By Stacey Leasca, Coastal Living
Fishing is a pretty spooky sport. Think about it: As a fisherman, you must leave home well before the sun comes up, get onto a boat on a secluded lake or foggy bay, and sit in total silence as you wait for whatever lurks underneath the murky water to nip at your bait.
It’s no surprise then to learn that the world is filled with haunted fishing destinations. The crew over at Boat Trader wants you to know exactly where the most haunted fishing spots are so you can either avoid them or test your fate and cast a line there. Here are their nine most haunted fishing spots to visit this Halloween.
Fishing is a pretty spooky sport. Think about it: As a fisherman, you must leave home well before the sun comes up, get onto a boat on a secluded lake or foggy bay, and sit in total silence as you wait for whatever lurks underneath the murky water to nip at your bait.
It’s no surprise then to learn that the world is filled with haunted fishing destinations. The crew over at Boat Trader wants you to know exactly where the most haunted fishing spots are so you can either avoid them or test your fate and cast a line there. Here are their nine most haunted fishing spots to visit this Halloween.
Lake Ponchartrain, Louisiana
Lake Ponchartrain, located just a few miles from New Orleans, is home to the Manchac Swamp, which also happens to be home to both alligators and something known as the Rougarou of the bayou. According to legend, the Rougarou is actually a blood-sucking Cajun werewolf that lives amongst the cypress trees.
Oh yeah, and there’s the spirit of Julia White, a voodoo priestess who still haunts the wetlands since her death in 1915 after a hurricane took down her home.
Friday Harbor, Washington
Along the shores of Friday Harbor, you may come face to face with a number of ghosts as you bait your hook. At the Serendipity bookshop, a woman dressed in black can often be spotted in the window. Other ghosts and goblins may be haunting other establishments, as most of the town’s buildings date back to the 1880s.
Point Honda, California
On September 8, 1923, seven destroyers ran aground in Point Honda in a rocky area known as the Devil’s Jaw. Six ships were instantly destroyed, and 23 sailors died. Though the area directly over the ships isn’t a great fishing spot, fishing in the nearby Santa Barbara Channel is excellent. Just don’t get caught in the fog by the ghosts.
Catalina Island, California
Catalina Island, located a quick 45-minute boat ride from Los Angeles, is home to more ghosts then we can count here. On the far side of the island at Two Harbors sits a red wooden building, which was once the old barracks from the Civil War. Behind it, sits the Banning House Inn, which according to legend is haunted by a White Lady. She can often be spotted walking down the stairs to visit her lover, who lived in the barracks below.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, North Carolina
The Cape Hatteras lighthouse has perhaps the best ghost on this list–a ghost cat. As legend has it, a large ghostly cat roams the grounds and often rubs up against visitors. On very rare occasions the cat can be seen accompanied by a ghost man in a yellow slicker.
Execution Rocks, New York
Execution Rocks is home to perhaps the most gruesome executions in American history. During the colonial times, prisoners were allegedly chained to the rocks at low tide and slowly drowned as the tide came up. Fisherman visiting the rocks have said they can hear the screams of men slowly meeting their dooms.
Galveston Island, Texas
In 1900 the Great Storm hit Galveston Island. It’s still considered one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Between 6,000 and 12,000 people died, and many were not properly buried. And those souls still haunt the area today.
Truk Lagoon, Micronesia
Located in the middle of the Pacific ocean (3,000 miles south of Hawaii to be exact), Truk Lagoon is a world-renowned diving destination. It’s also the place where in 1944, more than 50 Japanese warships and aircraft carriers were sunk here by the Allies. The area is now a burial ground for 400 Japanese sailors who are more than happy to haunt your fishing adventures.
Sydney, Australia
Sydney is packed to the gills with ghost stories, all of which are best experienced by taking a nighttime ghost tour. But, if you’re looking to be haunted by fellow fishermen, there’s no better place to look than The Rocks, a historic neighborhood near the Sydney Harbor Bridge that once acted as a large slum for the population of seamen. Many of those seaman souls still haunt the area today.
See more at: Coastal Living
