What are Ghost Ships?

Introduction

The maritime world is rich in myths and legends of sea monsters, paranormal phenomena, spooky fog, disappearing ships and much more. One such idea that has captured the imagination of sailors and common folk alike is that of Ghost Ships, sometimes also called Phantom Ships.

There is no dearth of ghost ship stories; in fact, some ghost ships, like the Mary Celeste or the Flying Dutchman, are quite famous, and their tales have been adapted into television series, documentaries, shows, and even plays.

Now, what are ghost ships?

Ghost Ships are sea-going vessels associated with supernatural activities. They might have been intentionally abandoned or found drifting without a soul in sight, no crew or passengers, and nobody knows what happened to anyone onboard. In this case, the mystery surrounding them grows.

The term also encompasses vessels that are decommissioned but not scrapped and boats that drift after their ropes break loose.

The stories of ghost ships are usually popularised by sailors, and most ghost ships in the past have either been abandoned or scrapped.

In earlier times, ships were said to be cursed if there were repeated accidents, illnesses onboard, and life-threatening happenings. Some of these beliefs exist even today.

Stories of Famous Ghost Ships

Ghost Ship Mary Celeste

It is undoubtedly the most famous ghost ship of all time. On November 5, 1872, it sailed from New York to Genoa in Italy. Onboard the ship were its captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife and daughter, seven crew members, and cargo comprising denatured alcohol, a solvent, not a beverage.

A Canadian Ship called the Dei Gratia found Mary Celeste drifting in the waters on December 4, 1872. Nobody was onboard; the lifeboat, along with some navigation equipment and papers, was missing. It also seemed as if someone had recently cooked a meal for a young child.

The last entry into the ship’s logbook was 9 days before and was usual, with no mention of any difficulties.

There was some water inside the ship, but not enough to make it sink. Its cargo also seemed untouched.

The ship had taken on some water, but not enough for sinking to be a concern. The cargo seemed untouched. The last ship’s log entry, from nine days before, on November 25, made no mention of any difficulty. The remains of a recently prepared meal for a child were also found.

Several explanations have been offered about what might have happened. In the court hearings, theories involving a mutiny by the crew, murders, and piracy attacks were offered, but no one knows what happened to the ship and where everyone disappeared.

Some officials also accused the captain of Dei Gratia, who found Mary Celeste, while others also talked of a staged act by the Captain of Mary Celeste and Gratia to get insurance money since both captains were good friends.

The SS Ourang Medan

This ghost vessel was shipwrecked near Indonesia in the waters of the Strait of Malacca after all its crew members died in mysterious conditions in the 1940s.

According to sources, in June 1947, two ships in the region, the Silver Star and the City of Baltimore received distress messages in more code from the Ourang Medan.

The message stated that everyone, including the captain, had died, and lastly, it said, ‘I Die’.

After the crew of Silver Star boarded the Dutch Merchant Ship, they were shocked to see the vessel filled with dead bodies, including a dead dog. The dead had a frightened expression on their faces, and their mouths were open and eyes looking forward in horror.

Nobody onboard was alive, and there were no signs of physical injuries on the bodies. What is even more mysterious is the fact that just as the Ourang Medan was to be towed to a port, a fire broke out in one of its cargo holds, and everyone had to leave the doomed ship.

It exploded and finally sank, so no proper investigations could be carried out.

Many theories have been put forward, such as the ship’s involvement in smuggling chemicals like potassium cyanide, nitroglycerin and nerve agents. Water could have reacted with these substances, which released toxic gases and poisoned everyone onboard, while nitroglycerin led to fire and explosion.

A popular theory suggests the ship was carrying nerve gas, which Japan kept in China and which was given to the U.S after the war ended. A U.S vessel couldn’t carry it, and so it was loaded on a non-registered vessel like the Ourang Medan.

SS Baychimo

The tale of the Baychimo is also quite interesting. The cargo steamer was constructed in Sweden in the 1900s, especially for Alaskan waters. But she was stuck in ice in 1931, and its crew left her and took refuge nearby, planning to return once the weather conditions improved.

However, the ship became free and drifted 72 miles away, but it was no longer seaworthy. Some cargo was retrieved from it, and she was abandoned again. She vanished in a blizzard, and when people thought she had sunk, she was sighted again and drifted for 38 years.

She was last seen in 1969 when she was frozen in ice. However, she has not been seen again, nor has her wreck been found.

The Legend of the Flying Dutchman

The story of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship is quite popular. It is a legendary vessel doomed to sail the seas forever without ever making it to land. Some suggest that the ship is cursed, whereas others say it is because the captain of the vessel, Vanderdecken, is playing a game of dice or gambling with the devil in exchange for his soul.

The story has been represented in different forms in several movies, plays and even poems, such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel T. Coleridge.

Many people have claimed to have sighted the ghost ship, a sign of an impending disaster. According to accounts, those who saw it were met with unfortunate events, and others died.

Flying Dutchman sightings were usually reported around Cape of Good Hope when the weather was stormy and accompanied by powerful winds. The ship was seen under full sail and then suddenly vanished.

Queen Mary- The Most Haunted Ship in the World

This ocean liner dominated transatlantic travel, carrying wealthy and influential people, but after the Second World War broke out, it was transformed into a military transport ship, stripped of its fine decor and furniture.

During her time as a military vessel, many incidents happened on the ship, and hundreds died, one of the reasons why it might be considered haunted by the spirits of the dead soldiers or crew members.

Today, it is a famous tourist attraction. Visitors report abrupt temperature changes, weird noises from some rooms, shadows and apparitions, and the smell of burning cigars and perfumes. It is said that the ship is haunted by 100 spirits.

Some haunted places onboard are the First Class Swimming pool, the doorway where John Pedder died during an emergency drill, and boiler room number 4.

Many have seen Pedder’s ghost, saying he wore blue coveralls and warned people before suddenly vanishing into thin air.

The high paranormal activities onboard Queen Mary have earned her the title of the World’s Most Haunted Ship’, and several people visit the ship to experience these spooky occurrences.

Conclusion

Ghost Ships are abandoned ships or those associated with paranormal activities. They are usually considered cursed and a symbol of bad luck in the maritime world. There are hundreds of such ships in the world, some legendary while others are real, sea-going vessels.

The stories of Ghost Ships capture our minds and hearts because we cannot truly understand why and how things happened. Sometimes, these stories transcend logic, and we can only wonder and be amazed.

The most famous ghost ships have been discussed in this article. Do you know about any other famous ghost ship or sighted one?

Let us know in the comments below.

You might also like to read-

• Top 11 Mysterious Ghost Ships and Haunted Stories of the Maritime World
• Ghost Ship – The Mysterious Flying Dutchman Story
• The Mystery of Ghost Ships – HMS Erebus and HMS Terror
• The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Ghost Ship
• 10 Largest Ship Graveyards in the World

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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