Tag Archives: article

Ukategorisert

Spiritualism and the Occult: The History of Ectoplasm and Gooey Ghosts

6 Comments
Advertisements

Ectoplasm was a substance said to be the materialization of spirits in our world. The fascinating ectoplasm gave some insane pictures from seances and plenty of bonkers debunking of fraudulent mediums using it. 

“Ectoplasm is a thick, vapory, slightly luminous substance which exudes from some materializing mediums. Immediately there comes from her body this vaperous substance which surrounds her like a fog. As the ectoplasm increases it becomes more dense. It coalesces, becomes sticky. It can be felt. It can be photographed.”
– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Ectoplasm is the name given to a type of psychic energy which is said to be the medium by which the spirits interact with the physical world. According to the Spiritism movement, ectoplasm is a translucent, luminous substance that forms around the mouth, eyes, and nose of mediums during a seance. 

Although we today mostly know it to popular media like Ghostbusters like a gooey and sticky substance, it was an actual thing that mediums used in their seances to prove the existence of ghosts. The word “ectoplasm” was coined in 1894 by the French Scientist Charles Richet to explain a third arm that allegedly appeared from a medium named Eusapia Palladino, and derives from the Greek words ἐκτός ektos, “outside” and πλάσμα plasma, “anything formed”.

Ectoplasm: Stanisława Popielska (born c. 1893), known as Stanisława P., was a Polish spiritual medium alleged to have produced ectoplasm and moved objects psychokinetically. In 1913, psychical researcher Albert von Schrenck-Notzing investigated her, taking flashlight photographs during séances, and published a book declaring her ectoplasm genuine. However, his experiments faced criticism for poor controls, and he was accused of falling victim to fraud.

What is Ectoplasm in the Paranormal Realm?

Ectoplasm is a type of spiritual energy that can be seen by clairvoyants and mediums in Spiritualism. Ectoplasm is said to be a type of energy that can be seen and felt by people who have the ability to see or sense it.

It wasn’t a new discovery in 1894, and before it was called ectoplasm it was called soul substance, biogen or a manifestation of the perispirit. It is not to be confused by the actual scientific term ectoplasm.

Real Ectoplasm: Ectoplasm is a defined term in science. It’s used to describe the cytoplasm of the one-celled organism, the amoeba, which moves by extruding portions of itself and flowing into space. Ectoplasm is the outer portion of an amoeba’s cytoplasm, while endoplasm is the inner portion of the cytoplasm. Ectoplasm is a clear gel that helps the “foot” or pseudopodium of an amoeba change direction. Ectoplasm changes according to the acidity or alkalinity of the fluid. The endoplasm is more watery and contains most of the cell’s structures.

Some people see ectoplasm as a type of mist or a kind of energy that surrounds living beings. This mist or energy is said to appear in the form of a white, wispy substance, often light colored and can only be seen in the darkened atmosphere a seance brings. It has been said that ectoplasm can appear in many different ways, including as a solid, liquid, or gas.

What are the Different Purposes of Ectoplasm?

Ectoplasm is a term used to describe a medium’s or spiritist’s substance which is supposedly seen. Ectoplasm is said to be formed by physical mediums when in a trance state. People who have had a spiritist experience may have seen a ghostly image with a white substance. This substance is said to be the medium’s or spiritist’s “ectoplasm” or “spirit substance.” 

Early Seances Before the Ectoplasm Craze: Materialization is a term used by psychical researchers to describe a phenomenon that emerged in séances during the 1870s. It refers to the appearance of spirit presences as objects or bodies, as well as sensations like touches on the cheek or hands, slaps, caresses, or breezes suggesting something is passing by.

This substance is said to have the ability to move, fly, and even change shape. Often said to start out as clear before darkening when the psychic energy becomes stronger. It is also sometimes said to have had a strong odor.

Within Spiritualism and seances, levitation is a common trope said to happen to some. Many say that the levitation of material objects comes from a gradual buildup of ectoplasm under the objects. 

What is the Difference Between Ectoplasm fluids and forms?

In the early 1900s, ectoplasm was seen as a physical manifestation of the spirit itself. It is believed that spirits would leave a body and move into ectoplasm, which was seen in the form of a white cloud, slimy and soft tissue or other forms. 

The Edge of the Unknown (1930): Conan Doyle described ectoplasm as “a viscous, gelatinous substance which appeared to differ from every known form of matter in that it could solidify and be used for material purposes” Doyle suggested that ectoplasm often functioned as a more sensitive body part, noting that if it was “seized or pinched […] the medium cried aloud”

There was also teleplasm, referring to ectoplasm acting separate from the medium’s body. Ideoplasm is when the ectoplasm molds itself into another person.  

Where did the Idea of Ectoplasma come from?

But where did this idea come from? You can often draw a line of medium using ectoplasm in their seances after the idea of an ‘ectenic force’ came along. This was an early psychical researcher who tried to seek a physical explanation for psychokinesis and Table Turning. 

Absurd as it seemed, ectoplasm looked like it could change the understanding of science. Dr. Gustave Geley, a French doctor and researcher, saw this paranormal phenomenon as proof of new human abilities and thought it could bring a major shift in scientific thinking.

Mystery of the Female Anatomy and the Sexualisation of Ghosts: On some level, the medium performs a type of striptease for a crowd that likes to watch. A complete examination of the medium had been performed before it commenced. This was the case of Eva Carrière (pictured) as well. How did they believe cloth came out of people’s bodies, especially women’s? A classic trick was it came from their vagina. At that time, female anatomy was an even greater mystery. Even Sigmund Freud, despite his analytical tools, could not penetrate the “dark continent” of female sexuality by 1926. Thus, it is unsurprising that male researchers viewed ectoplasm—a tangible and often gynecological externalization of the spirit world—as a substance promising to revolutionize science.

Throughout the years, notable scientists experimented and researched this phenomenon. Although most of the research was to find out if the medium was a fraud or not. Even though people were starting to leave the ectoplasm thing in the past as a hoax, it had dire consequences for some of the mediums claiming they were real. 

Helen Duncan and Britain’s Last Witch

Although a visually strong thing during seances, not every medium used it. One who did however, was Helen Duncan. Today, she is perhaps best known for her trial in 1944, were she became the last woman convicted and imprisoned under Great Britain’s Witchcraft Act of 1735.

Helen Duncan was born in Scotland in 1898 and in 1926 Duncan claimed to have developed her mediumistic powers. She was around 29 years old at the time. But long before that she had scared her fellow pupils at with her dire prophecies and hysterical behavior. eventually, Duncan claimed to be able to produced fully-formed physical materialization of spirits by emitting them as ectoplasm through her mouth.

