Ghost Adventures: Castillo de San Marcos

In my very first blog I explained the reaction I'd had the very first time we drove by the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine: Here there be ghosts...

Well, if you watched Ghost Adventures on Friday, you saw they investigated the fort. And they did find paranormal activity.

THE LANTERN

The best footage was what appeared to be a lantern being lit on the ramparts. I've heard the rumors about the lantern man before, so it was neat to see them capture something that backed up the many claims surrounding that strangeness.

THE POWDER MAGAZINE

I was surprised there was no mention of the woman ghost rumored to haunt the Powder Magazine though. I've toured the Castillo de San Marcos three times. Every time I heard the story about the officer's wife who fell in love with another soldier, had an affair with him, her husband found out and shut her away in the Powder Magazine where she ultimately died. I heard it from 3 different tour guides too, so I was surprised that wasn't brought up for Zak and his team.

NEW EQUIPMENT

They also used a new piece of equipment I don't recall seeing on any of their other shows before. I forget what they called it, but it reminded me a lot of the Telephone to the Dead. Except the GAC's was smaller and also had these goggles Zak could wear.

They also explained how it worked, but I got confused. Something about it picked up activity and then translated it...the thing did "speak" a couple of times. I'm not sure if I quite buy this gadget...mainly because I just don't understand how it works.

But if it's real...wow. Then it's got a lot of possibilities.

They also have this thing they call an EMF Pump. Basically it's like a battery that generates EMF energy to "feed" ghosts so they can manifest.

Now that's something that seems pretty useful. I'm curious if it helps save the battery juice of other investigative equipment like cameras, digital recorders, etc. that often get drained when ghosts are suspected of trying to manifest. Maybe we'll find out on future shows.

CLIP OF GHOST ADVENTURES' CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS EPISODE

Bring Home Your Very Own Ghost in a Bottle

My Google alerts notified me about a great story today on Baxterking.com: "Get Yourself A Bottle of Wine Containing a 'Real' Ghost." It was about a company selling ghosts in wine bottles, appropriately named Ghost in a Bottle.

Oh, the array of "spirits" jokes that immediately popped into my mind... I'll spare you and just get on with the story. (But I can't promise refraining from making spirit references...)

Speaking of spirits, this wine bottle is devoid of the type of spirits you imbibe. (Darn, I thought that'd be kind of neat...ghost wine from a phantom vineyard. Tag line: "It'll give you a ghostly hangover." Or, "Wine so good you'll give up the ghost!" Okay, I'll stop now.)

But it isn't devoid of spirits entirely. (Allegedly anyway.)

Apparently, they use a "special technology" to capture and contain the ghosts. Bottles are then sealed with wax to keep the ghosts in. (Is wax all it takes to harness a ghost's energy once you've caught it? While we're on that subject, can ghosts really fit in wine bottles? For the sake of simplicity, and so I can get on with things, we'll assume they can...)

But caution must be exercised. Ghosts in bottles are not to be treated as supernatural novelties, as evidenced by the warnings the seller has all over their Home page. They really emphasize being careful not to open or break the bottles without first consulting their Warnings page, which outlines all the hazards that may befall you if you do.

To own your own Ghost in a Bottle, it'll set you back $20. But it comes complete as a "kit," meaning in addition to your bottled ghost you also get a certificate signed by the ghost hunter who captured your ghost testifying to its authenticity.

So, as the company's motto puts it, "Supernatural or novelty? You decide." Who knows? If nothing else, it would make a fun gift for the ghost enthusiast who has everything...except a real ghost to call their own.

Ghosts, GPS, and Learning

Earlier today I wrote about using Haunt Jaunts to teach based in part on a headline one of my Google alerts popped up with: "Tracking Ghosts in the Valley: Ashby Lee Students Use GPS for New Learning Program" by Aimee Cregger. Well, I finally got around to reading the whole thing this afternoon. This is exactly the kind of thing I think more schools should offer!

AUGMENTED REALITY

The language and speech pathologists at Ashby Lee applied for a grant after learning about a new program called Augmented Reality. The grant allowed them to purchase 30 GPS units and pay for fifth graders from Ashby Lee to travel to New Market and Lexington.

The other day at Examiner.com I wrote about geocaching. Well, this program sort of combined geocaching with ghost hunting.

HUNTING GHOSTS WITH A GPS

In a manner of speaking. The students had read a book called The Ghost Cadet. They used the GPS units to find five different locations at the New Market Battlefield, a Civil War site, where they were asked questions about the book and also located envelopes containing puzzle pieces. (Which, when put all together, formed a gold watch that played a part in the book.)

They also visited places mentioned in the book, like the Virginia Military Institute where the ghost cadet attended.

ON-SITE LEARNING

If I was a kid, learning this way would totally appeal to me. Reading a book, then going to see places mentioned in the book and using a GPS in a sort of scavenger hunt? Oh yeah, that's totally up my alley.

But it's a great example of how ghosts can play a part in teaching kids --and can be fun as well as educational. Granted, it was a fictional ghost in this case, but still...I'd count this not only as a learning excursion but as a Haunt Jaunt to boot.

Using Haunt Jaunts to Teach

My husband and I don't have kids, but I got to thinking today how, if we did, what a great teaching tool Haunt Jaunts would make. Check out the various lessons that could be taught:

HISTORY LESSONS

Some kids find history dull. Others love it.

I was one of those somewhere in between. Certain things I found interesting (both the first and second World Wars gripped me), but battles with Native Americans over land or the Civil War would put me to sleep --until I was older.

When we moved to Florida a whole new world was opened up to me. We made trips to places like St. Augustine, Charleston, up to Atlanta, and saw sites where history had played out --which made it come to life.

