the ghost ship Jenny
Seafaring Lore & Legends including the tale of the Ghost Ship Jenny
Antarctica Vol 1 book about sea legends and the ghost ship jenny
Antarctica Vol 1 which includes information on the Ghost ship Jenny

References

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