Lurk Podcast

Recently I have delved into a new genre: podcasting. I, along with my friend Tim, have started a new paranormal podcast called Lurk.  We launches April 2, 2021 and will be producing weekly hour - hour and a half long episodes that will be released each Friday.   

Our plan is to share topics about various creepy/paranormal things such as ghosts, cryptids, aliens/UFOs and a little bit of true crime. Basically we want to share anything that might give you the creeps and keep you up at night.  In addition, we plan on also sharing information on ghost hunting techniques and possibly some actual on site investigations.  

While it seems like the paranormal podcasting genre is saturated, we think we offer something new.  We're trying to cover topics that not everyone is talking about (though we do plan to hit on some popular ones like Mothman and Skinwalker Ranch), and we're offering some personal experiences, photos and EVPs from investigations when we can. 

As far as background on the hosts of the podcast, I have been investigating the paranormal for 30 years now though my interest in the topic has been life long.  I started Gettysburg Ghosts Paranormal Investigations in the late 90's and traveled to many different locations searching for paranormal evidence. I've managed the former Gettysburg Ghosts website and currently mange this blog and the Gettysburg Ghosts Paranormal Investigations group on Facebook. Outside of the paranormal, I have experience in investigations as an in house investigator for a private investigation firm. I also have a love for learning and research in general. 

My cohost Tim has always had an interest in the paranormal.  He loves topics that make you think outside the box and question the status quo. While he hasn't been involved in investigations (yet), Tim did grow up in a haunted house in West Virginia, and has spent time researching many different paranormal topics  (He is definitely more informed about alien/UFO topics than I).  Tim is a personal trainer by trade, and this gives him some insight on different aspects of some of the topics we cover (you ever wonder about the muscles Mothman would need to support those wings?)

Together I think we make a pretty good pair.  Our 2 decade age difference and differing backgrounds offers the opportunity for eye opening (and humorous) conversations.

So give us a listen and see what you think.  And let us know what you think! We're just getting started and learning as we go and welcome all constructive criticism. Also, you can find us and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Deezer and many more. You can also find us at www.lurkpodcast.com 

Talk to you later Lurkers!

So You Want to be a Ghost Hunter- Get Started

 After learning a friend's daughter was interested in becoming a paranormal investigator, I thought it might be beneficial for her and others (including adults) who might also have an interest in the subject to have a series of blog posts to read through and learn from. 

For starters, let me give you a little background about, well, my background, in paranormal investigation.  I began my interest in the paranormal at a young age. I remember (and have a photo of) sitting in the dark living room at age 4 with my cousin listening to our aunt tell us some ghost stories.  While many of the stories we were told at that age were made up, it wasn't long before we began hearing the true accounts of our family's experiences. In school, I checked out every available ghost book I could find.  By the time I was able to drive, my cousin and I ventured out to see what we might be able to experience.  In total, I've been investigating the paranormal for 29 years.  I also have experience in research, investigation and photography through higher education and work experience.  I started a paranormal investigation group back in the 90's, and while most of the group has dispersed, those of us who are diehards still make time for some investigation.  

The number one skill you want to work on before heading out is your ability to research.  Researching is a valuable tool to the paranormal investigator.  Perhaps there's an area that you've heard might be haunted.  You'll need to be able to try to look up some historical information to determine why the area might be a good place to investigate.  Even areas that have been investigated over and over and are typically accepted as a haunted location (like Gettysburg) should be researched a bit to learn about the specific stories and areas you would be traveling to.  Your research into an area can also give you clues on the best time for an investigation. If activity seems to be most prevalent at 7pm, you don't want to show up at 2pm and miss out on the fun.

History isn't the only thing you should look into.  It's always important in paranormal investigation to make sure you gather as much information on conditions as you can.  You should be keeping a journal or have some other way of recording the specifics of an investigation.  Here is a list of information you should gather for the day of your investigation:

• Weather- You want to make sure that you record the current weather conditions for the day of your investigation.  It's important to know the temperature, precipitation percentage and even the pollen count in the area.  Weather is important for many reasons, some of which I'll go into detail about in another post in this series.  Basically, knowing the weather lets you know what to prepare for.  For example, cold temperatures can drain your batteries, so you want to be aware of that before hand so you don't automatically assume a ghost is killing your battery power.  Precipitation and pollen can create photos that people often assume are paranormal.  And in my experience, when there are some thunderstorms brewing, paranormal activity can sometimes increase- perhaps because spirits are able to draw from the energy in the atmosphere.
• Moon Phase- You should also try to look up the current moon phase.  Changes in the moon have a lot of control over our earth. If they are able to control the tides, it isn't unreasonable to assume that they can control other things as well.  Many people believe that strange things happen during a full moon.  Make sure that you keep track of the moon phase on each investigation and try to determine if there is a pattern.  While a full moon is known for bringing on strange behaviors, it also has the ability to create quite a bit of light which can come into play during an outdoor investigation.  Similarly, the darkness of a New Moon can also play a significant role on your investigation.
• Solar Weather- It's important to record what the solar weather was like during your investigation.  Basically, you want to know what the geomagnetic field of the earth is doing and if there are any solar flares.  Both of these things increase the available energy in the atmosphere and can sometimes cause some issues with your equipment (in times of strong/active solar weather).

All three of these things are easy to look up on the internet.  Weather.com or The Weather Channel app gives you access to up to the minute weather conditions and both the Moon Phase and Solar Weather information can be found on this blog on the right hand side.  

As part of your research, checking out a map of the location can also be helpful.  Google Maps is an excellent way of checking out what is in the area of your investigation. For an outdoor investigation, it is important to know where roads are, what buildings are in the area, bodies of water and anything that might have some type of light source associated with it (porch lights, parking lot lights, etc.).  You want to make sure that you are aware of anything that could be making noises (pumps from a water pumping station, a hidden roadway), creating lights that could created strange photos (buildings in the distance with lights, cars through the trees, parking lots) or producing fog or temperature changes (bodies of water).

