There was a social media buzz on Wednesday with rumours of a “1700s ghost ship” that allegedly washed ashore near St. Augustine , Florida , following Hurricane Milton . Despite several inconsistencies, the story went viral, captivating thousands of users.
However, it was eventually debunked as false.
The rumour emerged a week after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. Despite the fact that the storm hit on October 9—exactly one week before the alleged sighting—and on the opposite side of the state, the ghost ship story still gained significant traction. The original post amassed over 21,000 shares, with users spreading the narrative widely.
As it turns out, the ghost ship tale was a piece of satire. It originated from Casper Planet , a Facebook page known for its humorous and entirely fabricated stories, similar to The Onion.
In line with its tongue-in-cheek style, Casper Planet posted a follow-up story on Friday morning titled, “Tourists Outraged After Discovering Non-Existent 1700s Pirate Ship in Florida ‘Wasn’t Real’ All Along.” The page continued to poke fun at the viral spread of the ghost ship narrative.
In its initial post, Casper Planet claimed that the ship had “emerged from the ocean’s depths as the Category 4 storm [Hurricane Milton] churned the Atlantic, sending the ancient ship onto the beach.” The dramatic description added a sense of mystery, but it was factually inaccurate. Hurricane Milton had made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, on Florida’s central west coast. It then crossed the state’s peninsula, exiting near Brevard and Indian River counties—over 120 miles from St. Augustine.
To lend the story an air of credibility, the page included a fabricated quote from a fictional marine archaeologist named “Dr. Andrew Clarke,” who said, “This is unprecedented. To see a ship this old, in such good condition, simply appear out of the ocean during a hurricane − it’s both fascinating and chilling.”
Expert Debunks the myth
To set the record straight, First Coast News , an NBC affiliate, spoke with Chuck Meide, director of the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Meide debunked the ghost ship claim, explaining that the depiction of the ship was unrealistic.
“Most of the wood from a ship hundreds of years old would have been eaten by critters like ship worms,” Meide explained. In cases where parts of such ancient ships do survive, it’s typically the lower portion of the vessel, which gets buried beneath the seafloor.
Can Hurricanes actually cause 'ghost ships' to wash ashore?
While the ghost ship story was a hoax, there is some truth to the concept of hurricanes washing abandoned ships ashore. In fact, such incidents have occurred in the past.
According to Weather.com, a 45-foot ghost ship named Lady Catherine III washed ashore on Pensacola Beach on June 18 during Tropical Storm Alberto. The vessel, battered but still intact, was found with no passengers on board. It was later discovered that the boat belonged to Michael Barlow, a Texas man who had abandoned it earlier that month after encountering the storm.
In another instance, a 45-foot sailboat called Cuki broke free from its mooring in Key West during Hurricane Irma in 2017. The boat drifted over 300 miles up Florida’s eastern coast before washing ashore at Spessard Holland South Beach Park. USA Today reported that the boat remained there for two years before it was demolished. Its owner, Jeffrey Sundwall of Key West, was later imprisoned at Jackson Correctional Institute in Malone, Florida, on charges including sexual battery, cocaine possession, obstruction of a criminal investigation, and possession of child pornography.
(Inputs taken from Pensacola news Journal)
However, it was eventually debunked as false.
The rumour emerged a week after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. Despite the fact that the storm hit on October 9—exactly one week before the alleged sighting—and on the opposite side of the state, the ghost ship story still gained significant traction. The original post amassed over 21,000 shares, with users spreading the narrative widely.
As it turns out, the ghost ship tale was a piece of satire. It originated from Casper Planet , a Facebook page known for its humorous and entirely fabricated stories, similar to The Onion.
In line with its tongue-in-cheek style, Casper Planet posted a follow-up story on Friday morning titled, “Tourists Outraged After Discovering Non-Existent 1700s Pirate Ship in Florida ‘Wasn’t Real’ All Along.” The page continued to poke fun at the viral spread of the ghost ship narrative.
In its initial post, Casper Planet claimed that the ship had “emerged from the ocean’s depths as the Category 4 storm [Hurricane Milton] churned the Atlantic, sending the ancient ship onto the beach.” The dramatic description added a sense of mystery, but it was factually inaccurate. Hurricane Milton had made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, on Florida’s central west coast. It then crossed the state’s peninsula, exiting near Brevard and Indian River counties—over 120 miles from St. Augustine.
To lend the story an air of credibility, the page included a fabricated quote from a fictional marine archaeologist named “Dr. Andrew Clarke,” who said, “This is unprecedented. To see a ship this old, in such good condition, simply appear out of the ocean during a hurricane − it’s both fascinating and chilling.”
Expert Debunks the myth
To set the record straight, First Coast News , an NBC affiliate, spoke with Chuck Meide, director of the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Meide debunked the ghost ship claim, explaining that the depiction of the ship was unrealistic.
“Most of the wood from a ship hundreds of years old would have been eaten by critters like ship worms,” Meide explained. In cases where parts of such ancient ships do survive, it’s typically the lower portion of the vessel, which gets buried beneath the seafloor.
Can Hurricanes actually cause 'ghost ships' to wash ashore?
While the ghost ship story was a hoax, there is some truth to the concept of hurricanes washing abandoned ships ashore. In fact, such incidents have occurred in the past.
According to Weather.com, a 45-foot ghost ship named Lady Catherine III washed ashore on Pensacola Beach on June 18 during Tropical Storm Alberto. The vessel, battered but still intact, was found with no passengers on board. It was later discovered that the boat belonged to Michael Barlow, a Texas man who had abandoned it earlier that month after encountering the storm.
In another instance, a 45-foot sailboat called Cuki broke free from its mooring in Key West during Hurricane Irma in 2017. The boat drifted over 300 miles up Florida’s eastern coast before washing ashore at Spessard Holland South Beach Park. USA Today reported that the boat remained there for two years before it was demolished. Its owner, Jeffrey Sundwall of Key West, was later imprisoned at Jackson Correctional Institute in Malone, Florida, on charges including sexual battery, cocaine possession, obstruction of a criminal investigation, and possession of child pornography.
(Inputs taken from Pensacola news Journal)
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