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The infamous Bermuda Triangle, scene of many strange disappearances of planes and ships, brings to mind the tales of infamous ghost-ships through history, told throughout the ages, and the fascinating stories attached to each mysterious apparition..

Flying Dutchman 

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The most famous by far,  the  notorious Flying Dutchman has been inspiring artists, writers, film makers and composers over hundreds of years. Mentioned first in the late1700’s, in the book, Voyage to Botany Bay, by George Barrington, the legend of the Dutchman has kept on growing, numerous sightingshaving been reported. A ship out of Amsterdam, captained by Van der Decken,  and en route to the East Indies, the ship  ran into terrible weather, close by the Cape of Good Hope. The captain lost his mind, reportedly. Killing the first mate, and in spite of his courage in trying to get through the storm,  the ship sank. Van der Decken, and his ghostly crew, are said to have been  cursed to sail the seas eternally, and even today the  Flying Dutchman, is still one of the most reportedly sighted ghost ship, the Prince of Wales himself claiming to have once spotted it.

Mary Celeste 

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Most famous real-life ghost ship, to many you might ask, was a merchant ship found adrift and  derelict, in 1872, in the Atlantic Ocean, and named the Mary Celeste, Despite apparently perfectly seaworthy condition, with all sails still up, store full  of food in its cargo hold, the ship was deserted, and  a complete mystery to those who found her. The captain’s log book, life boats,  and, the entire crew, had simply vanished, with no sign  whatever, reports stated, of any struggle, but the crew’s personal belongings , the entire cargo, 1500 barrels of alcohol, remained completely untouched, ruling out piracy as a reason for the event.

Many speculations have been made, over the years, about the fate that might have befallen this cursed crew, the most likely explanation being that something big led them to abandon ship in the lifeboat, later dying at sea, but nobody actually knows, so  everything  from ghosts to sea monsters , even to  alien abduction, have been cited as reasons, but the truth is unlikely ever to be known.

Caleuche 

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In the history attached to southern Chile, talk of a ghost –ship, named the Caleuche, which makes an appearance every night, close by the island of Chiloe, is commonplace, this ghostly apparition summoned, local legend tells, by spirits of souls drowned at sea.  This spirit ship, local legends say, is an unknown kind of conscious being, sailing local waters, bearing those spirits. Strikingly beautiful, when actually seen, according to alleged witnesses, the Caleuche shines brightly, sounds of party music and people’s laughter always audible, appearances being short, and the ship sinking into water, once more. Three Chilota water spirits, Sirena Chilota, Pincoya, and Picoy, resembling mermaids, are said to be those who summon the spirits, who,  once aboard, are be able to resume their life as it was before they died, for eternity, so it is said.

Octavius 

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The Octavius tale, more legend than fact,  makes for the most famous stories of ghost ships, from  1775, when whaling ship  the Herald, found the Octavius, drifting unguided  off the Greenland coast. Crew members from the Herald boarded Octavius, finding bodies, of crew and passengers,  all frozen solid in the arctic air. Allegedly, the ship’s captain still sat at his desk, writing a 1762 log entry, indicating that Octavius had been  13 years, undiscovered,  later reports suggesting that, gambling on a quick return to England from the Orient, via the Northwest Passage, the captain had only succeeded in getting Octavius trapped in the ice, though  how she eventually got free, and drifted to Greenland is simply not known.

Lady Lovibond 

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As far as English mariners are concerned, the most famous ghost-ship legend is that of The Lady Lovibond . Simon Peel,  so the tale tells, was a newly- wed, ship’s captain, taking her out, on a cruise, in celebration, though, in defiance of  seafaring tradition, taking the new bride onboard, inviting bad luck, as they set out on February 13th 1748. The first mate became overwhelmed, with rage and jealousy, also being in love with the captain’s new wife, and deliberately steered  into the deadly Goodwind Sands. Lady Lovibond sank, all aboard drowning, ever since,so  legend has it. Reappearing once every 50 years, sailing the Kent waters.  Sighted, supposedly  in 1798, and again in both 1848 and 1898, appearing so real, apparently  that life rafts were dispatched  to help the stricken vessel, Lady Lovibond was again seen in 1948 and 1998, allegedly, this odd story one of European ghost ship legends best known tales.

Baychimo 

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A cargo steamer, deserted, and abandoned, the Baychimo drifted, undiscovered, around the seas, off Alaska, for nearly forty years. Owned originally by Hudson Bay Company, used for trading pelts and furs, this ship was built,in Sweden in 1914, meetingt an untimely fate in 1931,when she became stuck in an arctic icepack The crew abandoned her, afraidshe would break up, but she remained afloat, remaining, 38 years, cast adrift in Alaskan waters, without being salvaged, and after a final sighting in 1969, the Baychimo seems to have disappeared forever,but who knows?

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These are but a small selection of myriad tales of ghostly vessels, each of them completely unverifiable, but fascinating, nonetheless. It may quite possibly be that are more things on earth and in heaven than we poor humans could ever understand, and that the truth is, indeed, out there somewhere, but surely the uncertainty is what makes such legends so exciting, and for that very reason, we might be better off kept in the dark.