Most important, you want to make sure that you have permission to 

be in the area you're investigating!  NO TRESPASSING!  Trespassing is not cool.  Being out at a location past the time it closes is not cool.  All you end up doing is making property owners angry and ultimately ruining things for other investigators.  So make sure you have permission to be on private property and follow the rules about closures on public land (for instance, Gettysburg National Battlefield is open 6:00am- 10:00pm April 1st-October 31st and 6:00am-7:00pm November 1st- March 31st there are hefty fines involved with being on the park grounds after hours).  Following local laws and ordinances is a must!

And last but certainly not least, make sure you go with at least another person to ghost hunt.  Having other people with you is beneficial for many reasons.  If you have some type of emergency (injury, broken down car, etc.) you have someone available to help you out.  It also gives you another witness to any phenomena you may experience.  

Now that you have researched a location and have a solid plan for your investigation, you're ready for your equipment. But that's in the next post. Stay tuned! 

What's Going On

 

So apparently, I've neglected blogging on this particular blog for quite some time.  Blogger let me know it's been more than 24 months (because they're shutting it down if I don't do something).  So I was torn.  Do I want to continue to blog about the paranormal?  Or do I want to just walk away?

Long ago when I started on my paranormal journey, not many people were involved or interested in the topic.  Now entire cable channels are being over run with paranormal shows.  The History Channel has more shows about UFO's, Skinwalkers, lost treasure and aliens than it does about actual history.  The Travel Channel seems to only want to promote those areas that are haunted.  You walk into any historical town and there are ghost tours on every street corner. Heck, sometimes there are 2-3 in the same block! While many might be thrilled with how mainstream the paranormal has become, I am not.

I began my  research into the paranormal because I wanted to learn if ghosts, aliens and cryptids were real.  I spent time researching paranormal investigators and techniques.  I learned about developing technology.  I educated myself about film cameras and then digital cameras and how different conditions could produce different results.  I attended paranormal conventions, met with other serious paranormal investigators and shared theories and ideas.  I was gung-ho.  I was having the time of my life. 

Unfortunately over the years, life started getting in the way of investigating.  Trips to the battlefield became few and far between.  Plans to attend the annual Mothman Festival never quite came to fruition.  Bigfoot was in no danger of having me spot him out in the woods.  I rarely find the time to look up to catch a glimpse of the night sky oddities.

But a busy life and an increase in the commercialism weren't the only things that kept me away from investigations.  I have a group on social media (really the catch words here are social media which more often than not ends up being the devil).  In the beginning, the group was small and pleasant with a lot of benign discussion.  Unfortunately, as many have probably witnessed in many groups, the larger it grew, the more more problems it started having.  I began spending quite a bit of time needing to police adults.  I made a list of rules.  They were ignored.  So then I changed settings so that I have to approve posts prior to them being posted, and still, people ignore the set rules.  Recently, I had to post again about adults behaving like, well, adults. That is to say, being respectful and polite.  I shouldn't have to parent grown ups.  Quite honestly, I'm on the verge of deleting the entire group.   

And it isn't just the rude and disrespectful people driving me over the edge (though certainly that's enough to do it).  In today's world of the paranormal, TV programs and tour groups have led people to believe that every odd thing that shows up in a photograph must be paranormal.  This reminds me of a scene in The X-Files season 10 episode 1 where someone tells Fox Mulder that like him he is a true believer and Mulder says, "I only want to believe. Actual proof has been strangely hard to come by."  

True evidence of the paranormal is few and far between.  Orbs are no longer considered good evidence by serious paranormal researchers.  I've said it many times- you can only prove something in this field by first disproving every logical explanation (and even then it really isn't "proof").  Everything shows up like an orb in a photo: rain, snow, high humidity moisture droplets, bugs, dust, pollen, reflections, lens flare and pixels in a digital image not filling in.  Your breath in cool outdoor temperatures photographs just like ectoplasmic vapor.  Hair strands and camera straps become vortexes.  Photos taken in low light situations with swirling lights are considered paranormal, though with a little education one learns that streaking and swirling lights are the effect of a slowed shutter speed due to low light. I could go on, but you get my drift.

The problem here is that people don't want you to explain that their photo isn't paranormal. What they really want is for you to lie to them.  They don't want to think that the photo they just took that shows nothing more than a sun dog couldn't possibly be a ghost.  I just want to ask, if ghosts are so prevalent that there are all these thousands of positive paranormal photos, why haven't we proven their existence? Lying to people and coddling them so they don't have their paranormal hopes squashed isn't a good researching practice.  If people want to be taken seriously and want their "evidence" taken seriously, then they need to accept that true evidence is hard to come by.

So here I am, facing a mid life question about something that has been a life long passion.  And to bring up another X-Files season 10 Mulder quote, "I'm thinking maybe it's time to put away childish things- the sasquatches, the mothmen and jackalopes." So what do I do? 

After some serious thinking, I have decided to continue on with paranormal research. A large part of that decision stems from my 6 year old grandson who has taken a serious interest in the paranormal (he actually watched a Ghost Hunters marathon to learn how to use equipment before we went on the Battlefield for a quick hunt).  He reminded me about one of the big reasons I became involved and started all the websites, blogs and Facebook groups- I want to help those interested in the topic of the paranormal learn and find quality information. So I'm going to continue doing things my way, and there will be some changes in order to get stuff back to where I want it to be.  

After all, The Truth is Out There. 

(The X-Files quote 1 from Season 10 Episode 1: My Struggle, The X-Files quote 2 from Season 10 Episode 3: Scully and Mulder Meet the Were-Monster.... no I'm not that big of an X-Files nerd, I just wanted to make sure I gave proper credit- though I knew the quotes so...)

Updates

I've been busy the past week working on streamlining the website and trying to make it simpler.  I've opted to use the blog to share information on investigations, stories, equipment or anything else I think falls into the paranormal category.

I've also created a page for the future book: The Haunted Trail which is what I decided to name the book I've been working on about ghosts, cryptids and UFO's on the Appalachian Trail.  Please head over to Facebook and like the page: The Haunted Trail: Ghosts, Monsters and Aliens on the Appalachian Trail !  I post things from time to time that have to do with research and writing the book, tidbits about stories, etc.