I'll never forget our first trip to Atlanta. We stayed with Bill, one of our friends from college. He was newly arrived to the city and was still exploring it as well. A museum major, he was interested in checking out the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum. That's when the Civil War began making sense to me.

The thing that always confounded me about the Civil War was that it happened soooooo long ago. Really it didn't, but I didn't have a frame of reference for the dates. (My parents and grandparents both talked about World War II, so it seemed more current to me. And my grandparents were recently married young adults when World War I was raging, so even it seemed not so long ago, but the Civil War? It seemed centuries old!)

However, suddenly, after visiting Cyclorama, 1861-1865 didn't seem as distant as it once had.

It was also the first time I'd ever taken in a Civil War anything. Maybe if I'd grown up with it I would have had an easier time categorizing it.

But that's just it: exposure. What better way to help kids understand history than exposing them to it? Not only that, but you also expose them to the stories of real people who lived during those times.

For instance, our recent Jaunt to the Sam Davis house was interesting because Sam Davis and his family were everyday people who found themselves living during extraordinary times. It wasn't hard to imagine the ghost of his mother, even if it might only be a residual one, haunting the place and crying on his deathiversary.

Or, like Donna Marsh illustrated when she wrote the "Stones River is Murfreesboro's haunted battlefield," you get to tour places where battles actually took place, walk on the same ground soldiers marched across. It sparks the imagination better than simply reading about it in a book.

GEOGRAPHY TEACHING LESSONS

Geography was easily one of my lousiest subjects in school. And I'd say this goes for most kids. But another great way to use a Haunt Jaunt as a teaching tool!

You can mark out on a map where you're starting from, where you're going, and give kids a perspective of place. Helpful for learning the layout of their own city, state, region, or country --or even if you journey overseas!

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TEACHING LESSONS

Very few travelers venture out without a camera, but I bet few view them as technology teaching tools. But what a great way to teach kids about how cameras work (and maybe learn a few things yourself while you're at it).

And if you happen to also be a ghost hunter who brings along devices like digital recorders, mini DVs, heck even EMF detectors...well, think back to your youth. Wouldn't learning about science and technology have been a whole lot more interesting using a hands on approach like these devices offer? Your kids can learn about electromagnetic fields (all the things both natural and manmade that emit them), how things are recorded (not just EVPs but our regular, old average human voices as well), and then there's all the lessons they can learn about nature, advancements in technology (like indoor plumbing and electricity since many Haunt Jaunts, especially the historical ones, lack such modern day conveniences)...the opportunities for learning are endless!

And the exposure to such outside-the-box thinking? It just might lead to inspiring the next generation to find new devices to invent --or perhaps new ways to conduct paranormal research.

RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY TEACHING LESSONS

It's hard not to wonder about "The Beyond" when you talk about ghosts. What a great opportunity to introduce your kids to different beliefs from different cultures about ghosts, death and dying, and our purpose for being Here. Or to explore your own spiritual roots a little deeper and understand your denomination's take on such matters.

I'm sure there are even more teaching tools Haunt Jaunts could be used for, but these were the ones that sprung immediately to my mind. Can you think of other lessons Haunt Jaunts could teach? I'd love to hear about them!

Telephone to the Dead

I got to see the Telephone to the Dead in practice the other day while I was watching the Travel Channel. I had turned it on while I was folding laundry and Extreme Mind Blowing Hotels was on. I just happened to tune in right when they were featuring the Lizzie Borden B&B.

Then next thing I know this guy comes on screen who looks awfully familiar. I thought to myself, "That sure looks like that Christopher Moon guy who does Haunted Times." (His face was sort of fresh in my mind from having been recently checking into something else he'll be doing here shortly: HauntedCon.)

Anyway, the show started talking about how guests at the Lizzie Borden B&B can participate in a ghost hunt using the Telephone to the Dead. That's when I was positive it must be Christopher Moon, because that's sort of his claim to fame.

But just to be sure, I went to the website to double check and...Sure enough, it was him!

ABOUT THE TELEPHONE TO THE DEAD

Before I'd seen it in action, when I'd only heard the word "telephone," I immediately thought: Gimmick!

However, after seeing the device in action, I'm now thinking: Interesting. Kind of like an instant EVP without having to go back and listen to hours of tapes to find something.

What I found interesting after a visit to the site was that I wasn't the only one skeptical upon first hearing about it. Even Moon himself was!

The device was actually developed by Frank Sumption. Moon put it to the test and was "immediately astonished by the results." (In addition to the Lizzie Borden House, he's also used it at Waverly Hills, The Whaley House, The Hotel Maison de Ville, and Eastern State Penitentiary.)

WHAT THE TELEPHONE TO THE DEAD DOES

It's name pretty much says it all. While the device itself doesn't resemble a telephone at all, it does enables communication with the dead. But it doesn't act alone. Spirit guides also factor in.

What I saw on the Travel Channel show was Moon and his team asking questions just like you would during an EVP session, but then the results were audible right then and there.

But according to the TTTD site, it doesn't just let you communicate with ghosts at a particular site. Apparently you can talk to any deceased person. Moon took it to the Ghost Chaser's conference in Georgia and demonstrated it by allowing conference goers to come up and ask questions of deceased loved ones. Answers were received --shocking not only the participants but Moon himself.

THE TELEPHONE TO THE DEAD IN ACTION

If you go to TheTelephonetotheDead.com you'll see a box in the upper right hand corner that will let you listen to a recording done during a radio broadcast with Dr. Jimmy and Heather of ASPR Paranormal Talk Radio.

You can also contact Moon directly to set up your own reading.

Or go to HauntedCon. The Telephone to the Dead will be making an appearance there as well.