Diving the World's Most Haunted Wrecks and Sites
Location: Little Devil's Eye and Devil's Ear Caves, Ginnie Springs, Florida
Diving in a natural spring is beautiful, but when it’s Little Devil's Eye and Devil's Ear caves at Ginnie Springs it can also be a little scary. With strong currents and temperatures that drop to 72 degrees F (especially in Devil's Ear), even experienced divers have perished here.
Others have described something like a vortex inside the cave, which makes many disoriented. Some believe it could be the spirit of a deceased diver looking for help.
Wreck: RMS Rhone
Location: Salt Island, British Virgin Islands
This Royal Mail ship sank in October 1867 during the San Narciso hurricane. The captain tried to escape the storm, but shifting winds slammed his boat into Black Rock Point. The crash broke the ship’s back in two, and the cold waters caused the boilers to explode.
The ship rests at about 30 to 80 feet deep — nearly at the bottom of Black Rock Point — and divers have reported seeing people frantically swimming for the surface wearing no gear. When the divers approached to assist, the frantic swimmers disappeared without a trace.
Wreck: S.S. Thistlegorm
Location: The Red Sea, Egypt
Two bombs dropped by a German aircraft sank the S.S. Thistlegorm in October 1941. At the time, it was loaded with military supplies for the British Navy.
Jacques Cousteau discovered the ship and its cargo in the 1950s. Among the ship's contents were Bedford trucks, armored cars, steam locomotives and artillery. To this day, divers of the wreck frequently report hearing machinery running and seeing shadowy figures aboard the wreckage.
Wreck: S.S. Andrea Doria
Location: Nantucket, Massachusetts
This Italian ocean liner sank in 1956 after it was accidentally struck by the M.S. Stockholm. At 160 feet, deep the ship is recommended for experienced divers only. Sixteen divers have perished here as a result of the strong currents, heavy sediment and fishing lines or nets.
Divers have described seeing things moving in the peripheral vision of their dive masks and being touched by phantom sources on their arms and legs. Could lost souls from the wreck still be reaching for rescue?
Wreck: Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant (“Giant”)
Location: Sardinia, Italy
Off the coast of Italy and 200 feet underwater lies the wreckage of this WWII German military aircraft, which sunk after being shot down by the British Bristol Beaufighter in July 1943.
The crew went down with the plane, and apparently, their spirits still linger with the aircraft. Divers have reported seeing a pilot and crew in the cockpit, but on closer examination, discovered that they had suddenly vanished.
Location: Chuuk (aka "Truk") Lagoon, Micronesia, central Pacific
In 1944, Truk was devastated by a major naval-and-air attack: Operation Hailstone. The offensive by the United States against the Japanese lasted three days and resulted in the sinking of an American carrier, dozens of other war ships, merchant ships and aircraft. Located at 1,118 miles north of New Guinea, it is the largest known maritime war graveyard in the world.
Divers have reported hearing voices and a ghostly truck engine while diving there. The site and its spooky, unknown occurrences have even been featured in documentaries.
Wreck: USAT Liberty
Location: Bali, Indonesia
A Japanese submarine’s torpedo struck this U.S. cargo ship in January 1942, leaving it beached. But a volcanic eruption in 1963 relocated the ship from the beach and into the sea, where it rests at a depth of 30 to 100 feet. Many divers have reported seeing something in the water heading quickly toward them, but the mysterious figure dissolved away. Could this be residual energy from the torpedo that struck that day?
Wreck: S.S. Gulf America
Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
In April 1942, the German submarine U-123 fired a torpedo at the S.S. Gulf America after sighting the American tanker off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. The impact on the S.S. Gulf America — which was carrying 101,500 barrels of furnace oil — resulted in a fiery explosion reportedly seen for miles along Florida’s northeastern coast.
Many divers have reported encountering strange sounds and seeing strange things in the water. On the anniversary of the ship's sinking, people on shore have even reported seeing activity resembling the fatal torpedo striking the vessel.
Wreck: Le Griffon
Location: near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan
Rene-Robert Sieur de La Salle was a French explorer of the Great Lakes and Mississippi regions in the 17th century. On their return to France, La Salle and his six-member crew aboard Le Griffon mysteriously vanished.
Shipwreck hunter Steve Libert believes he has positively identified the broken wreckage at this location to be the missing vessel; however, the wreck remains have not been officially identified.
Sailors and divers have had odd experiences near this wreck. Divers reported that while looking up toward the surface, they witnessed a large ship sailing over them. When they managed to surface, the ship was nowhere to be found. Sailors have also described seeing a misty ghost ship sailing toward them, but the vision quickly disappeared.
Wreck: USCGC Comanche
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
The Comanche worked as a convoy escort for much of WWII, until it was attacked by German submarine U-233 on Jan. 29, 1943. Oil seeped out of the ships, covering the sea surface and choking many overthrown crewmen. Life jackets with red lights were successfully used to spot survivors, but several hundred still died in the attack’s aftermath.
Paranormal sightings began when the ship was displayed at Patriot’s Point in the 1980s, and they continued after the vessel was sunk to create an artificial reef roughly a decade later.
Divers and sailors have both witnessed unexplained, floating red lights like the ones worn by the victims.
Author, paranormal-investigator Jamie Roush Pearce is the founder of Historic Haunts.
She has written three books, Historic Haunts of the South, Historic Haunts: Florida and Historic Haunts: Florida II.