And don't forget there is a Facebook group for Gettysburg Ghosts: Gettysburg Ghosts Paranormal Investigation and you can follow us on Twitter: Gettysburg Ghosts @GburgGhosts

Haunted Appalachian Trail: West Virginia

The Appalachian Trail passes through about 4 miles of the state of West Virginia.  In those 4 miles, it goes through the town of Harpers Ferry home to the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  It's considered the "psychological" half way point (the actual half way point is further North in PA).  Harpers Ferry has a rich history in outdoor adventure, but it also has quite the reputation for being haunted.


 

 Lost Gold
In 1747, Robert Harper visited the area where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet known at that time as "The Hole".  Harper ended up purchasing the Ferry service and property from Peter Stephens.  He eventually built a Mill and improved the Ferry.  After losing his cabin to a flood, Robert Harper and his wife Rachel decided to build a home high above the flood plain.  Because workers were hard to come by during the Revolutionary War, Mr. Harper was forced to do most of the labor himself and his health began to fail.  Fearing the bands of thieves roaming the countryside, Mr. Harper told his wife to bury all their gold and tell no one where she had buried it.  Robert Harper died before finishing the house.  Mrs. Harper tried to finish the home she and her her husband were building, but she fell from a ladder and was killed instantly- taking the secret of the buried gold with her.  During the 1800's, Harper House was widely believed to be haunted and was feared by the locals.  Today, people claim to see an old woman dressed in 18th century clothes looking out an upper window gazing at the garden.  Could it be Rachel Harper looking over her stash of gold?

 Everyone Loves a Parade
In 1798, our new nation was apparently in danger of a war with France*.  Troops were sent to Harpers Ferry under General Pinkney and camped on the ridge around the bend of High Street in an area now called Camp Hill.   Because no war ever broke out, the troops were often bored, so every evening they would parade through town with their fifes and drums.  During this time, many of the men developed cholera during an outbreak and died and are said to be buried on the west bank of Camp Hill.  Today residents sometimes hear the sound of fifes and drums and go to the window expecting a parade but no one is ever there.  The music grows louder as it grows closes and then fades away.

*Other information states that the troops were there to aide in the construction of the Armory, canal and river dam.

 Screaming Jenny
In 1833, the railroad came to Harpers Ferry linking the town with the east.  Part of the track passed through the Armory Yard.  There were storage sheds located in the Armory Yard, and once the railroad came though, the sheds were abandoned.  It wasn't long before those who were less fortunate began using the sheds as housing in the cold winter months.  One woman named Jenny who was down on her luck and had no family to turn to, took up residence in one of the sheds.  On a particularly cold evening, she sat too close to the fire and a spark landed on her clothing and set her skirt on fire.  Panicking, she fled the shack and began racing down the tracks towards the station for help. In minutes, she became fully engulfed in flame.  Staggering, she did not notice the lights of an oncoming train.  The engineer, seeing the burning human like form, began frantically blowing the whistle and applying his brakes, but he was unable to stop in time.  Men from the station heard the whistle and the screeching of the brakes and ran to the scene.  They found Jenny's still burning body and put out the fire.  She was later buried in a pauper's grave.  Today engineers do not like coming through Harpers Ferry on misty nights.  They claim to see a ball of fire emitting unearthly screams.  When they try to stop, they never stop in time and feel the telltale bump that means they've run over something.  When they stop to investigate, there's never anything there.  Sometimes at night you can hear the train whistle blowing frantically and you know Jenny's ghost has shown up again.

A Bevy of Ghosts
The Booth House, also known as The Haunted Cottage, was named because of its infamous visitor John Wilkes Booth.  Booth was a nationally known actor who visited Harpers Ferry several times.  He always rented a room at the cottage sometimes inviting a lady friend to join him.  Over the years it served many purposes.  It was rented to families as a single family home and eventually earned the reputation of being one of the most haunted houses in Harpers Ferry.  Paranormal author Vince Wilson rented the home and woke up one night to the sounds of footsteps on the floor above him.  He was able to actually record the ghostly noise.  Many people have experienced paranormal activity at the Booth House.  They report footsteps, strange noises, singing and people talking.  Objects have been known to move on their own.  There have been sightings of shadowy figures and some even report having their hair or clothing tugged.  Several years ago, we attended the open house of the Haunted Cottage (it has since closed).  The basement is supposed to be the most haunted location in the home.  It's said that a child's tricycle is known to move across the room on its own.  While we didn't witness that particular phenomena, we were able to record an EVP in the basement that said "Turn the lights back on".  During the recording the that EVP, we had turned the lights out and my son asked why we had turned them out. The attic area was a somewhat active area for us.  I have a recording that doesn't contain any EVP but records my young son asking who was looking at us and who was behind us.  He was seeing something the adults couldn't.  We also had the sensation of something pushing down on our shoulders.  The Booth House is located near the KOA Campground.

Booth House EVP 1
Booth House EVP 2
Turn Lights Back On

Haunted Appalachian Trail: Maryland's Ghosts

Crampton's Gap

Maryland is the only place along the entire Appalachian Trail corridor where the AT passes through a major Civil War battlefield: The Battle of South Mountain.  Also known as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap, it was fought on September 14, 1862.  Three battles were fought for possession of three mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's and Fox's Gaps.  McClellan needed to pass through these gaps in his pursuit of Lee's Army.  By dusk Crampton's Gap lost and his position at Fox's and Turner's Gap precarious, Lee ordered his men to withdraw.  The Union casualties totaled 2,325: 443 killed, 1,807 wounded and 75 missing.  The confederate casualties totaled 2,685: 325 killed, 1,560 wounded and 800 missing.  Today hikers claim to have heard ghostly canon fire and see phantom fires and ghost soldiers in the woods along South Mountain.

