St. Augustine Ghost

St. Augustine! I was born and raised in florida and my family and I would go there quite often! I even took a field trip there once when I was in 4th grade! Haha! Uhm, eerytime we would go, we always went to the huge fort, snapping pics everytime! I remember when my grandma bought her first digital camera, she was going picture crazy... LOL, and then she took her memory card to a walgreens I believe it was, and when she got her prints developed, there is a picture of me laying on one of the beds that a solider would sleep on, and right next to me, if a cloudy, foggy misty figure... In the picture I was posing as if I were asleep on the bed and you know just playing around, my gma snapped the pic. And when I asked her to see the picture on the camera at the time it was taken... Nothing was there, jsut me posing to be asleep! But as I said, when she got her prints, there was that misty white figure laying right beside me, it looked as though the mist was trying to lay down too. Like it was sleeping, the mist was as long as the beginnning of my head all the way down as long as my body, about 5'3" at that time, and it hung over the end of the bed, as though it were feet hanging off of a bed! It really creeped me out to see that this "THING" was laying right beside me... And I did not know it! Though I don't really remember if I felt cold, eerie, or anything! Just to see this thing freaked me out. Needless to say, a few years after this incident... My mom and her late boyfriend, went to st. Augustine quite often. And My mom and he took pictures in front of the canyons, side by side, and his arm was around her in one of the pictures... This was a disposable camera, and when my mom got the pics developed, there was a tall, lanky figure right beside them, and it looked like it was trying to fire the canyon, it looked focused on the canyon!

Anyways, very great story!
<33Jessica 😊

My husband, our dog, and I arrived at our St. Augustine hotel well after midnight on February '08.

We parked in front of the hotel and my husband went inside to check-in, leaving me and the sleeping dog in the car. It was incredibly windy outside as I stepped out to rearrange our gear. Outside, I heard chains clanging, but dismissed it as grounds partition or something.

While cleaning, our dog all of a sudden woke up and looked at the direction of the clanging chains. I tried to explain to him not to be a chicken, and as I was in the middle of our talk, the wind immediately stopped. Like on a dime, as if someone hit the car brakes -- it stopped that abruptly.

I was taken aback, since it didn't seem natural that wind could stop that quickly. All the while, my dog was still looking that direction, never shifting his gaze. After the wind stopped, maybe several minutes later, the car door that I left open suddenly slammed shut by itself. That freaked me out. No wind! The wind has long since stopped, then all of a sudden the door decides to slam by itself? Well, my husband arrives shortly afterwards, oblivious to all that happened.

One evening, we decided to spook ourselves, and went on a haunted St. Augustine carriage ride/tour. The tour operator told his tales, and because English is my second language, I had a hard time understanding what he was saying for most of the tour. Nevertheless, as he stopped at each haunted site, I took random photos to imitate what most tourists do -- snapping random photos of nothing much. Also, I was getting bored and I didn't want to be rude. Lastly, I heard from somewhere that if you take photos during these tours, sometimes, you may be able to capture the image of a ghost.

A couple of things that did stick out in my mind from the tour early on, was when we passed-by the old fort, my dog who sat across from us all of a sudden jolted sideways. He seemed to have been startled by something or someone. I immediately snapped a photo, by reflex. On the image I took, it showed a boney-looking gloved hand, grabbing a hold of the railing to get ON the carriage!

No, my dog isn't chicken in the least btw, which is what freaked me out even more. He's usually the tough guy, about everything, all the time.

Later, we passed by a church, and I smelled the distinct scent of candles. I thought nothing of it, since we were near a church (knowing that people often light candles in churches). Curious though, I thought, was the fact that it was pretty late and the church seemed deserted. After the tour, I asked my husband if he also smelled the candles, and he smelled nothing.

One of the houses we were shown was owned by a woman, and the story we were told was about her. I wasn't paying too much attention to the operator, but I did snap a photo of the window which he was especially pointing out. On the photo I took, which was of a complete pitch-black house window, it showed some type of body/form coming out of it. As if someone decided to look outside and see who's at their sidewalk.

Another site was a place in which a double suicide occurred. Snapped a shot of that too. My photo showed 2 orbs (I learned this is what they're called from my research), and a sickle looking-like thing coming out a door, and several other unexplained light sources. Once again, this image was taken of a pitch-black house.