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All images used with permission

      In our world today there are a lot of things that already explained by science, and some of it are already been shown to the public. But even if that phenomenon has already been solved, there are still lot of things that has no explanation and here are some of it. .

1. Shroud of Turin

2. Mary Celeste

3. The Tao’s hum

4. Black Dahlia

5. Comte De Saint Germain

6. Varnish manuscript

7. Jack the Ripper

8. Bermuda Triangle

9. The Zodiac Killer

10. The Babushka Lady

    These unsolved mysteries are just an example for all the mysteries that no one can give an accurate evidence. Thus, these mysteries will remain as mystery forever.

source: HTTP://list verse.com/2007/07/20/top-10-unsolved-mysteries/

Medan Ourang
         

    No survivor has been found Ourang Medan, but what surprised everyone was the fact that all the bodies were frozen, as if they were instantly frozen in a position where they were all staring at the sun with arms outstretched, mouth yawning and with a look of terror etched on faces. Bodies showed no signs of violence.
     Moreover, rescue teams were unable to investigate the entire ship, because shortly after they arrived on it, there was a massive explosion, after which they were forced to retreat quickly. Within minutes the ship sank.
Medan Ourang fate vessel and crew remains a mystery. Although no clear evidence showing that there is a ship called Ourang Medan, many conspiracy theories claim that the vessel operate under a false name and carrying something “official” does not exist.

    Mary Celeste
    Case ship Mary Celeste is one of them the greatest mysteries of all timpurile.Despre this vessel were found and most documents. Until today, the events that led to the disappearance of the eight crew members and two passengers are the subject of controversy and debate.
     In December 1872, ship Mary Celeste enters the Strait of Gibraltar, from New York, having on board 1701 barrels of alcohol. A few days later, another ship, Morehouse, and passed through the port in which Mary Celeste moored. Crew noticed that something was wrong with Mary Celeste, that seemed completely abandoned. Therefore, the captain decided to investigate what happened. She was surprised to find that indeed the ship had been abandoned. But anyway. All statements, other than Captain ship disappeared. On the ship were not any traces of violence, but there were signs that had been abandoned in haste. The entire cargo of the vessel was found intact, except for new barrels.

Mary Celeste

    Over the next 13 years, the ship Mary Celeste has climbed 17 crews, many of them having the part of tragic death. Her last captain of a deliberately buried, to obtain insurance money. Only in 2001, wreckage was found, but until today no do not know exactly if it’s really a ship Mary Celeste, or similar.

     Lady Lovibond
     On 13 February 1748, Simon Reed go on a trip with his wife on board fresh Lady Lovibond, despite the superstition that the presence of women on ships was ominous. Unfortunately for Simon, a crew member’s wife fell in love. Jealous of the way-out, Simon and his colleague killed. Soon after this incident, the ship reached the Goodwin Sands, where he disappeared without a trace.

Lady Lovibond

     50 years later, two different dishes, which were passed by the Goodwin Sands, had noticed ghost ship. The same phenomenon happened in 1848 and then in 1948. Crews on these vessels were the only ones who saw it. Locals do not.

    Octavius
    The vessel was discovered in 1775, Octavius. All people onboard were killed and frozen. The captain was found in the cabin, frozen at a table up in his hand while writing in the logbook. Near him were a dead woman and a child wrapped in a blanket.

Octavius

    The Captain could not have kept only the first and last page, it froze as irreparably damaged. However, it has been observed that the last note of the diary was dated 1762, which meant that the ship remained in the same conditions that were discovered for 13 years. Interestingly, at the time of its discovery, no one ever gave him earlier.

     Young Teazer
     Built in 1813, Young Teazer trade was an American ship. At that time it was considered one of the fastest ships. But her fate was a tragic, because they took place aboard an explosion in which 30 people lost their lives. There were, however, seven survivors who later told one of the crew members had been responsible for what happened.

Young Teazer

    Although Young Teazer was totally destroyed by fire, it is the stuff of legend, as several witnesses have said over time it would be seen as the ghost ship and then sail away in a powerful explosion. It is said that Young may be seen Teazer misty nights, especially those that fail after three nights of full moon.

Abandoned and deserted, with all of its eleven crewmen missing, the circumstances are as strange as those of the “Mary Celeste,” which disappeared some fifty years prior and the Derring’s case remains as one of the greatest unsolved maritime mysteries of all time. When sighted first, the Deering’s sails were up and the galley showed evidence that certain foodstuffs were being prepared for the next day’s meal at the time of the abandonment. The crews’ personal effects were all  missing along with the ship’s navigational equipment,  log books, and two life boats. Also mysteriously missing were the eleven crew members of the vessel. The Coast Guard vessel Manning attempted to salvage the Deering, but found this impossible. The vessel was scuttled, using dynamite, on March 4 to prevent her from becoming a danger to other vessels.

