One thing about folklore is that it tends to take on a life of its own. I mean, let's face it. The stories I share with you from week to week usually straddle the line between reality and what lies beyond. With one foot pressed into the soil of our earthly world, is another placed firmly in the realm of fantasy, These tales quickly become larger than life. And yet, we all too often accept them as the gospel truth without questioning
how the legend itself came to be. It's for that very reason that, at least in my opinion, storytelling and folklore are the closest things we have to magic. After all, it's through the power of spoken word that we are transported to worlds beyond our own and shown that something exists outside the squabbles of our day to day lives, even if that existence is solely based in fiction. But what happens when those phantasmal worlds cross over into
our own? When myth and legend somehow manage to pierce the veil and blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Perhaps this phenomenon is the result of our own overactive imaginations, that our hopes and fears take something that is so clearly abstract and morph it into something that almost seems tangible. Then again, maybe there's a scientific explanation for everything. From stories of knights and Courtney at Camelot, to claims of paranormal activity and
curse vessels crude by the damned. Logic and reason must have played a role when these stories were first written, right? Or could it be that the simple truth is that there's still a bit of magic left in our mundane little existence? Well, why don't we do this? Over the next 15 minutes or so, I'll let you form your own opinions on that end. And in exchange, I'll share with you one of the scurviest pieces of folklore known to man. Sounds like a fair trade,
but I should warn you. It's here, at the intersection, between our world and the next. That magic transforms into something a lot more haunting. I'm Courtney Hayes, and you're listening to haunts. Stay tuned. Imagine, if you will, that you're standing on a white sand beach. Below your feet, the warmth of the sun radiates off the dunes in a way that grounds your spirit. It's the kind of peaceful simplicity that money just can't buy. Looking out to the horizon, crystalline waters outstretch in all
directions. As far as the eye can see, there's nothing but shades of blue set against the sound of crashing waves. Well, that is except for a small speck sitting on the water off in the distance. It's a rather insignificant disruption of the otherwise picturesque scenery. Something that so easily could be missed when given a passing glance. But now that you've noticed it, you can't unnoticed it. Something about it seems off, if even ominous.
Host as that thought pops into your mind, the wind shifts, turning from a gentle breeze to unnerving gust coming off the water. Looking back at the speck out on the now choppy sea, you find that angry, dark clouds are looming overhead. Against your better judgment, you walk out into the shallows, squinting your eyes in effort to get a better look. That's when you notice it isn't a speck, but a ship, once surrounded by an eerie incandescent glow.
You stay like that for a while, watching the ship rock against the tides as the waves crash over your feet. Then, out of nowhere, the ship, that ominous little speck, disappears in a flash. Almost like it was swallowed by a bolt of lightning striking on the water. That's when you know that this isn't any ordinary ship caught out at sea amidst an unforgiving storm. Instead, this vessel is something that's truly nefarious, both in name and reputation, that has acted as inspiration for some of the
most terrifying of maritime ghost stories. And right now, watching from the safety of shore, there's no denying that you're starring in the latest chapter of that story. So you better hope that this apparent ghost ship doesn't return. Because if it does, it may just drag you to the very depths of Davy Jones' locker. As far fetched as it may sound, stories of this nature have been swirling around the Cape of Good Hope for nearly 4
centuries. Is all started in 16/41, when captain Hendrik van der Decken was sailing off the coast of South Africa. The Dutch captain and his crew were on their way back to Holland, after a highly successful trek to the Far East. With the hull of their ship filled with silk, spices and ivory, van der Decken would have likely been looking forward to a huge return on his investment. That said, it was right there in the waters near the Cape of Good Hope that those sky high expectations
came crashing down. Because looming off in the distance, dark and heavy clouds were rolling in, coming directly for his ship. As the storm approached, the crew battened down the hatches, preparing for rough seas and violent skies. Meanwhile, their captain struggled at the helm, fighting in vain to bring their ship about. But it was no use, and before long, Captain van der Decken, along with his crew of scallywags, was sailing through the worst storm that he had ever
seen. And to his dismay, it was quite obvious that the ship was going down. His treasures, sinking down to the bottom of the ocean along with him. It was a reality that van der Decken wasn't willing to face, so he looked up at the sky and called out in desperation. Whether it was to God, Poseidon, maybe even Satan himself, we can't be sure. But in that moment, he made a promise that would stand the test of time. I will round this cape, he cried, even if I have to keep sailing until doomsday.
