The Ghost Ship Carroll A. Deering

The Ghost Ship Carroll A. Deering

From Dark Histories by Ben Cutmore

March 31, 2026 · 1h 1m · Season 10 · Episode 6

About this episode

This episode explores the mysterious case of the ghost ship Carroll A. Deering, found abandoned in 1921.

In January 1921, a five-masted schooner was discovered run aground off the coast of North Carolina with no crew aboard and no clear signs of struggle. Personal belongings, navigation equipment, and the ship’s lifeboats were missing, leaving investigators with more questions than answers and a trio of cats, which had been the only signs of life aboard the abandoned ship. Rumors of piracy, mutiny, Russian conspiracies, and even supernatural involvement quickly spread, but no definitive explanation ever emerged, earning the wreck the enduring title of “The Ghost Ship of the Diamond Shoals.”SOURCES Simpson, Bland (2002) Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals. Chapel Hill & London, University of North Carolina Press. NC, USA. New York Times (1921) Skippers Daughter Holds Pirate Theory. New York Times, Thurs 23 June 1921, p2. NY, USA. New York Times (1921) Soviet Pirate Tale Declared a Fake. New York Times, Fri 26 Aug 1921, p2. NY, USA. The Sun Journal (1921) All a Fake Admits Gray. The Sun Journal, Mon 29 Aug 1921, p3, Maine, USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early…

People in this episode

Host: Ben Cutmore

Topics covered

  • ghost ships
  • maritime mysteries
  • historical events
  • piracy
  • supernatural theories

Keywords

  • Carroll A. Deering
  • ghost ship
  • North Carolina
  • maritime mystery
  • piracy
  • supernatural

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of North Carolina Press, New York Times, The Sun Journal

Places: North Carolina

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