A massive investigation  by the US government followed, but  no  definite explanation could be found for the mysterious incident.  It is interesting to note that at the same time of the schooner’s disappearance, few  other ships  had disappeared under mysterious circumstances around the same time, in the same place.  None of the ship’s crew were ever found from any of the missing vessels.

There were a number of theories considered by the U.S. Government during their investigation that included piracy, mutiny, a hurricane, a Russian/Communist piracy, Rum Runner’s, or a paranormal explanation. The investigation finally wound down and came to end in 1922 with no official explanation ever being found.

The mystery surrounding the ghost ship has encouraged wild speculation and  a paranormal  explanation became popular within a few decades of the incident. The disappearance of the ship’s crew has been cited by innumerable authors dealing with anomalous phenomena and the supernatural.  Charles Fort, in his book Lo! (1931), first mentioned this vessel in a “mysterious” context, and many subsequent chroniclers of sea mysteries have followed  the same line. Since this vessel sailed in the area generally considered to be part of the infamous  Bermuda Triangle, paranormal activity or some kind of other worldly phenomenon might be responsible  for  the disappearance of the crew members.

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Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, the two princes, the son of Edward IV were only 12 and 9 years old respectively when they disappeared after being held prisoner by their uncle Richard III of England in the Tower of London whilst Edward V was waiting for his coronation. The princes were never seen again shortly after Richard III claimed that Edward IV’s marriage was invalid and his children illegitimate. Some chronicles and notes taken at that time recorded the rumor that the sons of King Edward had had been put to silence in the Tower of London. This fact leads to many speculations of whether Richard III or his agents had killed the princes. Historians argued that the Tudor who also wanted to rise to the throne might have something to do with the execution of the princes. In 1674 during a demolition work in the White Tower, skeletons were found and thought to be the remains of the young king and his brother. Charles II ordered the skeletons to be reburied in Westminster Abbey. However, an examination held in 1933 of the surviving bones was inconclusive. DNA analysis or carbon dating on the bones is possible today, but unfortunately, the Abbey authorities have refused a second examination. Thus the fate of the two princes was still unknown to this date. This mystery have been the inspiration of many books, play and movies.

The disappearance of Roanoke Colonist in 1587

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Not less than 117 men, women and children were vanished into thin air at Roanoke Island, an island in present-day North Carolina, the first permanent English establishment in the New World in 1587. The settlers were recruited and financed by Sir Walter Raleigh after he received a charter for colonization from Queen Elizabeth I. Raleigh’s colony at Roanoke Island was not the first. Previous colonies were either abandoned or the colonist died. Raleigh’s group was led by John White, a friend of Raleigh. They arrived at Roanoke Island on 22nd July 1587, White tried to establish relationship with the neighboring Indian tribes including the one that had been attacked by previous groups of settlers. The relationship with the native tribes was not gone well. Soon the colonist started to fear for their lives. They petitioned John White to return to England to ask for help and supplies. White left the island on August of that same year. Unfortunately to sail during the latest months in the year presented considerable risk. The vessel hardly made it back to England and the captain refused to sail back crossing Atlantic Ocean to Roanoke Island during the winter. War with the Spain delayed the journey back to Roanoke even further as every seaworthy ship available in England were used to fight the Spanish armada. White finally returned to Roanoke in August 1590 only to find the settlement abandoned. Neither bones nor sign of fight or struggle were found. All the houses had been dismantled neatly. So, their departure was not forced nor hurried. White found the word “Croatoan” carved into the fort and “Cro” carved into a tree. White assumed that they had moved to Croatoan Island where friendly native tribe was living. However, a massive storm prevented White to sail to Croatoan. Several theories stated that the colonist had assimilated with the natives, some said that the colonist was lost and died in the sea when trying to made their way out of the island, some other said that the colonist had been attached by the Spain, and there even a theory of cannibalism. However none of these theories were confirmed and the fate of the colonist is still unknown to this day.

The disappearance of the crew of the “Ghost Ship” Mary Celeste in 1872

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On 5th December 1872 the crew of the British ship, Dei Gratia sighted a ship adrift 400 miles east of the Azores, Portugal. The crew soon detected something was wrong with that ship. Captain Morehouse of Dei Gratia recognized the ship as the “Mary Celeste” and decided to observe her for two hours. As no one was seen on the wheel or anywhere on deck, he sent his man to board the Mary Celeste. The ship was seaworthy but no one was on board. The captain of Mary Celeste, Benjamin Briggs, his wife Sarah Elizabeth, his daughter Sophia Matilda and seven crew members were missing. 6 months supply of food and fresh water were still aboard, the cargo of 1,701 barrels of alcohol were still in good order and the crews personal possession were left untouched. Although it appeared that the ship had been abandoned in a hurry there is no sign of struggle or violence. Mary Celeste departed from New York on November 7 1872 for Genoa, Italy. The story of missing ships in the 18s were not uncommon and soon the story of Mary Celeste lost public attention until Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the writer of famous detective series, Sherlock Holmes wrote a fiction that recounted some of the actual events of the mystery of Mary Celeste with added details which cause controversy. Since then, Mary Celeste is known in popular culture as the “ghost ship”. Fictionalized variations of this ghost ship story are numerous. Many theories speculated that the crews might abandon the ship during a storm, seaquake or waterspout. Others said that an explosion might occur on board caused by alcoholic fumes. Possible insurance fraud was also investigated but it was not conclusive. Some more recent and controversial theories are that the crews had been kidnapped by UFO, eaten by sea monster or even doing a time travel. However no theories had been confirmed and the fate of Captain Briggs, his family and crew remain unknown.