He was a strong willed man, no doubt about it. And beyond that his ship was thought to be the fastest of its time. So while his crew may have thought it a miracle when the ship came out safe in its race against the storm, Captain Hendrik van der Decken hadn't been surprised in the slightest. It wasn't luck or a fortunate twist of fate. At least from where he was the ship had been saved, thanks to a bit of speed and his own sheer
will. Or so he thought. But as the captain soon learned, the cries he made amidst the storm, had turned out to be somewhat of a blood oath. So they say, he and his crew were doomed to sail the 7 seas and the beyond for all eternity. Slipping into and out of the ocean's watery depths in a flash of light. According to legend, those unfortunate enough to witness such feats are doomed to join the crew on their
eternal voyage. So under the flag of the flying Dutchman, this newly minted Davy Jones soon became one of the most feared pirates to never exist. So I think we are all well aware that the legend of the flying Dutchman is exactly that. A legend, a myth, a story of one of the most fearsome ghost ships of maritime lore. But that doesn't change the fact that the legend itself was based, at least in part, on a
real person. Nor does it explain the myriad of reported encounters with the Flying Dutchman. Let's start with who Captain van der Decken actually is. Because believe it or not, that name is about as fictitious as it sounds. You see, the closest English translation of the phrase van der Decken is on deck, which obviously is no true surname. Beyond that, the name Hendrick wasn't a constant throughout all of my sources. In fact, some said the captain's name was
Willem. Others said it was Philip. But regardless of these inconsistencies, one thing rang true throughout each variation of the tale. This van der Decken persona, though completely fictional, was loosely inspired by a real 17th century pirate. His name was Bernard Fauqu, and he was likely the fastest sailor of his day. Too fast, Summitt said.
Apparently, he and his crew could travel between Holland and Java at unmatched speeds, which in turn allowed Fach to turn quite the profit, in comparison to the other schooners making this journey. Of course, in an era where a captain's time was his money, that sort of reputation might just get a target painted on the stern of his ship. So it didn't exactly take long for his competitors to become convinced that Fokk had signed a deal
with the devil. Now, whether or not that accusation was based off of sheer jealousy or concrete evidence still remains to be seen. But you have to admit, this story sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? Now, even in spite of its reputation, for ferrying sailors unwillingly into the depths of Davy Jones' Locker, there are numerous reported encounters with the flying Dutchman.
Dating as far back as 18/23 to as recent as 1959, dozens upon dozens of maritime voyagers have claimed to have seen a glowing ghost ship while out at sea. Perhaps the most significant of these sightings comes out of the United Kingdom. The year was 18 81, when King George the 5th and his brother Albert were sailing along the Bass Strait aboard the HMS in Constant. According to the captain's logs, the brothers had a strange vision of a glowing red light about 200 meters away from their ship.
Encased within it was yet another vessel, complete with masts, spars and sails. It was an eerie sight. One that became even stranger, when they watched the ship, in its glowing red light, disappear right before their eyes. Then, only a few hours later, the officer on watch who first spotted the ship, tragically, fell from the mast and died. Now, if you ask me, this series of unfortunate events, if they did in fact unfold this way, were likely nothing more than a total coincidence.