You can listen to recordings of an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena)
from the area of Crampton's Gap:
Crampton's Gap EVP 001
Crampton's Gap EVP 002

Spook Hill

Near the area of Crampton's Gap is an area referred to as Spook Hill.  At Spook Hill, the Union Army managed to push back the Confederate Artillery in the area.  Not willing to allow their canons to fall into enemy hands, the Confederates began pushing their canons up the road.  Now, if you stop and put your car in neutral, the ghosts of those Confederates will push your car up the hill.  Some claim that if you coat your trunk with flour, ghostly hand prints will appear.  During an investigation of the area, we did witness the phenomena as our car did seem to move uphill on its own.  We had plans to use a level to determine if the area was creating an optical illusion and the road actually slopped downhill rather than uphill.  However, the traffic along that stretch of road was heavy and fast, and it was unsafe to attempt any type of measurements on the road.

Daniel Wise Farm

Daniel Wise Farm

At Fox's Gap, a man named Daniel Wise lived in a house with his two children.  Because Fox's Gap was the focal point of the South Mountain Battle, Daniel Wise and his family fled to a nearby church.  During the battle, Wise's home was used as a hospital by the Union Army.  Legend says that the Union Army paid Daniel Wise $5 per body to bury the dead.  It was said that Wise dumped 58 Confederate bodies down a well.  However, it was actually the Union Army that dumped the bodies in the well.  The bodies remained there for 12 years until they were re-interred in the Confederate Cemetery in Hagerstown.  It's said that today, you can still hear the loud thuds of the bodies hitting the bottom of the well.

The Washington Monument

The first monument to honor George Washington to be completed is located in the Washington Monument State Park.  The rocks in the area below the monument contain a maze of caves.  During the Civil War, a young solider stopped at a farm to get a drink from the well.  He met the landowner's daughter and they fell in love.  The girl begged him to leave the war so he deserted and the two ran away and hid in the caves.  While hiding there, a rockslide trapped them inside where they died.  Today people can hear their cries as they continuously try to escape their tomb.

Old South Mountain Inn

Located along Route 40, the Old South Mountain Inn has stood since 1732.  In 1755, General Braddock and Lieutenant George Washington marched the army past on their way to battle the French and Indians near Fort Duquesne.  The Inn served as wagon stand and stagecoach stop and in 1859, John Brown's followers held the Inn overnight as an outpost and staging point.  In 1862, General D.H. Hill used the Inn as his headquarters during the Battle of South Mountain.  The Old South Mountain Inn was sold in 1876 to Madeleine Dahlgren who used it as her private residence.  Madeleine enjoyed entertaining guests and often had friends stay the night.  One night, her guest opened her bedroom window and dozed in the rocking chair near the window.  She woke up to eery quiet and a strange glow.  She moved to the window and looked out and saw a glowing figure about 50 yards from the house floating above the road.  The apparition was taller than any human she had ever seen.  Terrified, she slammed the shutters closed and hid under the covers.  A few nights later, another guest was staying in the same room when she too noticed a strange light.  She went to look out the window and saw the same large glowing figure.  The woman ran to get her friend Madeleine and together they watched as the figure unfurled gigantic luminous wings.  The women slammed the shutters closed and knelt down and began praying.  Though Madeleine Dahlgren died in 1884, some say she is still in residence at the Old South Mountain Inn.  The current owner tells of seeing a "flash of something" in the attic while she was searching for holiday decoration, and they also say that Madeleine saved her beloved house.  One evening, the cleaning man was staying late waiting on a delivery.  He noticed that a door that is always kept shut had come open, and through the open door he smelled smoke.  The rear of the Inn was engulfed in flames.  The man called 911 and the Inn was saved.  It's believed that Madeleine opened the locked door to save her home.  Other phenomena have been experienced in the Inn as well.  People tell of seeing phantom soldiers inside and around the grounds outside of the Inn.  There are doors that shake as though someone is trying to open them, and voices and footsteps that come from empty rooms.  During a night of investigating, I stopped at the Old South Mountain Inn and pulled into the parking lot.  There were portable toilets along the back of the parking lot and as I sat there in my car, I heard the distinct sound of one of the port-a-potty doors slamming shut.  The spooky part was that all the port-a-potties were visible and there was not a soul to be seen.

Gathland State Park

George "Gath" Townsend was a journalist and a novelist who built an estate on what is now known as Gathland State Park.  Mr. Townsend, who used the pen name "Gath", built the first War Correspondant's Memorial on the property.  Gath had a tomb erected on the estate grounds though it went unused as he died in New York and was buried in Philadelphia. Today his ghost still haunts the property.  Mr. Townsend's footsteps can be heard in the area of his former home.

The Purple Church

Built in the 1880's, this abandoned church in the area of Crampton's Gap was once the site of Satanic rituals in the 1980's.  Many claim that the church is haunted.  During an investigation, we were able to get an EVP at the church. 

Purple Church EVP

Haunted Appalachian Trail: Maryland Cryptids

The Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail is probably one of the most paranormally active, if not the most paranormally active section of the entire Trail.A large part of that is that Maryland doesn't have just your typical ghosts, it also boasts 4 different cryptids along its 40 mile section.

Snallygaster

The name Snallygaster comes from the German Schnelle Geist or "fast ghost" that was associated with slamming doors and the toppling of light weight objects.  It's thought that it migrated here with the Germans in the 1730's.  Unlike the ghost, the Snallygaster is a large creature that is part reptile and part bird.  It has a large metallic beak lined with razor sharp teeth and vise like alligator jaws.  Its tail is like that of a lizard, its body scaly and its legs short and tipped with talon sharp hooked claws.  It has large wings with a spread of 25 feet. Some descriptions include octopus like tentacles and poisonous breath.  The Snallygaster flies over South Mountain looking for prey, and once it finds a victim, it shrieks and screams as it swoops in to grab its dinner.  It's said that the screech of the Snallygaster sounds similar to a train whistle.  In the area where the Snallygaster roamed, there were reports of dogs, livestock and even children going missing.  Outrunning the monster was the only way to prevent being devoured if it had you in its sights, but you could prevent the Snallygaster from coming near your property with the use of a 7 pointed star.  Many barns in the area still have them painted on their sides.
In February 1909, there was a report that the Snallygaster grabbed a man, bit his jugular, drained his blood and dumped his body off the hillside.  In fact, the Snallygaster's reign of terror was so great that Theodore Roosevelt considered postponing a highly publicized African safari to go to Maryland and hunt the Snallygaster.  However, he decided to just stick with the African safari. 
I came across some information that suggested in the 1980's, Maryland added the Snallygaster to its Endangered  Species List.  A check of the current Endangered Species List did not turn up any mention of the beast.  So next time your out camping or hiking the area of South Mountain and you hear that train whistle, ask yourself  "Was that really a train whistle?"