Photographs revealing the fraud mediumship of Helen Duncan. Malcolm Gaskill revealed in his book Hellish Nell: Last of Britain’s Witches (Fourth Estate, 2001) that the photographs were taken by the photographer Harvey Metcalfe in 1928 during a séance at Duncan’s house.

Pictures taken of her seances, showed the reality behind her papier-mâché dolls and slimy cloths that something strange was going on, but not the paranormal one. Things really got worse for Duncan after she was investigated by the famed paranormal investigator Harry Price in 1931.   

Cheesecloth of Helen Duncan taken by Harry Price

During the sitting in Edinburgh one of the participants grabbed the supposed spirit and discovered it was made from fabric. The police were called and Duncan was arrested for fraud.

Her 1933 conviction followed a séance in which she allegedly made contact with a dead sailor, before the loss of his ship was public knowledge. This supposed clairvoyance was perceived as a breach of wartime security. Duncan’s trial for fraudulent witchcraft was followed closely by the public, even in London in the midst of the war. Duncan was imprisoned for nine months after being found guilty.

On her release in 1945, Duncan promised to stop conducting séances, but she was arrested during another one in 1956. She died shortly after this, some of her followers spreading rumors about it being because of the ectoplasma. Truth was that she had been in bad health for years. She fought against her verdict until her death.

Keeping her Electoplasma: Although exposed, her electoplasma from a séance in 1939 is preserved at the University Library in Cambridge. Inside was a folded heap of yellowing dressmakers’ lining material, about four yards cut straight from the bolt with no hems. It had been washed and ironed, but creases from being crumpled remained, indicating it had been tightly wadded. Traces of old blood were still visible.

What Really Was Ectoplasma?

Although a popular fad at the time, now many paranormal researchers, mediums and other ghost interested people take much notice and talk about ectoplasma anymore. The substance has also been proven many times to be nothing more than a fraud. 

Because ectoplasm was believed susceptible to destruction by light, the possibility that ectoplasm might appear became a reason for making sure that Victorian séances took place in near darkness. Poor lighting conditions also became an opportunity for fraud, particularly as faux ectoplasm was easy to make with a mixture of soap, gelatin and egg white, or perhaps merely well-placed muslin.
– John Ryan Haule

Most often it was some sort of textile products like cloths, gauze with potato starch. Sometimes it was paper, sometimes it was egg white or butter muslin. The mediums used a method of swallowing and spewing out the cloth during the seance. 

Male Mediums: Although an overwhelming number of female mediums topping the list with ectoplasm, men also dabbled. Einer Nielsen (1894–1965) was a Danish physical medium and spiritualist and claimed to use ectoplasm.

This was the case with Eva Carrière who was a medium known for making fake ectoplasm from chewing paper and cutting out faces from magazines and newspapers. Danish medium Einer Nielsen was investigated by a committee from the Kristiania University in Norway in 1922 and it was also caught hiding ectoplasm in his rectum. Nielsen continued to work as a medium until his death but was never considered credible again by people outside his small circle of influence.

Famous Medium, Mina Crandon produced a small ectoplasmic hand from her stomach which waved about in the darkness. Her career ended, however, when biologists examined the hand and found it to be made of a piece of carved animal liver

The Future of Ectoplasm

Is the use of ectoplasm really dead, or has it merely evolved into a form that is less recognized today? In the past, ectoplasm was often associated with spiritualism and paranormal phenomena, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when mediums would claim to produce this mysterious substance as a manifestation of spiritual energy. As we delve deeper into the realms of science and technology, one might wonder whether ectoplasm has become an obsolete concept, overshadowed by modern understandings of the universe.

There are however cases of paranormal investigation where people insist on seeing different residues, often explained as a slimy and gooey substance.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Ectoplasm | Spiritualism, Mediums & Seances | Britannica

Bawdy Technologies and the Birth of Ectoplasm | Genders 1998-2013 | University of Colorado Boulder

Ectoplasm and the Last British Woman Tried for Witchcraft – JSTOR Daily

https://www.eframserashriar.com/post/a-brief-history-of-ectoplasm

https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/12/warner.php

Ghost Bluster: Arthur Conan Doyle and his wacky ectoplasm – The Bowery Boys: New York City History 

Ukategorisert

The Haunted Ocean Beach in San Francisco: The Ruins of Sutro Bath and Mysterious Cliff House

1 Comment
Advertisements

Could the entire Ocean Beach in San Francisco be haunted? And could the haunting come from all the mysterious and tragic occurrences around Cliff House and the now ruins of the once grand Sutro Bath? Could the very foundations, even the caves underneath be cursed? 

San Francisco’s Ocean Beach may be a peaceful escape for visitors, but beneath the tranquil waves and scenic cliffs lies a darker story that covers everything from mystical ghostly woman on the shore, occult artifacts and curses, satanic rituals and monsters hidden abandoned caves. 

Read More: Check out all ghosts stories from USA

From the iconic Cliff House built upon and damaged by the many wrecked ships to the eerie ruins of the Sutro Baths, this coastal stretch is woven with tragic history, ghostly apparitions, and a deep-seated curse that seems to haunt every crumbling stone. 

The Haunted Beginnings of the Cliff House

Overlooking the entire Ocean Beach is The Cliff House, which had originally been built by Samuel Brannan, an ex-Mormon from Maine in 1858 using materials salvaged from a shipwreck. In 1883, the Cliff House was bought by the engineer and developer, Adolph Sutro, who would be the one to develop the whole area of land we see today and where the mystery started. 

The Parallel, a schooner heading into the bay loaded with 40 tons of dynamite and black gunpowder, tragically crashed against the rocky shore. The explosion of the boat was heard across the whole bay and it destroyed the entire north wing of the house. It was not the only ship wrecked there and the ships of The King Philip, SS Ohioan, & SS City of Rio De Janeiro, all met their end on this craggy cliff.

This fueled rumors that the cliffs were cursed by the spirits of those who had met their end there. Some say that they see the ship of the Parallel heading for the rocks before vanishing into thin air right before impact. The victims of the other shipwrecks are also said to wander the rocks on the cliffs below.

In 1896, Adolph Sutro rebuilt the Cliff House from the ground up as a seven-story Victorian chateau, called by some “the Gingerbread Palace”.

The Cliff House would go on to survive a series of devastating events. On Christmas Day in 1894, a fire from the chimney ravaged the structure, only for it to be rebuilt in 1900, only to fall to flames again in 1906 and 1907 — both during times of tragedy and chaos in the city. Could the series of disasters be linked to the haunting curse? Many locals think so.

