A Century of Shipwrecks
Waters off of the Virginia Beach coastline are notoriously dangerous due to the colliding power of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Even with the coast guard presence, there have been dozens of disastrous shipwrecks over the decades. A whole section of the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum is dedicated to these deadly shipwrecks.
Tourist drownings were also a prevalent issue. Naive beach-goers would wade into the water only to meet their demise at the pulling undercurrent, and waves swept them further into the water.
The coast guard even installed a long rope out in the water along the beach that victims could grab onto in an attempt to save their lives.
But alas, it was to no avail. Even with protective measures and rescue crews stationed at the ready, many poor souls succumbed to the watery depths.
If you walk along the beach late at night and the moonlight hits the waves just right, you can see them stretching their arms up from the deep, grasping for the rope—their only lifeline.
An Attic of Atrocity
There was a period during the height of the shipwreck travesties that the rescue crews couldn’t keep up with the terrible influx of death that scattered their shores. They had to resort to storing victims’ bodies in the attic of the museum building until they could be identified and claimed.
In the museum today, visitors may hear their last cries for help wafting down from the secret storage above.
Haunted Virginia Beach, VA
If Virginia is for lovers, then Virginia Beach is as lovely as it gets, with family-friendly activities galore. But if you want to explore a murkier side of the city’s past, take a USGA Tour of the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum and more! That is if you dare.
About US Ghost Adventures
Since 2013, US Ghost Adventures has offered entertaining, historic, and authentic ghost tours of America’s most haunted cities. We deliver fun yet honest accounts of hauntings across the nation for curious people of all ages. Our ghost stories are based on historical research, but that doesn’t mean they won’t send a chill down your spine.
This video gives you a small taste of what you might experience on your ghost tour — subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more.
US Ghost Adventures also offers virtual tours, a self-guided mobile app, and an Alexa voice app.