Snarly Yow

The Snarly Yow might be more ghost than cryptid, but I'm still including it in this list.    It's described as a large black dog with grotesque red mouth, large fangs and a howl like a werewolf.  Its appearance is similar to a Hell hound, but unlike the Hell hound, the Snarly Yow hasn't foretold anyone's imminent death.  The Snarly yow roams the area around South Mountain chasing cars and scaring hikers by jumping out of bushes.  Many years ago, an expert huntsman came across the Snarly Yow.  He took aim and shot at the animal but the bullets passed directly through. 

Dwayyo

The Dwayyo is a creature that is described as being between 7 and 9 feet tall, hairy, similar to a wolf but with the arms, stance and stature of a man.  Its hair is bristly and it has a large bushy tail.  Many accounts mention hearing screams from the creature.  Chickens and cattle have been found dead in the areas where the Dwayyo has been seen and dogs refuse to hunt the beast and hide when they sense its presence.  There was an account of a girl who was driving to a friend's house who saw the Dwayyo.  As she drove through the woods she felt as though something was watching her and she saw something running through the trees.  As she slowed her car, a dog like creature ran out into the road on 2 legs.  It had large fangs and lunged at the car.  The girl sped away.  A nearby farmer claimed to see what he described as a 9 foot dog creature.  There was also a report from a man who used the alias "John Becker".  He said he went outside to investigate a strange noise and saw something coming at him as big as a bear but it had a long bushy tail and growled like a wolf or dog in anger.  The creature stood on hind legs and attacked him.  Becker fought the creature until it ran into the woods.  He did call the State Police and file a report under the alias.  Several hunters have also reported seeing a strange creature, and 2 men out spotlighting deer also had an encounter.  They said they saw a 6 foot tall creature that was inclined forward as it moved.  The head was large and had a profile like that of a wolf.  Its body was covered in brown or brindle fur and the lower half of the body had a striped pattern.  It's forelegs were slimmer and held in front and the back legs were think and muscular like a kangaroo's. Two park rangers also described seeing a large hairy bipedal creature in the area.  So what is roaming South Mountain?  Is it a werewolf like some have said or something akin to a hexenwulf- a person able to transform into a wolf like beast by using a magical talisman like a wolf hide belt or an amulet given to them by another person (often received by making deals with the devil).  Whatever it is, I would prefer not to encounter it or hear its awful screams.

Bigfoot

Bigfoot doesn't really need any introduction.  Most people know the basic Bigfoot description.  But many people don't realize that Bigfoot doesn't just live in Oregon and Washington.  Bigfoot has also been sighted often on the East Coast.  In fact, there is some speculation that Bigfoot uses the Appalachian Mountains as a migration route.  There have been a few sightings of Bigfoot like creatures in the South Mountain area.

So, if you're out and about on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, keep your eyes peeled for something out of place.  There's no telling what kind of beast you might stumble upon.

Haunted Appalachian Trail

I recently decided I wanted to begin section hiking the Appalachian Trail, and in researching for my first trip, I discovered that the trail has some haunted areas.  It wasn't a shock that it's haunted, but it was shocking that I didn't consider it at all when I started planning the trip.  Typically I start my adventures because of the paranormal stories associated with the area I'm traveling to.
So I began looking into things a little more.  I've decided to research the topic and come up with some stories of ghosts and other paranormal happenings from each of the 14 states the Appalachian Trail passes through.  I'm touching upon the stories on the hiking blog (Hiking 40 For My 40th) but I'll be taking a little more in depth look at some of them here on this blog. 
Since my first section hike of the AT will primarily pass through Maryland, that's the state I opted to begin with.  It's also the state I have the most knowledge about.  In fact, my belief early on is that Maryland's 40 miles might be the most haunted section of the whole Appalachian Trail. So stay tuned for stories about ghosts, cryptids and maybe some UFO's along the Appalachian Trail.

Ghost Ships: The Carroll A. Deering

The Carroll A. Deering was a five masted schooner built in 1919.  In midwinter 1921, she was found aground on Diamond Shoals off the North Carolina coast near the Hatteras light.  There was no storm and no distress calls were received.  When rescuers made it aboard the ship, there was no one to be found except for a gray cat.  The bunks were all made and the food was left on the plates and stove as if everyone was coming right back.  The Captain's Log and sextant were missing.

The ship had been sighted by the Cape Lookout Lightship in North Carolina, when the vessel hailed the lightship. The lightship's keeper reported that a thin man with reddish hair and a foreign accent told him the vessel had lost its anchors. The keeper took note of this, but his radio was out, so he was unable to report it. He noticed that the crew seemed to be "milling around" on the fore deck of the ship, an area where they were usually not allowed.  The next time the Carroll A. Deering was seen, she was abandoned on the shoals.

An investigation was launched into what happened to the Deering after she was spotted at the Cape Lookout Light.  A message in a bottle was found at Buxton Beach, NC and read:  

DEERING CAPTURED BY OIL BURNING BOAT SOMETHING LIKE CHASER. TAKING OFF EVERYTHING HANDCUFFING CREW. CREW HIDING ALL OVER SHIP NO CHANCE TO MAKE ESCAPE. FINDER PLEASE NOTIFY HEADQUARTERS DEERING.

The mystery was never solved, though there are many theories: piracy, Russian/Communist Piracy, Rum Runners or Mutiny. And there are those who believe that the Carroll A. Deering could even be a victim of the Bermuda Triangle. 

The Bermuda Triangle Today

While the vast majority of Bermuda Triangle mysteries occurred in the beginning half of the 1900's, there have been some in the late 1900's and early 21st century.

In 1991, the pilot of a Grumman Cougar jet made a radio request to increase altitude.  As the aircraft flew higher, it gradually faded from radar and then vanished altogether.