Even without such legends, the sea is a dangerous place. Storms, mutinies, disease, and piracy have caused the deaths of countless sea travelers over the years, and such events can easily wipe out the entire population of a ship. With these dangers, not only have the seas been home to mythical ghost ships, but there have been many cases over the years of real ghost ships – vessels which continue to journey the oceans with dogged determination, even when everyone aboard is missing or dead.

This series will cover all of the famous ghost ships throughout history, both mythical and real. This article will focus on the most well-known ghost ship of all time – The Mary Celeste.

The Dei Gratia encounters the Mary Celeste

December 4th, 1872 seemed like another unremarkable day aboard the Dei Gratia. She had been sailing the Atlantic for a month, hauling petroleum from New York to the Mediterranean, and was now 600 miles west of Portugal. The trip had been smooth. Although there were reports of numerous storms in the Atlantic, the Dei Gratia, led by Captain Moorehouse, had managed to avoid all of them.

However, the routine was broken at 1 in the afternoon when the helmsman reported a strange two-masted ship with torn sails, 5 miles off the port bow. She didn’t hold a steady course, but seemed to float around aimlessly at the whim of the winds and ocean.

Captain Moorehouse observed the vessel for himself, and with shock, recognized it as the Mary Celeste. The Celeste had had set out from New York a week before the Dei Gratia, carrying alcohol to Italy. Not only was the ship familiar, but Captain Briggs of the Celeste was a friend who had eaten dinner with Moorehouse only one month before.

The Dei Gratia sailed to within 400 yards of the Celeste and the crew watched her closely. Moorehouse wanted to help his friend, but had no idea what might await him on board the mysterious ship. Attempts at communication were ignored, and no people or activity were observed on deck. After two hours, Moorehouse finally sent some crew members aboard to look things over.

Their findings confirmed what the Captain suspected. The Mary Celeste was deserted and had apparently been so for some time. The entire vessel was waterlogged, with over three feet of flooding in the cargo space. Some of the hatches had been left open, which accounted for the water taken on board, and two of the Celeste’s three water pumps had been taken apart. The lifeboat was missing, as were the navigational instruments (except for the compass, which was broken, and two of the sails were nowhere to be found. A rope was found to be tied very securely to the railing, and the end of this rope, which dragged in the ocean, was broken and frayed.

All of the ships papers were missing, except the Captain’s logbook. The last entry was on November 25th, 9 days earlier, where Captain Briggs had written that the Celeste was just off the coast of St. Mary’s Island – 700 miles away from her present location. Other notes from the book recorded that the Celeste had been sailing through gales for several hundred miles prior to her abandonment.

After sending a prize crew aboard, the Dei Gratia and Mary Celeste resumed their journey east – now heading for Gibraltar, and towards what would become a media and investigative frenzy.

The History of the Mary Celeste

The Mary Celeste was originally built in Nova Scotia, named the Amazon, and first set sail in 1861. Even from the beginning, she was an ill-fated ship. Her first captain died of pneumonia within 48 hours of the Amazon’s launch. Her next captain, a man named Parker, accidentally ran the Amazon into a fishing boat. While the collision damage was being repaired in port, a serious fire broke out below decks and Parker was soon dismissed as a result of these incidents. The next captain fared no better. On the Amazon’s first trip across the Atlantic Ocean, she collided with yet another ship in the English Channel. That captain was also fired.

Finally, in 1867, the Amazon ran aground near Nova Scotia. After salvage, it was discovered that she was nearly unseaworthy and was sold to American investors for a very low price. Her new owners repaired and improved the vessel, before renaming her as the Mary Celeste.

The intention was to have the Mary Celeste run the lucrative trade routes between New York and the Mediterranean. As luck would have it, one of the owners was an excellent sea captain named Benjamin Briggs. Briggs had many years of experience at sea and had commanded ships before. He was extremely well respected in the community and by his crews for his fairness and seafaring skill. In addition, Briggs was a religious man who was strongly against drinking and ran a tight ship. Briggs became the captain of the Celeste and made alterations to the cabin so that it could also accommodate his wife and daughter. It seemed like the luck of the ill-fated ship, along with her name, had changed forever.

The first voyage of the Celeste was set to begin in December, 1872. She was hauling crude alcohol to Genoa, Italy. Briggs was a little concerned about the cargo, as he had never hauled hazardous materials before. This alcohol was unfit for drinking in the state it was in, but highly flammable and naturally a huge concern aboard a wooden ship.

Still, Briggs was optimistic about the journey ahead. In a letter to his mother dated November 3rd, he wrote that,

“We seem to have a very good mate and steward and I hope I shall have a pleasant voyage. We both have missed Arthur and I believe we should have sent for him if I could of thought of a good place to stow him away.”

