Simply put, the ocean is a terrifying place.
In all of its mysterious majesty, it has managed to harbour some of the most insanely terrifying
tales of isolation and abandonment in human history - which, when you realise the fact
that the ocean covers over 70 percent of our planet - it isn’t exactly difficult to see
why.
They say that the sea is a fierce and fickle mistress - and from a sailors cautionary tale
to a somber shanty - the warning signs are the only thing that we can truly know for
certain.
Hello horror fans - and once again, welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube - Top
5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Creepiest Ghost Ships That Haunt The Sea.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that legendary scene was from 1975’s Jaws directed by Steven
Spielberg, and the only Shark-based horror masterpiece that you’ll ever need.
Of course it is, this is a list about creepy tales from the sea - what did you expect?
Kicking off at Number 5 - The Kaz II
Which perhaps is one of the most terrifying modern instances of the term - ghost ship
- and one of the most profoundly tragic unsolved mysteries of the deep blue sea.
The Kaz II - which was publically dubbed - the ghost yacht - was a 9.8 metre catamaran which
was found drifting listlessly 88 nautical miles off the north-eastern coast of Australia,
on the 20th April 2007.
The three men aboard, who were all residents of Perth in Western Australia - were all incredibly
experienced sailors.
They were 56 year old Derek Batten, and brothers Peter Tunstead and James Tunstead, who were
69 and 63 respectively.
Their whereabouts still remains a mystery to this day, and the fate of these three men
perhaps may never be known.
What made it even stranger - is that when the Kaz II was eventually found by the coast
guard - there were no signs of distress, no signs of boat damage - or even a struggle
between the three men.
It was if they’d just vanished out of thin air.
Coffee cups were left out, and all lifejackets remained stowed away - indicating that the
trio never felt at risk.
In an even more curious turn of events, rescue teams discovered video footage of the three
men on a handheld camera - seemingly hours before they disappeared.
It showed them fishing - relaxing in the sun with the motor off - and offered no clues
as to how these three experienced sailors disappeared at sea.
Although an enquiry was later drawn - no definitive conclusions were ever reached - and only theories
remain about the ultimate fate of the Kaz II.
Coming in at Number 4 - The Lady Lovibond
Of course - no list would be complete without a good old sea shanty of jilted lovers and
ghostly revenge.
As the legend goes, the Lady Lovibond was a schooner that is alleged to have been wrecked
on the Goodwin Sands, just off the southern coast of Kent on 13th February 1749 - but
if you ask any old sailor worth their salt, they’ll tell you that it just so happens
to have a habit of reappearing every fifty or so years as a ghost ship.
As the story goes - the Captain of the ship, a man named Simon Reed - had just been married
to his bride, Annetta - and was celebrating the joyous occasion with a cruise - bound
for Oporto in Portugal.
Now - it is high time to mention that a longstanding sailors superstition was that back in the
day - it was grave, bad luck to bring a woman on board - and in many ways, the legend of
the Lady Lovibond is a cautionary tale that exemplifies this.
According to the tale, the ship’s first mate - a man named John Rivers, was a rival
for the hand of the captain’s young wife - and in a jealous fit of rage, he killed
the crewman manning the ship’s wheel - and steered the vessel into the treacherous Goodwin
Sands - killing absolutely everyone on board.
If you’re asking me, that is a stark overreaction - but nevertheless, since that fateful day
in 1749 - the Lady Lovibond has been sighted on numerous occasions with an ethereal, ghostly
glow - eternally bound to wander the ocean.
Next up at Number 3 - The Mary Celeste
Which in fact, may very well be the world's most infamous ghost ship - as well as one
of the longest enduring mysteries of the seven seas.
Built in Spencer’s Island, Nova Scotia in 1861 - and launched under the new name of
the Mary Celeste in 1868 - this merchant brigantine sailed uneventfully across the Atlantic for
years as a seaworthy, efficient vessel.
It wasn’t until her fateful voyage in 1872 where the true ghostly legend began - which
has since gathered theories that vary from submarine earthquakes, waterspouts - an attack
by a giant squad - and even paranormal intervention.
No one will truly know the ultimate fate of the Mary Celeste - with every single soul
on board never being seen or heard from again.
Which is a terrifying thought, isn’t it?
The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift and deserted - just off the coast of the Azores
Islands on December 5th 1872.