In 1995, Cary Gordon Trantham was flying her Piper warrior home after a visit with her daughter.  While flying over open water, she felt as if a dark blanket of fog had been thrown over her plane.  The horizon disappeared and she couldn't see lights of any kind.  Her compass went erratic and the panel lights were fluctuating from dim to bright.  The altitude indicator began to roll and there was a buzzing in her headset.  Unlike many of the Triangle stories, Ms. Trantham was able to land safely.  You can read more about her story on her site Bermuda Triangle Survivor.

Eight years later in 1999, a distress call was received by a vessel sailing near a freighter called the Genesis reported the ship was having issues with their bilge pump.  After this call, the crew and ship were never seen or heard from again despite intensive searches.

There have also been a few disappearances in this century.  In June of 2005, a Piper plane disappeared between the Bahamas and Florida with 3 people on board.   In 2007  a plane and its pilot disappeared near the Berry Islands and in 2008 a Britten Norman Islander vanished with 11 people on board near the Windward Islands. 

So why the lull in strange disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle?  One thought is that the advancement of navigational technology (like GPS) is responsible for the lack of Triangle mysteries.  It's also possible that the anomalous area has moved. The Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field, and this magnetic field changes location over time.  In fact, there is an area off the coast of Venezuela that is being called the new Bermuda Triangle. In any case, I'll be packing a compass or two and my trusty digital recorder for my cruise through the Bermuda Triangle to see if anything happens.

Great Isaac Lighthouse

The Great Isaac Lighthouse is located on Great Isaac Cay- a small island only accessible by boat about 20 miles NNE of Bimini.  The light house was built as an exhibit for the Great London Exposition of 1852 and was originally known as Victoria Light in honor of the then reigning Queen of England.  A few years later, it was shipped in pieces and constructed at its current home in 1859.

The Great Isaac Lighthouse had its share of negative history.  Rumor claimed that the lighthouse was originally bound for Sri Lanka but the trip ended in failure though no one knows exactly what went wrong.  The bad luck continued during its construction on Great Isaac Cay and is the basis for one of the known ghosts on the island.  While the light was being built, a British supply ship wrecked while delivering parts.  Everyone on the ship survived except one person- the ship's boy- who was eaten by sharks.  People have claimed to have seen his spirit wandering the island. 

And in the late 19th Century, local lore tells of a ship wreck on the island that claimed all the lives on board except one- an infant boy.  Now on nights when the moon is full, people have seen the mother of the infant wandering the island and wailing, looking for her infant son.  The locals refer to her as the Grey Lady.

But one of the most interesting and intriguing stories about the Great Issac Lighthouse is the many attribute to the Bermuda triangle.  In the 1960's there were two lighthouse keepers on the island: Ivan Major and B. Mollings.  On August 4, 1969, the lighthouse station was discovered abandoned.  There was no sign of the keepers.  No distress calls had been made, there were no sightings and an investigation shed no light on the mystery.  To this day, no one knows what happened to the men.  Many believe it's another disappearance courtesy of the Bermuda Triangle.

Great Isaac Lighthouse now an automated light flashing every 15 seconds

The Devil's Triangle

     A little more than a month from now, I'll be making my way to through the Bermuda Triangle. (I'm sure my future husband is thrilled that I've turned our honeymoon into a paranormal excursion, but he might as well get used to it sooner rather than later.)

     I've always had a fascination with the Devil's Triangle.Who doesn't like a good mystery?  And the Triangle has a few.  One of the first reported Bermuda Triangle mysteries was reported by Christopher Columbus.

Replicas of Columbus' ships

     It's said that he reported a great flame of fire that crashed into the sea one night.  A few weeks later, a strange light appeared in the distance.  He also reported erratic compass readings. And some scholars claim that Shakespeare's The Tempest was based on a Bermuda shipwreck.

The Spray

     The unexplained disappearances and occurrences in the Triangle didn't get attention until the 1900's.  In 1909, Joshua Slocum, known as the best sailor of his time,disappeared on a voyage from the East Coast bound for Grand Cayman.  Slocum was an experienced sailor and was the first man to sail solo around the world in 1895.  There was never any sign of Slocum or his ship the Spray.  Joshua Slocum was declared dead in 1924.

USS Cyclops

     In March of 1918 a 542 foot Navy cargo ship named the USS Cyclops disappeared on a voyage from Brazil to Baltimore.  All 306 crewmen and passengers were lost and is still considered to be the single largest loss of life in Naval history not directly involving combat.  The Cyclops was carrying 11,000 tons of manganese ore used in the production of munitions.  It left Brazil bound for Baltimore with no scheduled stops.  The captain stopped in Barbados on March 3rd and set sale again on March 4th.  No wreckage was ever found.  There were several theories including that she sank in a storm because the ship was overloaded but a Naval investigation stated "Many theories have been advanced, but none that satisfactorily accounts for her disappearance."

Avengers- same plane as those from Flight 19

     December 5, 1945 5 bombers known as Flight 19 disappeared during a training flight.  It was "as if they had flown to Mars".  A transmission was heard from the officer in Charge Taylor saying "I don't know where we are we must have got lost after that last turn."  When asked what the problem was Taylor  responded, "Both of my compasses are out and I am trying to find Ft Lauderdale, FL. I am over land but it's broken.  I am sure I'm in the keys but I don't know how far down and I don't know how to get to Ft. Lauderdale."  Taylor was asked to change his broadcast.  When the order was not acknowledged, he was asked to switch frequencies.  Taylor replied, "I cannot switch frequencies. I must keep my planes intact."

The last transmission received was, "All planes close up tight...we'll have to ditch unless landfall...

when the first plane drops below 10gallons, we all go down together."  It was thought that Flight 19 was actually over the NE Bahamas and not the Keys.  Rescue missions commenced but no sign of the planes were ever found and one rescue plane exploded during the mission.  In 1986, wreckage of an Avenger was found off the coast of Florida.  The wreck was raised in 1990 but no positive ID could be made.  