Arthur was Briggs’ seven year old son, who did not accompany his family on the trip. Briggs continued:

“We finished loading last night and shall leave on Tuesday morning if we don’t get off tomorrow night, the Lord willing. Our vessel is in beautiful trim and I hope we shal have a fine passage but I have never been in her before and cant say how she’ll sail.”

The Mary Celeste sailed out of New York harbor and into history two days later. Briggs, his wife and child, and the seven crew members under Briggs’ command were never seen or heard from again.

The Investigation

On December 13th, the Dei Gracia and Mary Celeste arrived in Gibraltar. The story was strange enough that the crew of the Dei Gracia were immediately suspected of foul play. The previous relationship between Captain Briggs and Captain Moorehouse suggested insurance fraud, and most people familiar with the case in these early stages assumed that there was no mystery at all.

Two separate investigations of the Celeste took place. The first was by two British surveyors with the help of a diving expert. They concluded overall that the ship was indeed in excellent overall condition with no signs of collision or accident. However, they did notice some abnormalities as follows:

Nine of the barrels containing raw alcohol were empty. There were 1701 total barrels, and the nine empty containers were all built from red oak as opposed to the white oak of the other barrels. Red oak is known to be more prone to leakage.

Two deep gashes were found in the railing, and there was no sign of an object or weapon on board which could have caused them.

Spots of blood were found in the Captain’s cabin, and traces of blood were discovered on a sword also contained therein.

The American consulate also insisted on performing their own investigation, as the Mary Celeste was American and American citizens were missing. They disproved the conclusion that blood was in the cabin and on the sword, demonstrating that the spots were in fact rust. They also dismissed the gashes in the railing as inconsequential and the type of damage that could have been caused by any number of actions on board a ship on a rough transatlantic crossing.

After deliberation, the Dei Gratia was acquitted of wrongdoing and the crew received some salvage pay. However, an air of suspicion lingered about them for long after the incident.

Theories about the Celeste

There are many theories as to why the Celeste was found deserted, some mundane, some outrageous. The more outlandish explanations have always relied on fictional embellishments to the story, such as the Dei Gratia boarding party finding food ready to be eaten and fresh cups of tea still steaming on the table. In reality, the Mary Celeste had been abandoned for days and looked exactly as one would expect. Therefore, there are more reasonable explanations for the missing crew.

Piracy has been brought up as a possible cause of the Celeste’s abandonment, but nothing of value was missing from the ship, and no ransom notices were ever received for any crew members. Also, the Celeste incident happened near Gibraltar… a massive naval base which was a center for the most powerful navy (for its time) in history. Piracy in general was a risky and unattractive prospect by the mid-1800’s, and attempting to operate a pirate vessel in that region of the world would have been suicidal.

Some believe that the crew had mutinied, perhaps under the influence of alcohol. However, the cargo was undrinkable and Briggs would never have allowed other forms of alcohol to be brought on board. Briggs was not known as being a bad or brutal sea captain, and the crew would have stayed on board the Celeste if an incident had taken place.

Another theory is fraud. Most people at the time, as has been mentioned, suspected insurance fraud due to the prior relationship of Briggs and Morehouse. The investigation began with the idea that the Mary Celeste disappearances were an act of insurance fraud, and if investigators had found anything at all which could have supported that idea, the Dei Gratia crew and Celeste owners would never have received salvage/insurance money.

Also, no-one who was involved with the Celeste received enough money to make a scam worthwhile. The Dei Gratia crew certainly made a profit from her salvage, and the insurance policy was paid to the Celeste owners, but the overall amount would not have been worth the trouble and risk.

The one overriding fact about the Celeste’s abandonment was the nature of the cargo. Captain Briggs was a highly experienced captain, but a relative newcomer to hauling hazardous material. The prospect of carrying such flammable material across the Atlantic, during the heavy gales as reported in his logbook, must have been terrifying to him.

Therefore, the most commonly accepted theory is that during rough seas, the captain was given reason to worry about an imminent fire or explosion on the vessel. Perhaps the 9 barrels which were found empty had leaked during a storm and saturated the ship with fumes and alcohol. Regardless of the specific reason, Briggs may have ordered the crew to take to the lifeboat, tying it to the Celeste with a rope with the intention of re-boarding if the danger passed. But the rope snapped, and the crew watched helplessly as the empty ship sailed off into the distance. In rough seas, before the advent of any type of radio or aircraft, and with no-one knowing where they were, the chances of any trace of the lifeboat or crew being found would have been almost nonexistent.

The Later Career of the Mary Celeste

After the furor died down, the Mary Celeste was brought back to America and sold with the intention of continuing her career as a cargo vessel. But her bad luck continued. A new captain was killed in an accident on board – the third Celeste captain (if we assume Briggs died) to die while commanding. The vessel was sold once again for next to nothing. She consistently made little to no money for her owners and was finally sunk off the coast of Haiti in 1885, during a clumsy attempt at insurance fraud.