Today it-s a restaurant with a full view over the sea. Still, many claim that spirits are still trapped around the house.  

The Curse Deepens: The Sutro Baths and its Tragic Legacy

In 1894, Adolph Sutro built the Sutro Baths, a grand swimming complex perched along the edge of the ocean. The eccentric millionaire and former mayor wanted to build the largest indoor swimming area in the world. Though it stood as a marvel of the time with seven pools and could house 10 000 people, it also became a site of haunting tales. 

After Sutro died in 1898, the bathhouse started to struggle. The Great Depression took away its guests, and stricter health codes made it harder to run a public bathhouse. They tried to turn it into an ice skating rink, but this also struggled financially. 

In 1887 when the schooner Parallel hit Cliff House next door, it exploded and demolished part of the house as well as the baths. In 1966 they had decided to turn the building into high rise buildings, but on the first day of construction, a new fire erupted, demolishing the remains of the bath and they abandoned the plans of building. It was found that the cause of the fire was arson.

By the early 20th century, reports of strange occurrences and ghost sightings around the Sutro Baths were common. These ruins — now a quiet monument to decay — are rumored to have seen unspeakable acts within their walls, including ritualistic human sacrifices. Even now, visitors report strange occurrences in the area: sudden cold spots, shadowy figures emerging from the ruins, and a sense of being watched by unseen eyes.

The Ghosts of Ocean Beach

As if the curse of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths weren’t enough, the Ocean Beach area itself is teeming with spectral inhabitants, even when the bathhouse was still in operation. According to them, there was just something that was a little off about the place. 

Over the years, visitors have reported seeing ghostly women wandering along the beach — some dressed in flowing Victorian-style gowns, others carrying parasol umbrellas, as though they are lost from another time.

Among the most famous spirits is Natalie Salina Harrison, a woman whose tragic love story haunts the cliffs. Natalie’s fiancé, a soldier in World War I named Sean Eric Anderson, was lost in battle, and she is said to have waited for his return along the cliffs for decades. In the end, she was petrified to stone and made into a statue, and she is still standing there. It is believed that Natalie’s ghost still haunts the shoreline, waiting for the man she loved, her form sometimes spotted wandering by the ocean with a look of eternal longing in her eyes. There are also those claiming she is luring men down to the rocky shores, and that any men have vanished after trying to follow her. 

Read Also: Check out The Siren Ghost of San Francisco’s Baker Beach where a similar story about the ghost of a woman is haunting the beach. 

But it isn’t just women who haunt Ocean Beach. The spirit of Frank Denvin, a 16 year old boy who tragically fell from a ladder head first into an empty cement tank and died in 1896, has also been seen along the cliffs, his shadowy figure still visible near the site of his untimely death. Over the years, workers and visitors have reported hearing the sound of his footsteps echoing across the beach at night, but when they turn to look, he is gone.

There is also the former lifeguard Theodosius who is said to have drowned as he was trying to save someone in the ocean, his shadow appearing in the bath and on the beach. 

What Makes Sutro Bath and Ocean Beach Haunted?

What is it about the place that has fueled the haunted rumors? What could be the cause of it? Some point to the eccentric founder of Sutro Bath to be the cause. Adolph Sutro brought strange things back to the place it is said, either with a sacred or occult story behind them. Some believe that these artifacts have affected the spiritual energy of the place. He had among other things an extensive taxidermy collection, a 3500 year old mummified head and two Egyptian mummies. 

A lot of information about Sutro’s mummy collections disappeared in the 1906 San Fran earthquake, but there are still his collections displayed in the city. 

One of the mummies is called Nes-Per-N-Nub, a mummy whose rare, triple nesting sarcophagi indicates a former great import, as the doorkeeper in the temple of Amun. He dates from between 945 and 783 BCE He was once a high priest of the Temple of Karnak. The mummy  is thought to come from Thebes who died from natural causes. 

The second, unnamed mummy is a female who is often referred to as The Yellow Mummy due to her sarcophagus’ brilliant color, and is remarkable for having extra sets of bones within the folds of her wrappings

The Haunted Cemetery and Satanism

Some say that it’s the very ground Sutro Bath is built on that is haunted. The surrounding land used to be the Golden Gate Cemetery where hundreds of bodies were buried. In the 1930s, 18,000 bodies were supposed to be moved to Colma, but the job was not done properly. In 1993, hundreds of bodies were found in unmarked graves around the area of Ocean Beach. 

There is also a cave system under the Sutro Baths that has drawn attention because of its occult connections. The tunnel that once funneled seawater into the baths is another site where paranormal activity is frequently reported. The dark, narrow passageways echo with strange whispers, and some claim to feel unseen hands brushing against them in the deep silence. For those brave enough to explore, the curse of the Sutro Baths seems to reach out from the shadows, eager to claim another soul.

The caves were dug out when constructing the bath. Some claim that a monster is living there, and some say that they have seen strange claw marks inside of the tunnels.

Many people are said to have been sacrificed at the end of the tunnel. If you go in at night and light a candle, the spirits will come and take it from you, throwing it into the dark water. 

It is also in close proximity from where Anton LaVey founded the Satanic Temple. A lot of nearby buildings and places have been seen in connection to the Satanic Temple as the religion was in large portions formed there. This is also the case with The Westerfeld House in the city.  In 1966 he told the S.F Examiner: 

“Ah, the happy hours I spent looking for ghosts in there. So I went out and put a curse on the place. It burned down 35 hours later, which is pretty unusual. It usually takes 36 hours for a curse to work, you know.”

Local lore suggests that the curse may never be lifted. Every year, as the winds howl off the Pacific, the restless spirits of the beach stir once more, seeking revenge for their untimely deaths and the misfortunes they endured in life. Perhaps the Cliff House is fated to burn again, as the curse of Ocean Beach continues to claim its toll.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

The Haunted History of San Francisco’s Sutro Baths 

Raves, Satanic rituals and a journey into the 130-year-old tunnel at San Francisco’s spooky Sutro Baths

https://paranormalghostsociety.org/SutroBaths.htm

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC18960709.2.108&e=——-en–20–1–txt-txIN——–

The Sutro Egyptian Collection – Atlas Obscura

Ukategorisert

The Adze: Bloodthirsty Firefly of Ewe Folklore

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Without any cure and without knowing, the vampiric Adze entity can shapeshift as a Firefly and suck the blood and life force, they are also said to have demonic abilities to possess their targets.  

In the dense tropical nights of Togo, Ghana, and Benin, when the air grows thick and the hum of insects rises like a restless chant, ancient stories whisper of a creature more sinister than any ordinary predator. Known as the Adze, this vampiric spirit from Ewe folklore is said to lurk in the shadows — taking the form of a harmless firefly by night, only to slip through cracks and keyholes, draining the life of the sleeping.

