Phantom Ships of Whites Creek, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA

There are stories of long lost hidden treasure along the U.S. coast on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay.  A narrow band of water separating the mainland from the bay known as Whites Creek is allegedly the landing place of pirates from days of old as well the accidental stash of an exiled King.  What is known today as Old House Woods served as the hiding spot for these treasures of kings and pirates.  However, many believe that the waters of Whites Creek are revisited by these phantoms from the past in search of their lost treasure.

Legend tells of phantom ships that appear in Whites Creek off of the Chesapeake Bay and float into the woods of Virginia

The first treasure that was lost according to legend, was that of pirates who were attracted by the allure of the marshy expanse of woodland off of Whites Creek, decided that it would be an excellent place to bury some of their treasure.  So they tied up along the banks of the creek and buried their booty there in the woods.  It is said that unfortunately for the pirates, they perished at sea in a terrible storm and were never able to retrieve their treasure. However, they return on occasion searching for their lost loot.  It is believed that one of these pirates was Blackbeard piloting his ill fated Queen Anne's Revenge.

In 1651 after the Battle of Worcester in England, King Charles II fled Europe and headed for Jamestown in the new found territories in America to hide.  After a fierce storm, his treasure ship mistakenly ended up in the Whites Creek.  Deciding to hide his treasures there for safe keeping in that remote stretch of forest, they began unloading the chests from the ship when suddenly they were ambushed and robbed.  The perpetrators buried both the chests and the bodies of some of the crew in the woods.  However, they were captured and put to death. It is said that the treasure chests of King Charles II are still buried somewhere in the woods to this day, guarded by the phantom crew that was buried with it.  Many claim that sometimes at night the lanterns and sounds of the phantom robbers who returned for their plunder can be seen and heard in the night digging away in the darkness.

Sometime afterward during the time when steam ships were taking over in the late 19th century, a man reported that he was fishing just off of the entrance of Whites Creek when a full masted sailing ship appeared coming in from the Chesapeake Bay. Making no sound at all, it moved into the creek.  It passed by him and sailed right up onto the beach... and across the shore road into the Old House Woods and it appeared to be floating above the ground!

There have also been reports of a phantom Spanish galleon in full sail floating partially above the trees tops as if they were water.  Apparently, the phantom vessel rises out of the Whites Creek and sails into the trees. The ship would stop and ghostly pirates would pour over the side of the ship and down onto the ground.  The phantom pirates have been seen roaming around as if searching for something and some have been spotted digging in certain spots in the Old House Woods.  Many witnesses on shore have claimed to hear the sounds of digging coming from these old woodlands at night.

The Chesapeake Bay may hold more haunted secrets than we know

Legend has it that the hidden treasure is still there  waiting for the ghostly owners to reclaim it.  However, there is more hidden in that forest than just the treasure of these pirates and kings.  Also, there is more lurking in the Old House Woods than you can imagine.