In 2001, a diving expedition claimed to have found the wreck, nearly covered in coral. As proof, they revealed that the dimensions of the craft were the same as the Celeste, that the wreck could only have been built in Canada during the mid-19th century, and that there was only one wreck in the area that corresponded to the reported location of the 1885 sinking. However, all of this is disputed as some of the recovered wood appears to date from the 1890’s. Consequently, many believe that the wreck near Haiti is a very similar vessel – but not the Mary Celeste.

Closing

The Mary Celeste is perhaps the most famous sea mystery of all time. This is ironic because the evidence, once stripped of embellishments, seems to clearly point to a premature abandonment of the vessel, with a reason based somehow upon the hazardous cargo and poor weather. However, the fact that the Mary Celeste legend has endured for so long speaks volumes about the inherent mystery of the sea, and how, once a vessel leaves the sight of land, it becomes a world of its own.

Have you ever experienced “Cabin Fever” it is a real condition which can now be found in dictionaries and some medical journals.  Cabin fever is also known as an Idiomatic term for Claustrophobia.  The difference between Cabin Fever and Claustrophobia is, Cabin fever can effect most people when they are confined in one area for an extended period of time.  Claustrophobia can be an inherent dislike of small spaces, which can spring to the fore with warning.

In the early 1900s the term Cabin Fever became in common usage.  Some historians say it dates back to spending winters in log cabins in places such as Alaska.  Cabin Fever should not be taken too lightly.  For instance if you are trapped in a confined area with other people, its very common for you to feel Paranoia about your cabin mates.  A feeling of conspiracy is one of the first signs of Paranoia and Cabin Fever.

Astronauts go through intense mental testing to determine if they can be confined for days and even weeks with other Astronauts. To give a common example maybe you have been on a vacation with your best friend of the same sex.  You may have gone abroad and the country your visiting may speak a different language.  This means you will be speaking to your friend only for two weeks or more.

Astronauts are screened for Cabin Fever.

Your friends little idiosyncrasies such as a nervous cough, or eating with their mouth open!  Become a great sense of annoyance to you because you have no other people to interact with and talk to.  You may have a good friend you socialise with and normally see in a bar or a pub, you suddenly discover your friend always drinks morning and night. You didn’t know this because you have only seen them in a bar or social setting.

Married or long term partners have to tolerate each others funny ways as you are committed to each other for the long haul.  With your partner your relationship is also on a sexual level which eases tension and aids bonding. 

The mystery of the “Mary Celeste” could be explained by Cabin Fever? A ship found adrift with not a soul on board? The dinner table was set for a meal.  Perhaps a large argument broke out over menu? Or who was washing the plates?  This sounds laughable but people confined really do get on each others nerves.

The Mary Celeste abandoned over dinner?

I’m lucky enough to have never been in prison.  The thought of being confined does not appeal to me at all.  I have had a taste of Cabin Fever whilst I am waiting for my operation later this year.  I spend my day writing and sometimes talking to myself! My partner works full time, so its me the laptop and two cats!  I could easily imagine if this was to be a permanent state for me, Cabin Fever would set in without doubt.

As a race Human Beings are a social animal and they need stimulus from other people, we were not designed for solitude.  I have worked extremely hard having three jobs at one time in my life.  The thought of a day off on my own watching movies and having a glass or two of wine seemed fantastic!  However now I have seen the other side of that coin which is enforced solitude, I know what I prefer.

As we get older I think we can reason better and stand solitude more, this may have a bearing on Astronauts being recruited in their late 30s or early 40s?  How many times have you heard a child say  “Mum I’m bored I don’t know what to do”  children are honest.  As adults we are not supposed to get bored we are beyond that.

Remember the film called  “The Shining” a family is snowed in, in a hotel and the writer (Jack Nicholson) goes mad through Cabin Fever and tries to kill his family? So beware Cabin Fever does exist.

“Here’s Johnny”

Lord Banks

The shroud of Turin is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who had apparently died of crucifixion. Most Catholics consider it to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. It is currently held in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Despite many scientific investigations, no one has yet been able to explain how the image has been imprinted on the shroud and despite many attempts, no one has managed to replicate it. Radiocarbon tests date it to the middle ages, however apologists for the shroud believe it is in corrupt – and carbon dating can only date things which decay.

Prior to the middle ages, reports of the shroud exist as the Image of Edessa – reliably reported since at least the 4th century. In addition, another cloth (the Sudarium) known even from biblical times (John 20:7) exists which is said to have covered Christ’s head in the tomb. A 1999 study by Mark Guscin, a member of the multidisciplinary investigation team of the Spanish Center for Sindonology, investigated the relationship between the two cloths. Based on history, forensic pathology, blood chemistry (the Sudarium also is reported to have type AB blood stains), and stain patterns, he concluded that the two cloths covered the same head at two distinct, but close moments of time. Avinoam Danin(a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) concurred with this analysis, adding that the pollen grains in the Sudarium match those of the shroud.

