A haunting ghost ship that lingers in storms is still claimed to be seen near the Cape of Good Hope. But is this ghostly myth simply a myth, or is it something more? Even today, witnesses have admitted to have seen a ship hovering in the air, most of the time before storms, and are convinced that their eyes aren’t playing tricks on them. Decide for yourself whether this terrifying tale is simply a trick of the eye, or if a cursed captain and his crew will sail forever, horrifying people along the way.

This old sea story has been around for as long as many of us care to remember.  The Flying Dutchman refers to a captain, crew and ship that will sail until the end of time. It’s said that way back in the late 1600s, this captain sailed right into the eye of a storm when attempting to round the Cape of Good Hope. His crew and passengers begged him to turn back, but to no avail. The ship continued forward driven by a mad captain who committed blasphemy by threatening, cursing and swearing on the heavens. Apparently, the captain was driven so mad, that he murdered the leader of the ship, and threw him into the dark, stormy waters, causing the storm to calm, and a dark, shadowy figure to appear on deck. Some believe this figure was the devil; others believe it to have been a dark or evil spirit. The figure cursed the ship to never find peace or rest, and would sail against the storm for the rest of its days, and anyone who witnesses it will die a horrible death. 

And so the story goes, a captain caught in a never-ending sail, without ever having a moment to rest. Ever since, the Flying Dutchman has terrified people who witness its ghostly appearance near the Cape of Good Hope. The story has changed over the years, like a never-ending game of broken telephone. 

The most common sightings are that of a hovering ship, with ragged sails, marking the beginning of a storm. There are even reports of ghostly, creaking sounds. Real or not, the thought of it is certainly chilling.

But, as awesome as it would be if a real cursed demon-filled-ghost-ship really existed, science has come to our rescue, giving a perfectly logical explanation for these odd, scary sightings and reports, called Fata Morgana. This phenomenon suggests that moisture and atmospheric conditions combined with light, can trick the eyes into seeing something that isn’t really there, namely, illusions. An illusion like making a ship that is too far away to see with the naked eye reflect on the water. These conditions would make it appear as though a ship was floating above the sea, with a ghostly shimmer surrounding it. And just in case that doesn’t convince you, Fata Morgana conditions usually happen right before a storm, which is exactly the time the Flying Dutchman is supposed to appear.

So, whether this sea ship come back from the dead is your motivation to stay away from water during storms, or whether you always go for the scientific explanation, this ghostly tale definitely causes hairs to rise.