Debunking the Viral Myth of the ‘1700s Ghost Ship’ Near St. Augustine

A viral Facebook post, shared over 19,000 times since Wednesday, has claimed that a ‘fully intact 1700s-era ghost ship’ washed ashore near St. Augustine, Florida, in the wake of Hurricane Milton. The image accompanying the post depicts a ship that has intrigued social media users, with many expressing skepticism about the vibrant ocean waters, uncharacteristic of the region.

The post suggested that the ‘mysterious vessel’ emerged after Hurricane Milton, described in the post as a Category 4 storm, agitated the Atlantic Ocean, stirring both local interest and widespread disbelief. However, experts and official sources have decried the authenticity of these claims.

Chuck Meide, director of the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, confirmed to First Coast News that the post is false. A maritime archaeologist, Meide explained that the idea of finding a completely intact shipwreck in Florida waters is “literally impossible” due to pervasive factors like shipworms that degrade wood over time. He stated, “The ship depicted is completely intact, and you just don’t get that. In Florida waters, we have warm water most of the year and critters like ship worms and other things that eat up the wood of shipwrecks.”

Meide elaborated that intact shipwrecks could only be expected in much colder climates, such as the Baltic Sea, off Sweden and Norway, or in freshwater bodies like the Great Lakes where preservation conditions would significantly differ. While he acknowledged that hurricanes can indeed result in fragments of ships reaching shore, the post’s image depicts an implausible scenario.

Additional discrepancies emerged about the post’s accuracy. Meteorologist Robert Speta from First Coast News clarified that Hurricane Milton was only a Category 1 storm when it entered the Atlantic, having been a Category 5 while in the Gulf of Mexico before making contact with Florida. Moreover, the original Facebook page was identified as a satirical source, likened to The Onion, further discrediting its content.

Using Google Lens, it was found that the ship in the post was actually the ‘Flying Dutchman,’ an attraction on Disney’s Castaway Cay from 2006 to 2010. This vessel was modeled after a fictional ship from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, not an actual historical artifact.

The satirical narrative subsequently continued on the Facebook page with posts mocking the situation, highlighting the fictitious nature of the ‘1700s pirate ship.’ This story, despite its fictional basis, underscores the power of viral misinformation, especially during timely occasions such as Halloween.

While the fantasy and excitement around historical maritime mysteries continue to capture imaginations, this particular story exemplifies the need for critical examination of sensational claims on social media platforms.