In 1991 wreckage of 5 Avengers were found off the coast but serial numbers revealed they weren't Flight 19.  Various discovered aircraft including the group of 5 were deemed unfit for repair and were disposed of at sea.

Plane similar to the Star Ariel

     In January of 1949, the Star Ariel left Bermuda with a crew of 7 and 13 passengers en route to Jamaica.  The Captain reported the flight was going smoothly then a cryptic message reported he was changing frequency. Nothing more was heard from the plane.  No wreckage or debris was ever found.

a Piper Navajo

     November 1978- A Piper Navajo left St. Croix, Virgin Islands piloted by an experienced pilot with Eastern Caribbean Airways headed to pick up passengers in St Thomas.  Visibility was good and as he was nearing the airport and cleared for landing, the controller was able to see the plane's lights as he made his approach.  When the controller looked back after talking to another aircraft, he realized he could no longer see the lights and the plane had disappeared from radar.  Nothing was ever found of the plane even though it disappeared only 1 mile from landing.

A Cessna

     March 1984- Flight 201 a Cessna, left Ft Lauderdale for Bimini Island in the Bahamas.  Everyone on the plane including the passengers were Cessna employees.  Despite their experience, not quite midway through the flight, the plane's airspeed slowed significantly.  There were no radio signals received.  Then the plane suddenlt dropped from the air into the water.  A woman reported seeing off Bimini but no wreckage was ever found.

 

     The mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle aren't just about disappearing planes and ships.  Stay Tuned.

Hoarders: Haunting Edition

This photo from the common domain and not from any actual investigation footage

 I recently conducted an investigation at a home that was experiencing several different phenomena: Feelings of being watched, hearing footsteps, doors closing on their own, dogs barking and growling at things no one can see, photo of a dark shadow and scratches appearing on body parts.  The house was built in the 1930's and owned by the same family until about 4 years ago.  The house changed hands when the original owner's son passed away suddenly and the house was auctioned.  Further research showed that the man who passed away was a hoarder and a recluse who died of an apparent heart attack and was actually dead for a few days prior to being discovered.

During our investigation, there was an overwhelming heavy oppressive feeling throughout the main level of the home.  In the upstairs area that had recently been renovated, the atmosphere was much lighter and more comfortable.  While we do not readily accept orbs as strong evidence of a haunting, we did see several orb-like anomalies on the IR cameras that only occurred in the rooms with high levels of activity.  We were able to get several EVP's that lead us to believe that the former owner was the spirit haunting the home.  This included one EVP that said its name was that of the former homeowner. Additionally, we felt that this man did not realize that he had died (based on a couple of EVP responses) and he was upset with the fact that his things had been disposed of and his house undergoing some renovations.

Because a house that is hoarded can trap energy, the home was holding onto a large amount of negativity which was creating the oppressive feelings.  The current homeowner was looking to clear the house of the negative energy.  The best way to do this in this type of situation is by regular house cleansings with sage.   In a situation where a former owner was a hoarder, doing a "spring cleaning" prior to the sage ceremony is beneficial.  Cleaning out any clutter in the home, opening the windows and burning sage in each room while firmly telling the spirit that the home was no longer theirs was the recommended way to deal with this situation.  Repeating the cleansing on a regular basis was strongly recommended. 

After our investigation, the homeowner did say things seemed to have quieted down.  Perhaps learning that he had passed away and that the new homeowners had nothing but respect for his house helped settle down the spirit. 

Sailing the High Seas

Things have been extremely busy lately.  

It's irritating how things like work get in the way of hobbies.  

So does the stress of planning a wedding- something I'm in the process of doing. 

My fiancee and I are planning on taking a cruise for our honeymoon, 

and we originally picked one that had a tour of Mayan ruins.

  This, of course, peaked my paranormal interests.  

Surely I'd have some chances to attempt some EVP recording amongst the ruins.  

However, we ended up going with a different cruise- a nice cruise, but no ancient EVP-producing ruins.  While I was still excited about the trip, the paranormal side of me was a little disappointed.  

Until I realized the cruise ship sailed through the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. 

 In fact, most of the trip will take place 

in the Bermuda Triangle

My fiancee tried to say it didn't- 

he just hasn't learned how vast the amount of information regarding paranormal things is in my head.

(My 7 year old assured him we were basically experts thanks to Scooby Doo)

Not an expert on the Bermuda Triangle?

Don't worry, I'll be sharing some information about it in the coming weeks 

so stay tuned.

And in a few months, 

maybe I'll have some interesting stories of my own.

(maybe I'll find something about ghost pirates too)

Old Halloween Traditions

Today we celebrate Halloween or Samhain (Samhain comes from Gaelic meaning Summer's End) Back in the time of the Celts, the New Year began on November 1st.  On the eve of the New Year (October 31st) it was believed that the physical world and the spirit world were closest allowing the spirits of the dead to roam the earth.  Because the veil between the worlds was thin, it was a good night  for divination.  Predicting the future was a way to get through the cold winter months and have hope for the spring.  One thing that many people (particularly young women) tried to predict was if, when or who they would marry. 
You can try some of these divination tools tonight if you're looking for information on your future love life:

Bobbing For Apples
Yes, this seemingly innocent game whereupon you nearly drown yourself to bite into and pull out an apple from a bucket of water was originally a way to predict the future.  A bushel of apples was dumped into a large tub of water and "players" would attempt to pull an apple out with their teeth.  The first to do this would be the first to marry out of the group.  If the apple was crisp and crunchy it was predicted to be a happy marriage and if it was rotten it would be a marriage of misery.

Bite The Apple
In Bite the Apple, a coin is inserted into the apple and the apple then hung from a string.  Players held their hands behind their backs and attempted to bite the apple.  The first to do so won the apple, the coin and the prediction of a prosperous life.  I actually remember playing this game as a child.  I'm pretty sure I remember cheating and using my hands.

Peel the Apple
This one isn't really a game.  Girls would peel an apple then throw the peel over their shoulder onto the floor or into a tub of water.  The letter formed by the apple peel was the first initial of the man they would marry.  I tried this once in my youth, but the dog always stole the peel before I could see the initial. I was once told by someone that if you recite the ABC's while twisting the stem on an apple, the letter you're on when the stem comes loose is the initial of the man you'll marry. 


