Florida is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. Home to beautiful coastal waters, rivers, and lakes, ‘the Sunshine State’ has a special allure for boating enthusiasts. Seeing Florida by boat gives you an amazing opportunity to savor the culture of the state and relish in its more mystical, supernatural side. To make it easier you’ll be pleased to know that there are many reputable firms that offer boat rental in Florida. Florida’s mystical side is steeped in American legend. You might want to consider visiting the following creepy cool attractions for your Florida boating trip.
Florida Ghost Stories: Places to Visit
Experience the Ghost of Pensacola Lighthouse
The Pensacola Lighthouse has a strong reputation for being haunted. It has been described by The Travel Channel and Sci-Fi’s Ghost Hunters (TAPS) as one of the most haunted places in America. In 1826 shortly after the lighthouse was built its new keepers and newlyweds Jeremiah Ingraham and Michaela Penalber started their life together. According to legend, the couple was very happy at first. One night in 1840, Michaela picked up a knife and hacked her husband to death. Some believe that she was a victim of marital abuse, other say she became jealous of sharing her beloved lighthouse with another soul.
Michaela was never convicted of the crime due to lack of evidence and died in the lighthouse in 1855. There have been too many supernatural incidents to believe she ever truly left.
Take for instance the reappearing blood of Jeremiah. A local who lived in the lighthouse said that he would wash the blood stains off the floor only for them to reappear looking more vibrant and stronger. The blood was eventually removed following refurbishment.
Visitors have stated that objects have been flung at them when they enter the historic quarter of the museum. Others report they can hear an entity calling their name like it is a warning to leave, while others believe a presence has followed them upstairs and they can hear that presence breathe. This is a must visit attraction for any Florida boat trip.
Bloody Bucket Bridge
In the small Florida town of Wauchula, you will find Bloody Bucket Road. This road leads to a bridge which has been known for hundreds of years as ‘Bloody Bucket Bridge’ by the locals.
Legend has it that shortly after the Civil War, an elderly freed slave woman settled in the town with her husband and started working as a midwife. Nobody knows why she started killing the babies she was delivering, suffocating them at birth. Some believe she was turning insane while others say she never got over losing her own children when she was a slave.
After a child was murdered she would bury the body at the river bank and take the delivery bucket full of blood to the bridge and tip it into the water. Due to the high infant mortality rate, nobody could actually prove she was killing the babies. She claimed they were stillborn which was not uncommon and she was never convicted of a crime.
Once word spread that the children were dying demand for her midwifery skills soon stopped. It is believed, however, that over a 100 children were murdered by her hand.
She lived out the last of her days living in the swamps of Florida haunted by the screams of the dead children. It is rumored that she would howl in the night and take buckets of ghostly blood to the bridge, tipping it into the water. The legend has it that if you stand on the bridge on a full moon you can see the ghostly red blood in the water and hear the cries of the dead.
Explore Voodoo in Miami’s Little Haiti
The American narrative includes many of the world’s cultures mixing together. Miami’s Little Haiti is a good example of this. Voodoo or vodou is a religion originating from West Africa. It is still practiced today and is steeped in superstition thanks to how it was portrayed in Hollywood films.
There are plenty of tours that will help you separate fact from fiction and give you a glimpse into this world. There is good boat rental in Miami as well, so getting around on Florida’s waterways should be simple.
If you feel the myths may be broken as you discover Voodoo in Little Haiti, think again. In 2012 Rudy Eugene, the ‘Zombie killer’ was convicted of murder after being found eating the face of Ronald Poppo.
His girlfriend who was interviewed on TV said that she believed that Eugene was possessed and was a kind and gentle person who looked out for people. She cited drugs or more likely voodoo as the reason for the bizarre zombie-like crime.
Getting around Florida by boat is an amazing experience. This is just a few of the most supernatural attractions you can immerse yourself in that the state has to offer. There is a lot more to Florida than beaches and Disneyland.
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