I mean, it's a little hard to believe that a skilled sailor would meet his own untimely death, simply because he spotted another ship out on the horizon. But at least according to his crewmates, this vision had been an omen of sorts, or rather a warning of unavoidable doom. A series of similar encounters unfolded off the coast of Glencairn Beach is the 19 thirties and forties. In fact, on 2 separate occasions, once in 1939
and again in 1941. Terrified beachgoers watched in a panic, while a glowing ship barreled toward the shore. Only for the vessel to disappear moments before it ran aground. Around that same time, amidst the calamity of the 2nd world war, the Phantom ship was sighted once again. Only this time in the Red Sea, over 3,000 nautical miles away from where it had been seen off the coast of South Africa. According to its logs, this now nameless u boat had encountered a
glowing schooner while out on patrol. One that, in the crew's humble opinion at least, had in fact, been the flying Dutchman. Okay. So like I said at the top of the episode, folklore and ghost stories often take on a life of their own. And the legend of the flying dutchman, of course, is no exception to that rule. I mean, by now is should be obvious that sightings of this notorious Host ship are a dime a dozen, But that doesn't necessarily mean that those sightings are legitimate.
It's a disappointing sentiment, I know. After all, this legend is likely the most fascinating ghost story ever to have sailed the 7 seas. But I've never been one to shield you from the truth, no matter how disappointing that truth may be. So as we end today's episode, I'd like to shed a bit of light onto this haunt by separating the ghost from the ship. Scientists call is, Fata Morgana, but you and I would
probably say it's a mirage. It's a phenomenon that occurs when atmospheric conditions refracts light in a way that creates shadow like illusions on the horizon. This sort of mirage is all too common amongst sailors out at sea, who from time to time witness their own ship's reflection off in the distance. From afar, this reflection might appear as though it's bobbing on the water, or
possibly floating up in the skies. But what's even more haunting is that the reflected ship is almost always bathed in an eerie incandescent light. This episode of Haunts was written and produced by me, Courtney Hayes. If you've been enjoying the show so far, I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave us a 5 star review. A lot of work goes into each episode, and reviewing the show really helps us reach more
listeners each week. Also, if you're interested in learning more about this week's topic, I greatly encourage you to check out the show notes section at hauntscast.com. This is the location where I share my sources and provide any visual aid that may be referenced during the show. While you're there, make sure to follow us on social media at Haunts. And don't forget to stick around to the end of the episode for this week's podcast recommendations. Thank
you again for listening, and until next time. Happy haunting. As the moonlight pierces through the dark, paranormal enthusiast and best friends, Farrah and Courtney venture deep into the woods, armed with flashlights and a sense of adventure. Farrah, are you sure this is a good idea? Sure. I'm sure. We're paranormal investigators. We're not scared of any ghosts. What was that? Probably some animals. My god.
My flashlight is going out. Following the chilling sounds, the 2 stumble upon an abandoned and haunted building, is dark silhouette looming over them. Look. There it is. The abandoned radio station it's supposed to be mad haunted. Let's be careful. We don't know what's inside. Wow. Look at this place. A long growl is heard coming from behind the girls. They turn around slowly, and to their surprise, a zombie is standing in front of them dressed to the nines, wearing a seventies
bell bottom hot pink and purple leisure suit. Who are you pasty looking females and what the heck are you doing in here? Who are you calling pasty? Nice suit. Did you raid Barry Manilow's wardrobe, or did John Travolta have a yard sale? Sorry about that. We didn't mean any harm. We're just curious about this place. Curious, Well, come with me. I got something to show you. And as they wander deeper into the building, they uncover vintage studio equipment covered
in dust and decay. Farrah, you were looking for a new place to set up your podcast. Right? And this is it. Woah. Woah there, sweet cheeks. No. No. No. Don't worry. We'll make it worth your while. We love the strange and unexplained phenomena, true crime, macabre, and the sinister. And, hey, you'd be a great touch to the show. Maybe be an announcer for us as well. That does sound stellar. I'm in. A few minutes later. 12 seconds later. 3 weeks later.
Many months later. Okay. We're rolling. Welcome to Studio just kidding. Join Pharah, Courtney, and Dawn the zombie on the first, 10th, 20th of every month for some rad chilling stories. And if you piss your pants, that's your problem. Come embrace the haunt. See you soon, sinister seekers.