2. The Taos Hum [wikipedia]

The ‘Taos Hum’ is a low-pitched sound heard in numerous places worldwide, especially in the USA, UK, and Northern Europe. It is usually heard only in quiet environments, and is often described as sounding like a distant diesel engine. Since it has proven in-detectable by microphones or VLF antennae, its source and nature is still a mystery.

In 1997 Congress directed scientists and observers from some of the most prestigious research institutes in the nation to look into a strange low frequency noise heard by residents in and around the small town of Taos, New Mexico. For years those who had heard the noise, often described by them as a “hum”, had been looking for answers. To this day no one knows the cause of the hum.

3. Black Dahlia [wikipedia]

In 1947 the body of 22 year old Elizabeth Short was found in two pieces in a parking lot in Los Angeles. According to newspaper reports shortly after the murder, Short received the nickname “Black Dahlia” at a Long Beach drugstore in the summer of 1946, as a play on the then-current movie The Blue Dahlia. However, Los Angeles County district attorney investigators’ reports state the nickname was invented by newspaper reporters covering the murder. In either case, Short was not generally known as the “Black Dahlia” during her lifetime.

Many rumours and tales have spread about the Black Dahlia, and the investigation (one of the largest in LA history) never found the killer.

4. Mary Celeste [wikipedia]

 Mary Celeste was launched in Nova Scotia in 1860. Her original name was “Amazon”. She was 103 ft overall displacing 280 tons and listed as a half-brig. Over the next 10 years she was involved in several accidents at sea and passed through a number of owners. Eventually she turned up at a New York salvage auction where she was purchased for $3,000. After extensive repairs she was put under American registry and renamed “Mary Celeste”.

The new captain of Mary Celeste was Benjamin Briggs, 37, a master with three previous commands. On November 7, 1872 the ship departed New York with Captain Briggs, his wife, young daughter and a crew of eight. The ship was loaded with 1700 barrels of raw American alcohol bound for Genoa, Italy. The captain, his family and crew were never seen again. The ship was found floating in the middle of the Strait of Gibraltar. There were no signs of struggle on board and all documents except the captain’s log were missing.

In early 1873, it was reported that two lifeboats grounded in Spain, one with a body and an American flag, the other containing five bodies. It has been alleged that these could have been the remains of the crew of the Mary Celeste. However, the bodies were apparently never identified.

5. Comte de Saint Germain [wikipedia]

 The Count of St. Germain (allegedly died February 27, 1784) was a courtier, adventurer, inventor, amateur scientist, violinist, amateur composer, and a mysterious gentleman; he also displayed some skills with the practice of alchemy. He was known as ‘Der Wundermann’ — ‘The Wonderman’. He was a man whose origin was unknown and who disappeared without leaving a trace.

Since his death, various occult organizations have adopted him as a model figure or even as a powerful deity. In recent years several people have claimed to be the Count of St. Germain. (Note that St Germain was never regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church – the “st.” before his name refers to his alleged home).
e Count of St. Germain (allegedly died February 27, 1784) was a courtier, adventurer, inventor, amateur scientist, violinist, amateur composer, and a mysterious gentleman; he also displayed some skills with the practice of alchemy. He was known as ‘Der Wundermann’ — ‘The Wonderman’. He was a man whose origin was unknown and who disappeared without leaving a trace.

Since his death, various occult organizations have adopted him as a model figure or even as a powerful deity. In recent years several people have claimed to be the Count of St. Germain. (Note that St Germain was never regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church – the “st.” before his name refers to his alleged home).

There is no area on land which can compare to the desolation and loneliness of the high seas. This desolation, combined with the stories of sailors from centuries past, has created maritime legends of great monsters, of horrible sights which mean doom for any vessels unlucky enough to behold them, of places where ships vanish with no trace, and of mythical ghost ships… ragged sailing vessels and rusting hulks manned by the dead.

Even without such legends, the sea is a dangerous place. Storms, mutinies, disease, and piracy have caused the deaths of countless sea travelers over the years, and such events can easily wipe out the entire population of a vessel. With these dangers, not only have the seas been home to mythical ghost ships, but there have been many cases of real ghost ships – vessels which journey the oceans with dogged determination, even when everyone aboard them is missing or dead.

This series will cover all of the famous ghost ships throughout history, both mythical and real, and this weeks article will focus on the very real Ghost Ship of the Arctic – the Baychimo.

The Baychimo

The Baychimo was built in Sweden in 1914 and originally named the Angermanelfven, after a Swedish river. She was a state of the art, all steel steamship of 1322 tons, built to survive the icy and treacherous waters of the far north. After construction, the ship was sold to a German company and began what looked like an unremarkable career, working the common trade routes between Germany and Sweden. In 1918, she was awarded to Great Britain as part of German reparations after World War I, and renamed the Baychimo after being bought by the Hudson Bay Company.

The Hudson Bay Company used the Baychimo for grueling, 2000 mile long trading runs around Northern Canada, where she would carry furs over a route from Vancouver from Victoria Island. This proved to be a wise decision, as the powerful construction of the ship allowed her to thrive in this role. The Baychimo completed 9 such voyages over the following decade, becoming instrumental in the expansion of trade in these inhospitable areas.