Apple Paring Game

This one is slightly creepy.  A girl sits in a dark room in front of a mirror with only a candle as light and peels an apple while staring into a mirror. If she's to marry, the face of her future husband will appear.  But if she's destined to die before marriage, a skull will appear. Many teens play the "Bloody Mary" game where it's said that if you look into a mirror in a dark room and say Bloody Mary 3 times her ghost will appear in the mirror.  In the Maryland area,  there was the legend of Black Aggie.  If you said the name Black Aggie in the mirror three times in the dark at midnight, she was said to appear behind you and either stab you, cause you to lose your mind or transport you to hell – or all three at the same time.  I imagine that these games have some basis in the original game played with apples during Victorian times.

Dumb Supper
The celebration of Samhain is also a time to honor passed loved ones.  One interesting way to do this is by
hosting a Dumb Supper.  (Dumb in this sense refers to being silent.)    There are several different ways to host one, but here are the basics.  The menu should consist of foods that remind you of those who have passed (their favorite foods or a dish they enjoyed making, etc) or feature foods like apples, fall squash, fall greens, etc.  A place setting is put out at the head of the table for the departed.  Typically, the food is served backwards- that is you start with dessert, then entree, then appetizer.  The place settings are also supposed to be backwards.  Food is served to all the place settings, including ones set for ancestors.  The entire meal is silent.  No talking.  No communicating of any kind.  The only noise is music that is played in the memory of those who have passed.  After the dinner, guests share memories and stories about those who have passed on.  Guests are encouraged to bring photos of those who have departed.  Also, each guest is encouraged to stop at the chair at the head of the table before being seated.  In some suppers, when guests are finished dining, they each one by one take a note they've written for their loved one to the head of the table where they read the note silently then burn it.  They're really are many ways in which you can conduct a Dumb Supper- as long as you conduct it in silence. 

Happy Halloween!

Check out these other blog posts about Halloween and Ghosts
History of Halloween
Stories from my Great-Great-Grandmother
Haunted Haven Beach
Old House Woods

The Oldest Ghost Story

Ever wonder what the first recorded ghost story was?
It happened back in the 1st century AD- Pliny the Younger wrote about a spirit in his letters.

There was a house in Athens with an unsavory reputation.  It was reported that each night, the sounds of weapons and chains could be heard first from far away and then gradually getting closer.  Eventually the ghost of an emaciated, dirty old man with a scraggly beard and hair would appear with chains on his hands and feet. 

The house fell empty because of resident being afraid of this ghost.  It was eventually sold to a philosopher named Athenodorus who purchased it despite it's history.  One evening, as he was up writing, he heard the sounds of chains growing closer and closer.  When they sounded as though they were in the room with him, he looked up and saw the spirit of the old man.  The ghost actually beckoned to Athenodorus, but he ignored the ghost and continued writing.  Then he heard the rattling chains above his head, so Athenodorus took his torch and followed the ghost to an open area.  The ghost disappeared.  The philosopher marked the area where he last saw the ghost and went to bed.

The next day, the area where the ghost disappeared was dug up and in the hole they found a skeleton with chains on its arms and legs.  The skeleton was given a proper burial and the ghost was never seen or heard from again.

You Might Be...

a Paranormal Investigator if you clean out your spice cabinet and find a bottle of Holy Water.

And then the next logical thing is to put it in your purse.

Movie Review- The Conjuring

Theatrical Release Poster

The plot of the movie The Conjuring deals with events that took place in Rhode Island in the early 1970's in the home of Carolyn and Roger Perron. Mr. and Mrs. Perron along with their 5 daughters were terrorized to the point that Ed and Lorraine Warren (of Amityville Horror fame) were called in. 

The beginning portion of the movie outlines those hauntings and the subsequent investigation by the Warrens.  This was the most believable and enjoyable part of the movie.  It was full of suspense, the typical shots where everything is quiet and you just know something will be popping out or showing up in a mirror without notice. I'd have to say the most chilling moment in the movie was a scene where Christine, one of the daughters, has her foot pulled by an unseen entity.  She wakes her sister Nancy who she shares the room with and tells Nancy she sees a man standing by the door.  Nancy goes to the door to investigate and sees nothing though Christine keeps saying there's a man there.  The door eventually slams shut. It's scenes like this that really freak a person out.  You've either experienced something similar or have heard stories.  Because the scene is so simple and you don't actually see the man, your imagination fills in the gaps.  Believe me, my imagination scares me more than anything Hollywood does to spell things out.  And therein lies my big complaint about this movie:  Hollywood. 

Apparently, demons sell movie tickets and bring in TV ratings because that seems to be what all the paranormal based shows and movies are about now.  It's old.  I've seen the levitating people, I've seen the people flying around a room, taking on demonic appearances, Holy Water being sprayed and crucifixes.  I've heard the Rite of Exorcism so many times on TV I think I can recite it myself without it in front of me.  It's like the boy who cried wolf.  Hearing how every haunting is demonic desensitizes you to it.  "Oh, that guy got possessed? Yeah, been there done that AND saw the reruns."  So while the first half of the movie entertained and kept me in suspense, the last bits made me laugh.  In fact, the 3 of us who went together who all investigate the paranormal, laughed.  And that's a shame, because the events that happened in the movie at the end could have possibly actually happened to that family and Hollywood cheapened it.

So to sum it up, the first half was great- lots of scares, suspense and a peek into old investigation techniques.  The last half- way too exaggerated leaning towards unbelievable.  So Hollywood, if you're listening and you're thinking of doing another Warren investigation turned movie, stick with the truth and don't over dramatize.  Trust me when I say the actual events are scary all on their own- scarier than anything you make up because they happened.

Overall, if you enjoy scarey movies, I'd recommend seeing this one in theaters.  As a paranormal investigator, I'd give it 7 out of 10 stars.  My daughter (who ended up sleeping in my room after seeing it) and her friend (who cried) would probably say as a regular Joe, it's more like 8 out of 10, maybe 9.  So go see it and let me know what you think.