Beneath its flickering glow lies something far more sinister than superstition — a terrifying legend deeply rooted in the Ewe people’s culture, fears, and unexplainable tragedies of West Africa.

A Firefly with a Hunger for Blood

By day, the Adze is nowhere to be found, but by night it takes the form of a firefly, flitting silently through the darkness. The Adze is particularly known for residing in baobab trees, which are considered sacred in Ewe culture and hold significant spiritual importance. Unlike ordinary insects, the Adze seeks out homes, slipping through the tiniest of openings: a cracked window, a gap beneath a door, or the invisible seams of a thatched roof.

Once inside, it descends upon the sleeping, silently feeding on their blood especially from children. Victims would grow pale and feverish, their strength ebbing away, sometimes slipping into death with no visible wound to explain their decline. Entire households might fall ill, fueling whispers of witchcraft and unseen forces at work.

Ewe People: There is no record of when the stories of the Adze first began. Archaeological evidence shows that the Ewe people settled the coast of West Africa, in the tropical region of what is now Ghana and Togo, around the 13th century.  Traditional Ewa dancers perform the Bobobo dance at the Hotel Campement de Kloto in the Forêt de Missahohe at Kouma-Konda village near Kpalimé, Togo. //Source: Bobobo Dance

Possession and Witchcraft

But the Adze’s terror does not end with its nocturnal feedings. Although known for it’s vampiric traits, it doesn’t stop there. If caught, the creature is said to transform into its human form — and worse still, it can possess the living like some sort of demon. Those possessed by an Adze, whether man or woman, are viewed by the community as witches, known locally as abasom.

Vodun Religion: Ewe people were exposed to the teachings of missionaries, they did not cast away their traditional religion of Vodun—which means “spirit” in Ewe and is the source of the various Vodou or Voodoo traditions in the Americas—for Christianity. Instead, they loosely combined the two. This is perhaps why adze started to resemble demons and the devil.

It was believed that an Adze’s influence spread misfortune and sickness among the victim’s family or neighbors. Suspicion of Adze possession traditionally fell upon those viewed as outsiders or threats:

Women with brothers whose children thrived while theirs sickened, are jealous on her husband’s other wives or are infertile. In general, women are thought to be possessed by adze much more than men are. Elderly villagers who inexplicably outlived the young. The poor and envious, suspected of seeking revenge on the prosperous through dark spiritual means.

A Reflection of Real Dangers

Folklorists have long speculated that tales of the Adze may have emerged as an attempt to explain the deadly effects of malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes in the same regions where belief in the Adze is strongest. The Ewe people have long felt powerless against the disease. Like the legendary creature, mosquitoes slip unnoticed into homes at night, leaving their victims ill and weak without apparent cause.

Yet the Adze is more than an allegory. For generations, its legend served as a way to make sense of death, illness, and envy in tightly woven communities, where unexplained tragedy demanded a face — and the Adze, with its shifting form and vampiric hunger, provided one.

No Defense, No Escape

Perhaps most chilling of all is the belief that there is no defense against an Adze. Neither amulet nor spell, no sacred rite nor healer’s blessing, could prevent its entry or spare the marked victim. A silent predator, it moves between worlds — from insect to human, from spirit to possession — and once it has claimed a victim, death or ruin soon follows.

Some say you can free someone from possession though, like forcing the adze out from the host, or after Christianity entered, through prayer. 

Even today, in rural villages and among elders who remember the old stories, the flicker of a lone firefly on a humid night can still stir unease. Is it merely a harmless insect… or a centuries-old vampire in search of blood?

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

In West Africa, the Adze Is an Insectoid Source of Misfortune – Atlas Obscura

Adze (folklore) – Wikipedia

Adze – Deyerin Storytellers 

Ukategorisert

The Ghost of the Quarantined at Q Station in Sydney

Leave a comment
Advertisements

At the old North Head Quarantine Station in Sydney, it is said that the ghosts of the quarantined still linger. Over 50 ghosts are said to roam the Q Station, claiming to be one of Australia’s most haunted places. 

The golden stretch of Manly Beach, in the northern suburbs of Sydney, is a sun-soaked paradise where surfers carve through crashing waves and families gather to bask in the warmth of the Australian coast. But just beyond its inviting shoreline lies a place steeped in death, sorrow, and lingering spirits — a site whose tragic past bleeds into the very air around it.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Australia

Perched on the headlands near Manly sits the notorious Q Station, formerly known as the North Head Quarantine Station, one of the most haunted locations in all of Australia. Today it’s a museum of the past and things like clothes, luggage and other personal belongings are left with their tombstones. And if we are to believe the legends, so are the ghosts of those who never left as well. 

Q Station: Hospital, Boiler House and Wharf at the old Quarantine Station, with humpback whales passing by. The building complex by the beach is said to be haunted by many ghosts. // Source

A Grim Chapter in Australia’s History

From the 1830s to 1984, the North Head Quarantine Station served as a detention and treatment site for immigrants suspected of carrying deadly diseases. Before the Europeans came it belonged to the Carrang Gel Aboriginal people and it was an important ceremonial and teaching place. The place’s legacy would soon change as the arrival of new ships often meant outbreaks of smallpox, the Spanish flu, scarlet fever, and the bubonic plague — afflictions that would claim the lives of over 500 souls within the station’s gates.

Arriving at the Q Station: The Sydney Ferry Kookooburra at Manly Quarantine Station 1930. These people will be passengers from a liner which, inbound, has reported carrying some contagious disease and needed to be quarantined.

The isolation and strategic role of North Head was recognized in 1828 when the first vessel, the Bussorah Merchant, was quarantined at Spring Cove. Governor Darling’s Quarantine Act of 1832, set aside the whole of North Head for quarantine purposes in response to the 1829–51 cholera pandemic in Europe.

Read More: Check out the stories of Isla de Pedrosa – the Haunted Island and Poveglia Island — The Most Haunted Place in the World for more stories about haunted quarantine stations.

In an era before modern medicine, treatment was crude, and survival was rare for the most ill. Victims were separated from their families, stripped of their possessions, and subjected to invasive carbolic acid showers designed to “disinfect” them. They had to stay symptom free for 40 days before being let out. It is said that the cries of the dying and the hopeless murmurs of those quarantined still linger in the salt-heavy air around Manly Beach.

Bildetekst: Quarantine Carvings: One of the most historic features of the quarantine station is the series of engravings along the escarpment adjacent to the jetty. The carvings were executed by people staying at the quarantine station, and cover an extensive period that stretched from the early nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Some were executed by stonemasons and sculptors and show a high degree of skill.