However, on October 1st, 1931, the Baychimo’s luck ran out when she became trapped by unseasonably thick pack ice near Barrow, Alaska. This type of ice can form around unlucky or unwary ships and is capable of either crushing a ship’s hull outright with immense pressure or carrying helpless vessels into dangerous areas. The crew fought these conditions valiantly for a week, at one point even freeing their ship and sailing her through the mass of ice for about 3 hours. However, nature proved to be too strong of an opponent, and as the ice pushed the Baychimo towards the rocky Alaskan shore and possible doom, the decision was made to abandon the vessel. Most of the crew were airlifted away, but the captain, along with 14 remaining crew members, stayed behind with the intention of recovering the ship if and when the ice allowed her to go free.

These hopes were dashed when a huge blizzard struck the region in November, and when the men were finally able to break camp, they found only huge, intimidating masses of ice where their boat had once been. Giving the Baychimo up for sunk, the group began to head back for civilization. However, while leaving the area the group came across some Eskimos, who told the captain that that the lost ship was still afloat, about 40 miles away. The astonished men rushed to the given location and found that the Baychimo was exactly where the Eskimos had described, but still trapped in ice and by now looking unsalvageable. So, in early December 1931, the decision was made to take the most valuable cargo from the ship and leave her to an inevitable demise at the hands of the upcoming winter.

Until this time, the Baychimo had been a typical merchant ship with a somewhat interesting history. But without a crew, she began to turn into legend. The winter of 1931 was unable to destroy the ship, which had been constructed with just these types of winter conditions in mind, and for the next 8 years, she was sighted repeatedly by local Eskimos, traveling adventurers, and passing ships as she floated around serenely at the whim of the arctic waters.

The ghost ship proved to be just as elusive to her human pursuers as she was to the natural elements, close enough to be seen frequently, but always just out of reach of recovery. She was even boarded 4 times, once in 1933 by a group of prospectors, who said that the inner workings of the ship were still in excellent shape. Next, also during 1933, she was boarded by Inuit hunters who had a horrifying experience, becoming trapped on board for several days without food as a huge storm blew up. The Baychimo also was boarded once in 1934 by explorers who could not resist the temptation to look around, and boarded yet another time in 1939 during an unsuccessful attempt to salvage her. The crew of the salvaging expedition, led by a man named Hugh Polson, were the last known people to ever walk the decks of the Baychimo.

Appearances of the Baychimo became less frequent after 1939, but she still remained afloat and was sighted repeatedly by Eskimos, traders, and other arctic travelers as she continued to sail her solitary journey. It was assumed that nature had finally destroyed this amazing vessel when the sightings trickled down to nothing, but Eskimo fishermen north of Canada spotted her once again in 1962 near the very top of the world, floating in the frigid Beaufort Sea. During the sighting, they noted that she was rusting after her now 31 year journey and looked every bit the part of a spooky, abandoned ghost ship. Any type of salvage was out of the question, and the Eskimos watched as she drifted off and once again became lost to civilization.

Another appearance of the Baychimo occurred in May 1969, when she was seen once more in the Beaufort Sea, stuck in the same predicament which had caused her to become a ghost ship in the first place – trapped in pack ice. She has never been seen again.

It is quite likely that the ship has since sunk without a trace, but there are some who believe the vessel may still be afloat somewhere. In 2006, the Alaskan government undertook a search for the ship, whether afloat or sunk, without success. However, searching the oceans and frozen wastes of the far north is an extremely difficult task, and no one can be 100% sure that the abandoned ship does not continue to prowl the waters of Northern Canada.

So if you’re ever sailing the arctic seas of Canada or walking the coastline of Northern Alaska, keep watch for the rusting remains of the Baychimo as she sails alone on her cold, desolate voyage.

That is what the term ghost ship means. It all sounds too unrealistic? No… it’s true. Ghost ships do exist.

There have been many discoveries of ghost ships ever since ships were invented. But one of them stands out by itself.

The Mary Celeste

The Mary Celeste launched in 1860 under the name Amazon spent 10 years before it became: A Ghost Ship. During the incident, there were 11 people on board. After the incident, there were none.

The 11 people on board consisted of the following.

Captain: Benjamin Briggs

Wife: Benjamin Briggs’ wife

Child: A young daughter

Crew: A crew of eight

Total: 11 people

The Mary Celeste was found abandoned in the middle of the sea.

Food was found left out on the table ready to be eaten. There were plates set up on the tables. But nobody was there. The 11 people had vanished.

Research teams have boarded it but found no sign of aggressive violence. That rules out the possibility that it was taken over by pirates.

At that time, The Mary Celeste was carrying nine empty barrels. A lot of people think that barrels were used to carry rum, but they could also be carrying spirit (not the wine, but a flammable material). Experts think that the spirit might of leaked out of the barrels, forcing everyone to abandon the ship. They crew left on a small boat and starved to death. Meanwhile the ship was left floating in the middle of the sea.

But then again that is just a prediction. No one knows what happened during the incident. But one ting was certain.

It was a ghost ship.