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No crew or debris was ever discovered and the Sea Bird was, of course, never seen again – unless in ghostly apparitions. But the supernatural version has proven a much more popular tale to tell, especially on Halloween. That the Sea Bird was simply sold to a wealthy local merchant who changed the name, presumably for luck and PR purposes. There are of course many (more serious, historical) accounts claiming no such thing happened. It was whispered that the ship was taken by the same ‘mysterious power’ that took its crew and then sailed it through treacherous waters to beach upon the shore. What makes this tale even more enticing is that by many accounts the Sea Bird itself, after the cargo was unloaded, then ‘disappeared’ overnight. Image: HMS Victory galley, by Neil Howard via Flickr. Ship’s Kitchen – As with all good ghost ship tales, the Sea Bird’s kitchen was well equipped with food prepared and awaiting the morning breakfast rush. This is a personal favourite because in this tale of ghostly woe there were two recorded survivors – a dog and a cat.
![ghost ship ghost ship](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/atlas_gamepedia_en/images/d/de/Ghost_Ship_by_day.jpg)
But one of the lesser-known stories is that of the Sea Bird. The best-known, of course, being the Mary Celeste or the Flying Dutchman. There are a variety of ghostly ship tales to dip into should you choose.
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After all, what frightful thing would cause you to abandon ship on the high seas? These stories and details can’t help but make you wonder what horror must have befallen the crew. Small details were often added to retellings of such tales, to spice up the spookiness of the narrative, such as meals still being on the table or the smell of tobacco still lingering in the air. The ship was often still seaworthy, with its stores and cargo intact. Traditionally, ghost ships were said to be vessels whose crew and passengers had mysteriously disappeared. Image: US Naval History and Heritage Command. Sailor Tales – Tales of ghostly encounters and unsolved mysteries are part of the lifeblood of the sea.