The Haunting of the 1st Class Shower Block

Among the Q Station’s most infamous hotspots is the 1st Class Shower Block, a place once reserved for passengers wealthy enough to afford better quarters on incoming ships — but death did not discriminate. Here, those showing symptoms would be ordered to strip and doused with scalding carbolic acid, a brutal attempt to eradicate infection. The showers contained 10 percent of carbonic acid, and although it took all the fleas and ticks, it also took off a layer of your skin. There are however no records of people having died in this block. 

Shower Block: Picture from 1919 showing the 3rd class shower block

Today, visitors on night ghost tours report hearing disembodied whispers asking, “Why are you here?” and feeling unseen hands shove them, even when standing alone. The room is heavy with a stifling, oppressive atmosphere, as though the anguish of those tortured in life still clings to the damp stone walls. Some people report about someone peering over the top pf the shower cubicles.

In the Shower Block there have also been reports of a man wearing a fedora and a woman wearing a bloody gown. There is also said to be a little girl appearing. It is said that the little girl looks to be around six years old and you can hear her complaining and doesn’t want to go under the acid shower. 

The Shower Room: A couple on a ghost tour took this image inside the 1st class shower block. A man wearing a fedora hat can be seen at the end of the corridor with a small child, even though the room was empty at the time. This image probably help popularize the story of the ghosts haunting the shower rooms.

Gravedigger’s Cottage

Another place said to be haunted is the Q Station Gravedigger’s Cottage and is left like when it was last lived in and looks like time stopped in the 80s. The building has also been known as the Boatman’s Hut and the Cookhouse and is perhaps one of the earliest structures of the old quarantine station. It is also said to be one of the most haunted. 

It was actually officers or perhaps doctors living in the house, but on both sides were the Quarantine Station’s cemeteries. Some say that the energy in the house comes from the legend of two doctors torturing some of the residents. Some guides talk about two entities named Martin and Samuel that don’t like women at all. It also gets its name because of the man in a black cloak and wide brimmed hat that has been seen in the house many times. Today he is simply known as Sam the gravedigger.

People report a strangling sensation of hands wrapped around your throat, or something pushing your chest or the feeling of being put underwater unable to breathe. According to mediums and paranormal investigators that have been inside the house, this is because the house is haunted by a woman that allegedly was attacked and drowned in the bathtub of the house. 

She is said to be seen crying, sitting crouched in the bathtub. 

The Old Nurses’ Quarters and the Hospital

In the old nurses quarters in the complex, people have reported about a threatening figure cloaked in shadows. Some will go as far and say that it is a demon haunting these quarters. 

Nurses Haunting the Q Station: A nurse is pictured above walking past the 1st class living accommodation as she makes her rounds in 1935. // Source

In the hospital there is also said to be a grieving mother, looking for her child. Allegedly, she arrived with her young child who died of a smallpox outbreak and the mother died shortly afterward. Her ghost is said to wander the corridors, clutching a bundle believed to be her child she was separated with in life. 

In the hospital a Matron is still looking after her ward, and hates when people behave disrespectfully. There are as with many hospitals, many spirits of the ghosts of the nurses wandering the halls. 

The names of Elizabeth McGregor who had served in the first world war and Nurse Annie Egan who lost their life to the Spanish Flu when they were working as nurses have been known to appear at their old place of work. Nurse Annie Egan was actually a 27 year old Catholic, and when she died she had pleaded to be allowed a priest to give her last rites as well as the other Catholics. Her wishes were denied though as they feared the priest would spread the flu when he left. She died December 3rd in 1918. 

Child Spirits of the Quarantine Station

Of all the tragic tales to emerge from the Q Station, none are as sorrowful as those of the children who died within its confines. Roughly 20 child spirits are said to roam the grounds, their ghostly presences felt most strongly during the quiet hours of night.

The most well-known of these is Isaac Lowes, a young boy who succumbed to scarlet fever on August 24th in 1878. Isaac’s spirit has been witnessed by numerous guests, often spotted in the corners of rooms or darting behind old furnishings. He is sometimes accompanied by Mary-Anne, a little girl known to grasp the hands of visitors during ghost tours, her cold, phantom touch sending shivers through the living.

The Ghost of Mr. Slimey and Other Ghosts at Q Station

There are many vague and mysterious hauntings said to happen at Q Station, but some are very specific. It is said that the ghost of a flirtatious mortician they today call Mr. Slimey, can get quite handsy with the visitors. He is reportedly a very well dressed man with a top hat. 

There is also said to be a sweet Chinese man said to be a fisherman they now call Mr Chen. He often roams around the 3rd class living quarters that used to take up to 60 people in one room. 

There is also said to be a disfigured man, an angry guard and other ghosts haunting the premise.  A ghost of what the guides now only call Red keeps watch over the showers, watching out for any diseases after dying of scarlet fever himself. But there are certainly many more said to haunt the grounds.

Q Station Turned Supernatural Landmark

Today, the Q Station has been transformed into a resort and restaurant, offering scenic views and seaside hospitality known as Q Station by the beach. But beneath its manicured grounds and polished dining rooms lies a history of unrelenting suffering. Ghost tours continue to this day, luring the curious and the brave into encounters with Manly Beach’s haunted past.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

‘This place is pure evil’: Are you brave enough to enter Sydney’s most haunted bathroom?

Haunted Sydney Quarantine Station Ghosts – Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons

Inside Australia’s most haunted hotel Quarantine Station | Daily Mail Online

Ukategorisert

The Ghostly Clergyman of Bubendorf: A Restless Spirit at the Rectory

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The spirit of a former priest was said to haunt his rectory in Bubendorf, outside of Basel in Switzerland. Question remaining, is his spirit still lingering inside of the centuries old walls?

In the Basel countryside, nestled between rolling hills and quiet woods, lies the village of Bubendorf, a picturesque place where time seems to slow. It is also said to be a haunted place. It has been in this village for over 500 years and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. 

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland

But behind the tranquil façades of this historic community lurks one of the most notorious and best-documented ghost stories in the region — that of the haunted rectory at Hauptstrasse 62 and its unsettling resident: the spirit of Pastor Wilhelm Strübin.

Haunted Rectory: Evangelisch-reformiertes Pfarrhaus in Bubendorf.

The Pastor Who Loved His Fields More Than His Flock

Wilhelm Strübin, who passed away in 1795, served as the local clergyman in Bubendorf for many years. However, he was not remembered fondly by his congregation. By all accounts, Strübin had a greater passion for his fields and agricultural affairs than for the spiritual well-being of his parishioners. Complaints mounted over his growing neglect and indifference, eventually leading the church authorities to appoint an assistant to share his duties — a quiet but public humiliation for the wayward priest.