Location: Little Devil's Eye and Devil's Ear Caves, Ginnie Springs, Florida
Diving in a natural spring is beautiful, but when it’s Little Devil's Eye and Devil's Ear caves at Ginnie Springs it can also be a little scary. With strong currents and temperatures that drop to 72 degrees F (especially in Devil's Ear), even experienced divers have perished here.
Others have described something like a vortex inside the cave, which makes many disoriented. Some believe it could be the spirit of a deceased diver looking for help.
Wreck: RMS Rhone
Location: Salt Island, British Virgin Islands
This Royal Mail ship sank in October 1867 during the San Narciso hurricane. The captain tried to escape the storm, but shifting winds slammed his boat into Black Rock Point. The crash broke the ship’s back in two, and the cold waters caused the boilers to explode.
The ship rests at about 30 to 80 feet deep — nearly at the bottom of Black Rock Point — and divers have reported seeing people frantically swimming for the surface wearing no gear. When the divers approached to assist, the frantic swimmers disappeared without a trace.
Wreck: S.S. Thistlegorm
Location: The Red Sea, Egypt
Two bombs dropped by a German aircraft sank the S.S. Thistlegorm in October 1941. At the time, it was loaded with military supplies for the British Navy.
Jacques Cousteau discovered the ship and its cargo in the 1950s. Among the ship's contents were Bedford trucks, armored cars, steam locomotives and artillery. To this day, divers of the wreck frequently report hearing machinery running and seeing shadowy figures aboard the wreckage.
Wreck: S.S. Andrea Doria
Location: Nantucket, Massachusetts
This Italian ocean liner sank in 1956 after it was accidentally struck by the M.S. Stockholm. At 160 feet, deep the ship is recommended for experienced divers only. Sixteen divers have perished here as a result of the strong currents, heavy sediment and fishing lines or nets.
Divers have described seeing things moving in the peripheral vision of their dive masks and being touched by phantom sources on their arms and legs. Could lost souls from the wreck still be reaching for rescue?
Wreck: Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant (“Giant”)
Location: Sardinia, Italy
Off the coast of Italy and 200 feet underwater lies the wreckage of this WWII German military aircraft, which sunk after being shot down by the British Bristol Beaufighter in July 1943.
The crew went down with the plane, and apparently, their spirits still linger with the aircraft. Divers have reported seeing a pilot and crew in the cockpit, but on closer examination, discovered that they had suddenly vanished.
Location: Chuuk (aka "Truk") Lagoon, Micronesia, central Pacific
In 1944, Truk was devastated by a major naval-and-air attack: Operation Hailstone. The offensive by the United States against the Japanese lasted three days and resulted in the sinking of an American carrier, dozens of other war ships, merchant ships and aircraft. Located at 1,118 miles north of New Guinea, it is the largest known maritime war graveyard in the world.
Divers have reported hearing voices and a ghostly truck engine while diving there. The site and its spooky, unknown occurrences have even been featured in documentaries.
Wreck: USAT Liberty
Location: Bali, Indonesia
A Japanese submarine’s torpedo struck this U.S. cargo ship in January 1942, leaving it beached. But a volcanic eruption in 1963 relocated the ship from the beach and into the sea, where it rests at a depth of 30 to 100 feet. Many divers have reported seeing something in the water heading quickly toward them, but the mysterious figure dissolved away. Could this be residual energy from the torpedo that struck that day?
Wreck: S.S. Gulf America
Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
In April 1942, the German submarine U-123 fired a torpedo at the S.S. Gulf America after sighting the American tanker off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. The impact on the S.S. Gulf America — which was carrying 101,500 barrels of furnace oil — resulted in a fiery explosion reportedly seen for miles along Florida’s northeastern coast.
Many divers have reported encountering strange sounds and seeing strange things in the water. On the anniversary of the ship's sinking, people on shore have even reported seeing activity resembling the fatal torpedo striking the vessel.
Wreck: Le Griffon
Location: near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan
Rene-Robert Sieur de La Salle was a French explorer of the Great Lakes and Mississippi regions in the 17th century. On their return to France, La Salle and his six-member crew aboard Le Griffon mysteriously vanished.
Shipwreck hunter Steve Libert believes he has positively identified the broken wreckage at this location to be the missing vessel; however, the wreck remains have not been officially identified.
Sailors and divers have had odd experiences near this wreck. Divers reported that while looking up toward the surface, they witnessed a large ship sailing over them. When they managed to surface, the ship was nowhere to be found. Sailors have also described seeing a misty ghost ship sailing toward them, but the vision quickly disappeared.
Wreck: USCGC Comanche
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
The Comanche worked as a convoy escort for much of WWII, until it was attacked by German submarine U-233 on Jan. 29, 1943. Oil seeped out of the ships, covering the sea surface and choking many overthrown crewmen. Life jackets with red lights were successfully used to spot survivors, but several hundred still died in the attack’s aftermath.
Paranormal sightings began when the ship was displayed at Patriot’s Point in the 1980s, and they continued after the vessel was sunk to create an artificial reef roughly a decade later.
Divers and sailors have both witnessed unexplained, floating red lights like the ones worn by the victims.
Author, paranormal-investigator Jamie Roush Pearce is the founder of Historic Haunts.
She has written three books, Historic Haunts of the South, Historic Haunts: Florida and Historic Haunts: Florida II.
