Ghosts of Erie Beach

Yes, Halloween has passed. But ghosts, if one believes in them, should be present all year long.

So the question today is, who has seen any ghostly activity in Erie Beach?

While the area certainly lends itself to a great setting for a horror movie, from decaying concrete structures to the dark forest where one might fear to venture off the beaten path, I've never heard anyone speak of seeing ghosts there.

And while having walked through the area after dark many times, I've never seen any spirits (insert drinking joke here) there myself.

In his book, Shadows of Niagara, John Savoie writes about a number of sightings.

"Ghostly activity has been witnessed along the boardwalk and throughout the forest," he writes.

"One witness professed he had seen a woman wearing a long dress and hat appear in front of him walking along the boardwalk weeping and wiping tears from her eyes. She disappeared into a mist when he approached."

Anyone else out there have a ghostly experience at Erie Beach?

Please leave a comment or e-mail me.

Wreck on the beach

Been a long time since I've been out to the very end of the pier, let alone swimming in the area, but I don't recall any shipwrecks within spitting distance of the dock. However, an email this morning has me thinking.

Thomas wrote: "Years ago whilst fishing with my son just off the pier at Erie Beach, we drifted across what looked like the ribs from a ship. The water had just begun to clear with the advent of the Zebra mussels and said wreck was plain as day as we fished. I've never heard anyone mention it nor have I found any reference to it in any of the accounts of this area. I have included the link to a
Google sat-map of the spot for you ... As you can see from the photo, the hull was a fair size, of wooden construction [my observation] and having a pointed bow [possibly schooner turned barge]. I've lived here since 1969 and do not remember anything about it. I remember seeing a grounded and half sunk cabin cruiser that had washed into the rectangular cutout during a storm at Erie Beach [back in the seventies]."

Does anyone have information that can shed some light on this mystery? Please email me if you have something to share.