His worldly attachments, so tightly clung to in life, would apparently prevent him from finding rest in death. It’s said of one of the Strübins that he was so stingy during his lifetime that he paid more attention to his horse than to his flock. He even brought his horse to his deathbed. Legend has it that you can now hear him leading it up the stairs as a ghost.

A Rectory Besieged by Restless Spirits

After Strübin’s passing, the once quiet rectory gained a grim reputation. Strange disturbances plagued the house, and the ominous activity only seemed to intensify over time. The most unsettling and well-documented reports come from the Schölly family, who resided in the rectory from 1884 to 1926.

The wife of the parish priest, Clara Schölly-Werdenberg, kept a diary that would become a chilling record of nightly torments. She described with unsettling precision the strange phenomena that disrupted their home:

“Often at night, we would hear footsteps on the stairs, then the sound of an object rolling down the stairs. Then we were often awakened by knocking on our bedroom door, often several times in one night.”

It is said that she often laid in bed when she heard the ghosts rumbling around in their house. She prayed with them until they went away. Her daughter also supposedly saw the ghosts haunting their home. One day she was taking the laundry outside, her daughter said: “Look, someone is helping!” No one else was with them at the time.

On one particularly unnerving evening, Clara recounts lighting a nightlight to calm her nerves. But the spirit would not be deterred.

“The first night, I was awakened by a bump, and lo and behold, the nightlight was extinguished and a box of matches was ablaze next to my pillow.”

The implication was clear: something — or someone — did not appreciate the attempt to pierce the darkness.

The Tithe Books and the Waning of the Haunting

As the disturbances wore on, the family sought answers. Eventually, during renovations and a thorough cleaning of the aging building, a secret compartment was discovered within the rectory walls. Inside lay Pastor Strübin’s old tithe books — meticulously kept records of agricultural dues and parish contributions, a lasting testament to the man’s material obsessions.

These dusty ledgers, so long hidden away, were removed from the house. And with their removal, so too did the worst of the haunting reportedly begin to subside.

Whether it was the spirit of Strübin, unwilling to part with his earthly possessions, or a more symbolic unburdening of the house’s troubled past, locals to this day believe that the discovery of those tithe books marked a turning point in the rectory’s haunted history.

The Restless Past Still Echoes

Those who have lived in the alleged haunted house like Josef Handschin and Christoph Monsch had said that they never experienced something spooky. Although the people living before Monsch, claimed that it was. The Pastor Rolf Schlatter who has office in the old rectory also claim to have heard strange noises around midnight. 

Bubendorf. // Source: Roland Zumbuehl/Wikimedia

Though quieter now, the Bubendorf rectory remains a place of whispered unease. The haunted story is remembered particularly through Fanny Moser’s book: Ghosts: False Belief or True Belief from 1950 with a foreword by Jung. Visitors have claimed to hear faint footsteps on the old staircases, and locals swear that on certain mist-shrouded nights, a shadowy figure can be glimpsed standing by the house, gazing longingly out over the fields.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

Von Geistern, die durch Fluchen verschwinden | Basler Zeitung

Huhuuuh! – Sieben Spukhäuser in der Region | TagesWoche

Ukategorisert

Brighton Beach, Adelaide and the Ghost of Kitty Whyte

1 Comment
Advertisements

Is the first person who died after a shark attack in Australia haunting Brighton Beach in Adelaide, South Australia. Ever since, people claim to have seen the ghost of Kitty Whyte on the jetty and beach she jumped out into the ocean from. 

The sun-bleached sands of Brighton Beach in South Australia shimmer with serenity, a popular escape where locals and tourists alike stroll the shoreline, fish from the jetty, and bask in Adelaide’s coastal charm. But beneath its breezy, postcard-perfect surface, this beach harbors a haunting that’s whispered about by generations of beachgoers.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Australia

If you find yourself near the Brighton Jetty at dusk, keep your eyes on the water — for it’s said that a spectral woman appears, diving gracefully from the pier into the waves in vintage swimming clothes. She vanishes before she ever resurfaces. This eerie apparition is believed to be none other than Kitty Whyte, whose tragic and untimely death left a ghostly imprint on the beach she so loved.

Flickr/Ardash Muradian

The Legend of Kitty Whyte

Kathleen ‘Kitty’ Whyte wasn’t just any swimmer. In the early 20th century, she was a local heroine, renowned for her skills in the water and her commitment to teaching swimming to Adelaide’s youth. She was even awarded the Grand Diploma of the Royal Life Saving Society for rescuing a drowning woman.

But fate had a cruel plan for Kitty. In 1926, after concluding a lesson with local children, she decided to take a solitary swim in the very waters she knew so well. Whyte was visiting Brighton from Yadlamalka Station near Port Augusta in South Australia’s north for her annual summer holiday. She was 35 years old and didn’t know it would be her last swim. Kitty Whyte became the first person in South Australian history to be killed by a shark as her two children had to watch the whole thing on the jetty. 

It was a 3.5 m long shark and although her body was pulled out from the water, she did die in the hospital because of it. Her death sent shockwaves through the community. The horror of the attack, so sudden and violent, marked Brighton Beach indelibly. And according to local lore, Kitty never truly left.

A Ghost on an Eternal Loop

Paranormal experts, including Allen Tiller, author of Haunted Adelaide, believe that Kitty’s spirit lingers as a residual ghost — a spectral imprint left behind by the trauma of her passing.

“A residual ghost is like a video recording on loop,” Tiller explained in an interview. “What people are seeing on the beach is how she would have been remembered.”

Witnesses have described seeing a young blonde woman in antiquated clothing sprinting along the shore or diving gracefully from the jetty. Yet, when approached, the figure vanishes without a trace. What makes these sightings all the more chilling is the uncanny way her appearance never seems to fit the modern era — her garments, her hairstyle, and her very presence belong to a different time.

Chilling Encounters at Brighton Beach

Sightings of Kitty’s ghost aren’t rare, and stories have circulated for decades. One particularly eerie account tells of two young men walking along the beach at twilight, startled by the sight of a woman running toward them in the sand, her clothes out of place for the time. Before they could react, she disappeared into the gathering dusk.

Fishermen and night swimmers alike have reported feeling an unexplained presence near the jetty, and lifeguards have claimed to hear the faint splash of a dive with no one else in sight.

While most encounters are benign, there’s an unshakable sense of melancholy attached to them — as though Kitty is still drawn to the waters, repeating her final moments in a ceaseless loop.

