Haunted Ships and their Ghostly Passengers

In 1835, the crew of a British merchant ship spotted a strange looking shape on the horizon. As they got closer they became convinced that they were looking at the 'Dutchman'. Even the captain thought there was something distinctly odd about this ship that was heading straight for them. Taking no chances he headed for the nearest port where the crew headed for the taverns to talk excitedly about how they had escaped from the famous ghost ship.

In 1881, the future King George V was a young officer on board a Royal Navy warship. One night he went to investigate a commotion on deck. A sailor who had been keeping watch was shouting and screaming. He claimed to have seen a glowing red ship with a devilish looking crew on deck. Although the sailor said that this vessel was less than 200 yards away, nobody else had seen it. The hysterical man was ordered to the sick bay (with a bottle of rum, I hope!). If this sailor did indeed see 'The Flying Dutchman' then the legend certainly came true for him. A few days later he fell from a mast and was killed.

The last known sighting was in 1942 when a German submarine surfaced in the Atlantic. As some members of the crew climbed onto the deck they were astonished to see an old fashioned wooden sailing ship in the distance. Some of them reckoned it was the Flying Dutchman and they were surely doomed. We don't know exactly what happened to this submarine but some of the crew must have survived to tell of their strange encounter.

When it was launched in 1936 the Queen Mary was the most luxurious liner in the world. It carried royalty, millionaires and movie stars between Europe and the East Coast of America. When World War 2 broke out it became a troop ship and was nicknamed the Grey Ghost. The ship was so valuable to the Allied war effort that Hitler promised a small fortune and an Iron Cross to the U-Boat crew that could destroy it.

In December 1942 the Queen Mary was responsible for a terrible accident which some believe was the catalyst for the ships haunted reputation.

As she steamed across the Atlantic the Queen Mary rammed into a British destroyer causing it to quickly sink. Because of the U-boat threat she was forbidden to stop and pick up survivors and 338 men drowned in the freezing sea. Ever since that tragic night many people claim to have heard screams and pounding noises along the side of the ship. Is this the sound of desperate sailors pleading for rescue?

After the war the Queen Mary continued to be associated with tragedy. Many people have died on board - some of natural causes but more than a few in tragic accidents. In 1966 a young crew man died in the Engine Room when a watertight door crushed his chest - the number on the door was 13. The ghost of this young man has been witnessed in the Engine Room sometimes accompanied by an older man with a beard.

In the First Class Lounge many people have seen a beautiful young woman dressed in a white evening gown. She is often seen with a sad expression, dancing alone in the shadows. Sometimes piano music is heard when there is nobody sitting at the piano.

The ghost of another woman has been seen in the cabin where she was found dead one morning. It was thought that this woman was murdered but no culprit was ever found. The man she boarded the ship with vanished without a trace. Even his luggage was never found.

The swimming pool of the Queen Mary seems to be a very active area for hauntings. Several people are known to have died here. A woman dressed in a 1930's style bathing costume has been seen lying at the bottom of the pool. A well dressed man often peers down from a balcony. A particularly frightening apparition is that of a very young girl walking along the side of the pool. It is known that this poor girl was killed as the ship steamed through a rough sea. She lost her balance and slipped over, breaking her neck.
The Queen Mary is now permanently berthed in California and is one of America's premier haunted locations.
Perhaps the most famous ghost ship of all is the Mary Celeste - despite the fact that no ghosts were ever seen on it (as far as we know). The ship itself seemed to have a strange, unearthly personality of its own. She had a habit of causing death and misery to all those who encountered her.

The Mary Celeste was launched in 1861 from Nova Scotia but it seemed that this was a ship that did not want to sail anywhere. A few miles out to sea the captain suddenly died and the crew were forced to return to port. A new captain was appointed but he promptly sailed right into a fishing boat. Whilst in the shipyard the Mary Celeste managed to catch fire. It was repaired and sold at a loss to its owners.

These misadventures continued. There were more collisions, more deaths, and more financial ruin.

The most famous incident happened near Gibraltar in 1872. The Mary Celeste was found floating aimlessly in a calm sea - apparently abandoned by its captain and crew.

Everything on board seemed perfectly normal. There was no damage or signs of violence. The galley was stacked with food and fresh water. The crews personal possessions and clothes were found neatly stowed in the living quarters.

Charts and documents were spread over the captain's desk, as if he were studying them moments before.

The fate of the Mary Celeste crew is one of the great maritime mysteries. Did they see something so terrifying that they abandoned ship without a seconds thought?

Even after this famous incident the ship continued to bring misfortune to its owners and crews.

The last owner tried to set fire to it but she stubbornly refused to burn. The owner was accused of insurance fraud and died in prison in Haiti.

The authorities, wisely, decided to scuttle the Mary Celeste and now she lies peacefully at the bottom of the Caribbean.

Shiver me timbers, I think I'll remain a landlubber!