It was a Canadian vessel, the Dei Gratia - which found her in a dishevelled but seaworthy condition
- under partial sail - and with a lifeboat missing.
The last entry in the ships log was dated ten days earlier, which detailed the vessels
last known location - before the mysterious, infamous events unfolded.
On board was the ship’s captain, Benjamin S. Briggs, his wife Sarah - their 2-year-old
daughter, Sophia - and eight seasoned crewmembers, all veterans of the sea.
It poses the question, what dire threat did the Mary Celeste face that caused a highly
experienced captain to abandon his ship?
Nothing was stolen, all of the crew’s possessions and cargo were exactly as they’d left them.
In all likelihood, we may never know.
Swinging in at Number 2 - The Flying Dutchman
Of course - this legendary vessel couldn’t not make this list - the ghost ship that can
tragically never make port - doomed to navigate the perilous ocean for eternity.
In actual fact though, the Flying Dutchman has had such an impact on nautical culture
- that it’s easy to overlook the treacherous tale of its origin.
It is thought that the legend of the Flying Dutchman first originated from the 17th century
golden age of the Dutch East India Trade Company - a mega corporation that had a stranglehold
monopoly on the Dutch spice trade that ran throughout the 16 and 1700s - where tale was
told of a Dutch man-of-war that was lost off the Cape of Good Hope.
Purportedly, every soul on board perished after being ravaged by a violent tempest.
The following few days, numerous other trading ships reported seeing a ghostly, ethereal
vessel out in the foggy mist of the ocean - flying the same exact colours as the Dutch
vessel.
Since then, the Flying Dutchman has gathered notoriety as the worst omen you could ever
hope for - of a phantom ship that heralds the demise of an entire crew - with sightings
continuing all the way into the 19th and 20th centuries.
In fact, perhaps the most recognised sighting was by King George the V himself - during
a three-year-voyage in 1881 just off the coast of Australia.
He noted in his personal log that thirteen people had seen the glowing, Flying Dutchman
in the early hours of the morning - and later in the day, the ordinary crewman who had first
spotted the vessel, fell from the foremast and, in his words - was smashed to atoms.
That’s a little worrying, eh?
And finally, at our Number 1 spot - The Ourang Medan
And where do we even begin with the bizarre, perplexing legend of the Ourang Medan, perhaps
the most terrifyingly unexplainable instances of a ghostly shipwreck.
But - well, the leading physical theory of the Ourang Medan may be even more horrifying
than it first appears.
As the legend goes, at some time in June 1947 - an American vessel by the name of the Silver
Star picked up several distress calls from a nearby Dutch merchant ship - the Ourang
Medan.
A radio operator aboard the troubled vessel sent a message in morse code.
In rushed, confused dots and dashes - it read - We float.
All officers including the captain dead in chartroom and on the bridge.
Probably whole of crew dead.
A few moments later, after even more confused dots and frantic dashes - two words came through
very clearly.
I die.
Then, silence, nothing more was heard of them.
But well - when the Silver Star eventually located and boarded the apparently-undamaged
and otherwise seaworthy Ourang Medan - what they found horrified them.
Every single person aboard was found dead - sprawled on their backs - frozen in fear
with their mouths gaping open and their eyes staring straight ahead.
There were no survivors - but even more terrifying - apparently no signs of injury of foul play.
Just as the rescue crew was preparing to tow the ship to a nearby port, a fire broke out
on the Ourang Medan - which shortly exploded, before finally sinking.
Since this horrifying incident, theories have ranged from the vessel carrying a highly dangerous
chemical nerve agent - to an entanglement with the C.I.A after the result of a secret
experiment - to an unprovoked alien assault.
But - if you haven’t already sensed a theme with this list - it seems that we may never
know.
Well - there we have it horror fans - the Top 5 Creepiest Ghost Ships That Haunt The
Sea - what do you think?
Why don’t you let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below, as well
as any terrifying tales that you yourself have from the seven seas.
Before we depart though, let’s take a look at some of your most creative comments from
over the past few days.
Coming in - frequent horror fan Robert the Dude says -- Top 5 Scariest God Like Entities.
I WON’T GIVE UP.
-- Robert, buddy.
Listen.
We got you.
Calm down.
It’s coming, just be patient.
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As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5
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