A Memorial and a Mystery

In honor of her bravery and life, a water fountain and statue stand near Brighton Beach, a quiet tribute to the woman whose story is etched into the community’s history. But even these memorials haven’t put Kitty’s restless spirit to ease.

Memorial: The sculpture commemorates the life of Kathleen (Kitty) Whyte and her contribution to the local community. Source

Today, the beach remains a popular gathering place — but those who know the legend advise a cautious glance toward the sea at twilight. And if you happen to glimpse a lone figure diving into the waves, never to surface, you might just have caught a fleeting moment of a century-old tragedy still replaying itself.

So the next time you walk along Brighton Beach, especially near the jetty as evening falls, listen to the soft hush of the waves. You might just hear the ghost of a dive, a splash… and silence.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9081041/Australias-haunted-beaches-reveal-ghosts-murdered-swimmers-headless-men-haunt-locals.html

Here Are Australia’s Haunted Beaches If You Want Some Terror With Your Chill Time 

Kitty Whyte’s death by shark attack in 1926 at Adelaide’s Brighton the first since 19th Century in South Australia 

Ukategorisert

Abere: The Marsh Demoness of Melanesia

1 Comment
Advertisements

Waiting in the swamps of the Melanesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the cannibalistic Abere demon lures men to their death by posing as a seductive woman. 

Across the scattered islands and lush, humid marshlands of Melanesia, ancient legends tell of creatures both beautiful and unspeakably cruel. Among the most unsettling is the story of Abere, a beguiling demoness who dwells in the swamps and wetlands, preying upon the foolish and the lovestruck. 

To those unfamiliar with her legend, she appears as a wild and stunning woman, but to the elders of Melanesia, she is a flesh eating monster older than memory — a cunning predator who devours those seduced by her beauty.

source

The Allure of the Marsh

Abere is said to reside deep within the marshes and stagnant waterways, in places where the reeds grow tall and the mist clings low to the water’s surface. It’s said that the mimia reed grows around her to hide her from her victims.

Melanesia is a region in Oceania, a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, west of New Guinea to Fiji Islands and include Vanuatu and Solomon Islands as well. Although the Melanesians are a group of people with different cultures, mythologies and languages, they share a long history of cultural exchanges. 

source

She is not alone, for countless tales describe her surrounded by a group of young, beautiful female attendants — women who themselves may be victims turned thralls, or spirits bound to Abere’s service.

Those who wander too close to her domain often find themselves inexplicably drawn to the otherworldly beauty of these figures, unaware of the mortal danger awaiting them.

Reeds sprout and twist unnaturally, growing rapidly around the victim until they are trapped, ensnared in a living prison of marsh grass. The more they struggle, the tighter the reeds wind themselves. Once the unfortunate soul is bound and helpless, Abere reveals her monstrous nature — shedding her illusion of beauty and devouring her captive alive.

An Ancient Warning from the Swamps

Like many demoness figures in regional folklore, Abere serves as both a supernatural terror and a cautionary figure. What is she really? A vampire, a particularly vicious mermaid species? Something demonic? In the isolated, waterlogged regions of Melanesia where survival depended upon sharp instincts and respect for nature’s hazards, Abere personified the unseen dangers of straying too far into the unknown.

Melanesian Mythology: A common theme in Melanesian tales is the risk for humans to be eaten alive by non-humans: either ghosts, spirits, or dangerous animals. Mentions of human cannibalism – where humans are eaten by other humans – are much rarer, but they exist in some stories. // source

Whether interpreted as a metaphor for the treacherous marshes themselves or as a caution against reckless desire, her legend endures, whispered by elders to warn children against wandering alone, and to remind them that not all beauty should be trusted.

Though Abere may not be as widely known outside of Melanesia, she remains a potent figure within the folklore of the islands. Her story survives in oral traditions and regional myths, a chilling reminder of the shapeshifting, hungry spirits that populate the world’s forgotten places.

In the modern age, tales of encounters with ghostly women along misty waterways still surface now and then. And for those who walk the marsh paths of Melanesia under the cover of night — there’s always the chance that the rustle in the reeds isn’t the wind, but Abere, waiting.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

Rose, Carol (1998). “A”. Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns and Goblin. The Abere is a particularly vicious mermaid species. Norton. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-393-31792-3. 

Coulter, Charles Russell; Turner, Patricia (4 July 2013). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. Routledge. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-135-96397-2.

ABERE – the Melanesian Demoness (Melanesian mythology)

Melanesian mythology – Wikipedia

Ukategorisert

The Couple Ghost of Praia do Sonho (Dream Beach)

1 Comment
Advertisements

Coming crashing in with the waves, the Praia do Sonho, or Dream Beach in Itanhaém, Brazil is said to be haunted by the ghosts of two lovers dragged out to sea. 

Brazil’s coastline is famous for its sun-drenched beaches, vibrant parties, and sprawling rainforests — but what about the country’s ghost stories? According to some legends, not all of its shores are bathed in carefree beauty. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Brazil

Some beaches harbor secrets, and along the coast of São Paulo state in the town of Itanhaém lies a stretch of sand where the living and the dead are said to cross paths. Welcome to Praia do Sonho, or Dream Beach — a 800 meter long beach and a place where eternal rest seems elusive.

A Picture-Perfect Setting… with a Sinister Reputation

At first glance, Dream Beach lives up to its name. Pristine sands stretch lazily along the Atlantic, kissed by the turquoise tide and framed by lush cliffs. It’s a beloved spot for holidaymakers and beachgoers looking to escape the bustle of São Paulo. But beneath its idyllic veneer lingers a legend that continues to send chills down the spines of those who dare to visit after dark.

Locals whisper of two restless spirits — a doomed couple whose tragic end forever marked the sands they once strolled in life.

The Doomed Lovers of Itanhaém

According to this legend, the ghost story startet when a young couple once met their fate at Dream Beach under circumstances no one can quite agree upon. Some claim it was a crime of passion; others say a storm swept them away into the violent surf. 

They say they were walking along the rocks on the shoreline, a popular thing to do during the day. This night however, they were carried out to sea by a crushing wave. Their bodies were never found. 

Whatever the truth, their deaths left a lingering mark on the beach — and on those who walk it at night.

Witnesses of those sunbathing on the beach, bathing in the sea or even those working around the beach report on something haunting this beachy paradise. They describe two decomposing figures, barely human, appearing side by side in the moonlight before vanishing as suddenly as they came. The ghostly pair seem forever trapped between realms, condemned to retrace their final steps.

