Race Rock
I believe in ghosts and evil spirits. One of the houses I lived in Alaska was haunted. The woman who sold it to us didn’t mention someone had been murdered in the house back in the Alaskan gold rush days. After I learned the story I went one afternoon and said some prayers in the room. It didn’t work! I guess the ghost was too vengeful or upset to be easily placated by a few Hail Marys!
Part of the thrill of an upcoming lighthouse cruise in June will be to see Race Rock again – a haunted lighthouse. Race Rock was featured on a Sci Fi Channel program called “Ghost Hunters” in October 2004. It’s located near the eastern entrance to Long Island Sound, not far from Fishers Island.
I first saw the Race Rock lighthouse in the summer of 2005 during a trip sponsored by East End Lighthouses. Lori, my son Robert, and my French intern, Alexia, went with me on a wet, cold cruise of six or seven Long Island lighthouses. By the time we reached Race Rock a cold, dense fog had settled in, and the boat’s captain could not easily locate it. It is a very dangerous area–numerous shipwrecks have been attributed to the rushing tides, waves and rock reef nearby.
The foghorn helped us navigate towards it, when all of a sudden the fog parted and we saw it. Robert snapped a picture which I have on our refrigerator. Shrouded in a light mist, Race Rock is perched on its cake-like base. I held on to the boat rail and stared at the lighthouse as the tides moved the boat away. Just as suddenly the fog enclosed the lighthouse again and it was lost from view. I could sense its presence but not see it–much the same way we can encounter a ghost or other unseen presence. I am drawn to them, but afraid, too.
