North Carolina’s coast, a picturesque blend of inviting southern charm and treacherous ocean waves, is steeped in tales as deep and mysterious as the waters that lap its shores. For centuries, pirates like the infamous Blackbeard have called this coast home, leaving behind stories of hidden treasures, brutal battles, and ghostly apparitions.
One of the most iconic pirates, Blackbeard, or Edward Teach, is a central figure in these coastal narratives. His legacy can be explored through a four-day trip along the North Carolina coast, visiting pirate hideouts, skulking around the towns he once called home, and seeing the waters where his sunken ship still lies submerged. The journey takes one through the bloody shoals where he met his end, providing a visceral connection to the pirate’s storied past.
The charming town of Beaufort, nestled on the North Carolina coast, offers “Back Spirits of Beaufort,” a ghost tour through history and pirate lore. This experience delves into the rich tapestry of tales from the past, taking visitors through historic homes and old burial grounds, each holding their own ghostly secrets.
While pirates are a significant part of these ghostly tales, they are not alone. North Carolina is also home to other prevalent legends, such as the story of Lydia’s Bridge in Jamestown. According to local lore, Lydia was a young woman killed in a car accident near the bridge in the 1920s. It’s said her spirit still lingers, making her one of the many spectral residents of the state.
Nancy Roberts, an acclaimed storyteller, has captured the haunted essence of the coast in her collection of thirty-three ghost stories and legends. These narratives take readers on a haunted tour through the Carolinas, unearthing eerie tales that have been whispered from generation to generation.
In Wilmington, the top-rated “Phantoms of Pirates and Patriots Tour” invites the brave to explore a demented history filled with the barbarities of war, deadly insurrections, and oddities stranger than fiction. This journey through nostalgic architecture and streets brimming with southern charm uncovers the hidden, haunting past of a town shaped by pirates and patriots alike.