A Haunting Legend Forms on the Beach

But where did this ghost story come from? Although it has been making its rounds online, there are not many details or sources to turn to for more information. There is very little written in English about this legend, and suspiciously, even less in Portuguese. The earliest mention that is found about this particular beach comes from a Facebook video in 2021.

Was this the first time the legend was formed? Something made up far away from the actual place for clicks? Or was it simply the first time the local story made it online? For those brave enough to find out, a midnight stroll along the sands of Praia do Sonho might offer more than a view of the stars. You might just hear voices on the wind… or glimpse two shadowy figures, forever bound to the shore they could never leave behind.

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

The Haunted Traveler: Haunted Brazil – iHorror 

Haunted Places In Brazil: 6 Places To Visit On Your 2025 Vacay

Praia do Sonho 

Ukategorisert

The Witchcraft Haunting Dub Pukur on the Night of Bhoot Chaturdashi

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Every 25th year on the night of Bhoot Chaturdashi, it is said that the ghost haunting the water of Dub Pukur comes back from beyond. You can hear wailing screams from the ghost thought to be a witch over the dark water. 

Hidden amidst the modern buildings of Haldia Township lies a seemingly innocuous pond known as Dub Pukur (ডুব পুকুর). Beneath its calm surface lurks a sinister secret—a tale of witchcraft, murder, and restless spirits that continues to instill fear among the local people to this day.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Haldia is today an industrial port city in West Bengal by Haldi River, coming from Ganges. The surrounding area of the Zamindari used to be ruled by the Mahishadal Raj family and it is in connection to these royals, the ghost story comes from. 

The Haunted Pond: Nabaratna Gopaljiu temple inside Mahishadal Rajbari complex at Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. Is this the haunted Dub Pukur? //Photo by: Amitabha Gupta/wikimedia

The Midwife Witch Haunting Dub Pukur

Legend has it that in the early 18th century, during the peak of the reign of the Royals of Mahishadal Rajbari, a midwife accused of witchcraft and child-devouring faced a grim fate at the hands of a vengeful mob. 

The details of this story are sparse, and there is not a lot to go on to dig deeper into the legend of when it started to be told. Some of the few sources claim that the midwife was attacked by witches and they were the one that devoured the child when the Queen gave birth. 

Daayans, or witches in Indian folklore are often thought to be a sort of succubi with vampiric traits as they often are said to feed on their victims for power. And as in the rest of the world, old or widowed women were often the subjects of witch hunts. As well as women in certain professions like being a midwife that are often accused of being witches. 

In any case, the midwife was blamed and a mob formed. Tied and dragged far from Mahishadal into the depths of the forest along the banks of the Haldi River, she met her untimely end in the murky waters of Dub Pukur on a moonless night.

Dayan Hunts in Modern Day India: Although a creature from folklore, witch hunts still have deadly outcomes in India: “According to the National Crime Bureau records, as many as 1,157 women were branded as witch and killed in Jharkhand between 1991 and 2010. Here pictured in the Star Plus show, Nazar played by Monalisa aka Antara Biswas,

The Bhoot Chaturdashi Haunting

Since that fateful night, Dub Pukur has become a place of dread and superstition, shrouded in eerie tales of paranormal activity. Every 25 years, on the night of Bhoot Chaturdashi, the 14th day of Krishna Paksha, locals report hearing a blood-curdling scream emanating from the depths of the pond—a chilling reminder of the midwife’s tragic demise.

In West Bengal It is believed on the eve of this dark night, the souls of the deceased come down to earth to visit their dear ones. On this night they are also performing rituals to chase away the evil spirits.

But the horror does not end there. In the morning light of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, the lifeless body of a missing person is often discovered floating ominously in the murky waters of Dub Pukur—a grim testament to the vengeful spirit that still haunts its depths.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Naraka Chaturdashi – Wikipedia 

Dayan (witch) – Wikipedia 

ভূত আদতে কল্পনা না কি বাস্তব জানতে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের এই সাতটি ভৌতিক স্থান একবার ঘুরে আসতে পারেন… – Tripoto 

List of reportedly haunted locations in India – Wikipedia 

Ukategorisert

The Drowned Ghosts of Mae Ram Phueng Beach in Thailand

1 Comment
Advertisements

On the picturesque Mae Ram Phueng Beach east in Thailand, there have started to be whispered that ghosts comes out from the sea at night. What really is behind these haunted legends?

The beaches in Thailand are certainly well known around the world, but what about its haunted legends? There are so many ghost stories being told about this summer paradise, and some of them are also thought to be about the beaches as well. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Thailand

Mae Ram Phueng Beach, located in Thailand’s Rayong province east by the Siam bay, is renowned for its picturesque coastline and tranquil ambiance. However, beneath its serene surface lies a history steeped in tragedy and tales of the supernatural.

The Danger of the Sandy Beaches

Over the years, Mae Ram Phueng Beach has witnessed numerous drowning incidents. Nicknames such as the man-eating beach or the cannibal beach have made people think twice before planning their beach day here. But what exactly is happening on these shores? 

The nature of this is that strong winds and waves and the sandy bottom under the water sink into a deep pool. Even if you play in shallow water, you can easily fall into the pool of death, especially during monsoon season. Even with red flags and guards warnings, accidents still happen.

Tales of Ghosts at Mae Ram Phueng Beach

The frequency and nature of these drownings have fostered a belief that the Mae Ram Phueng Beach is cursed or haunted by restless spirits.

Visitors and residents alike have reported unsettling experiences along the shoreline. Some recount feelings of unease, sudden chills, or the sensation of being watched. Others claim to have seen apparitions or heard unexplained whispers carried by the sea breeze. 

Some reports have taken the ghost stories further. The ghosts reportedly had darkened faces, almost black and eyes glowing red. There are also those claiming to have felt the grasp of ghostly hands, dragging them down the deep and sandy pools.

A Word of Caution

Perhaps its worth noting that most of the haunted legends of this beach, comes from a certain account that has made its rounds on forums and online sites. In 2019, the beach came into the spotlight of another gruesome tale. One of two headless bodies was found on this beach after being dead for a week.

Source

While Mae Ram Phueng Beach continues to attract tourists with its natural beauty, it’s essential to approach it with respect and awareness and take head of the red flags and guards warnings. Whether one believes in the supernatural or not, the beach’s history serves as a poignant reminder of the tragedies that have occurred there. 

Newest Posts

  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.
  • The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia
    Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair.

References:

หาดแม่รําพึง หาดที่ขึ้นชื่อว่า ผีดุ เชื่อว่าเป็นหาดผีสิง หรือหาดกินคน 

Shock horror: headless bodies and woman’s head wash up on popular Thai tourist beaches – Travel Weekly