Here's the url and I hope it works because it'll really freak you out to see the images. Freaked me out!
Http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/maiolo/haunted%20st%20augustine/

When we finished the tour, my husband parked our car outside a restaurant across from our hotel; to get food to go. Using my iphone, I started forwarding the images I took to my family because I knew they'd get a kick out of them. It was late and a bit foggy-ish outside. While emailing, I felt a sudden freezing cold chill in the car; and as if someone was hanging over my shoulder, I felt someone exhale at the right side of my neck.

I decided not to allow myself from freaking out, because I knew that my husband was outside, and it was just me and the dog in the car. I also dismissed it as -- "hmm, that would really have freaked me out if I didn't knew better that Luc (my dog) always does that to me." as soon as I finished that sentence in my head, I looked up completely startled, because I just remembered -- my husband took the dog with him to let him pee. I was ALL ALONE in the car!

Arghhhhhhhh! 😭 😲 😭

My best friend moved to Nevada a while ago and one of her friends up there took a tour this summer in St. Augustine's too. She said the ghost tour guide person took them all to a cemetery where her friend called out the name of a "famous ghost" that supposedly haunted the cemetery and snapped a picture. She said that when she looked at the picture on her digital camera there was a face right close up to the camera.

Creepyyy 😲

Where in St. Augustine were you? It is considered the country's oldest city so you never know! 😉

Jennifer ❤

Just got back from St. Augustine. A Funny thing happened at the Hotel. The bathroom light keept being turned on.

yeah I've been to St. Aug a few times and visited the Fort... That city is HAUNTED... Really creepy

This is cool, I also watch a show called 'Ghost Hunters'.I never had the chance to watch some of the episodes but they always get wrong ones. This story is 'electrifyingly' awesome. Keep making more Jennifer 😊.

Sounds good! I think it possibly could have been something just letting you know that it was there. A "hi" persay. Good luck on your adventure called life and let us know if this ever happens to you again!

Hello, Jennifer40
I always liked the phrase "history repeats itself", not only because it is a warning to all who are alive to be careful, the horrors of the past (as well as the good things) will come around full circle, but because it also paints a very clear picture of what residual haunting is (Though, to be honest, I only made the latter connection here recently).
I am kind of tossed on this one. You left a ghost tour after experiencing some odd things (what your friend saw in the window, and the street light "timing out"), but are staying in a home that is within walking distance of a place that is riddled with a horrible past.
Here is why I am tossed:
I am a firm believer that once a ghost realizes that a person is receptive, it would appear (Only through the experiences of my children, myself and a few close friends) to send out some sort of beacon. I really do not know how to describe that. But it would seem that once an entity KNOWS it can be seen, or heard, it seems that stragglers begin to arrive. Those that are totally not related to the one that first noticed your talent.
While I have no doubt that you walked through this static barrier, indicating a presence, I am left wondering if it indeed followed you back, or if it was already there. To be in a place THAT close to such horrible bloodshed, it would be pretty "easy" to feel something.
I am sorry, this may not make much sense. The aunt never experienced anything, I imagine from the story. But your friend saw something first, then you both viewed the lights going off and on (In two separate locations) and you are staying in a home that is in a prime location for visits from the Other Realm. Just more to think about, I guess.
Thank you.

Hi Jennifer. YES, I did indeed watch that episode and agree that it was very intriguing to say the least! I have been reading SOOOO many books on the paranormal of all kinds for a very long time and this St. Augustine lighthouse was one of them. THEN I saw the episode, with my daughter, on Ghost Hunters and that was a seller for me! I definitely will be going to St. Augustine for the ghost tour, the history and with out a doubt, most definitely the lighthouse. I live about 4 hours from there and would like to spend a week there or atleast spend four or five days. I want to experience EVERYTHING! I absolutely LOVE history!

SHELBY

❤ 😊

It's an interesting story, but that light could just be on it's last legs, you know?

That Ghost Hunters episode that was just referred to was the best of the bunch... You should watch it.

Hi Shelby,
Do you watch 'Ghost Hunters' at all? They did a show on that lighthouse that you are referring to. It was quite scary and they caught a lot on tape. The sad part was that the spirit was a woman and she was yelling "help me!" In this particular trip I took there I actually went to that lighthouse but did not go inside as they were closing for the night. I had no idea it was even suppose to be haunted until I saw it on TV. St. Augustine is a great city with lots to see and do. I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance. I would also definitely tell the spirits not to follow you home though.

Take care,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer. I live in Florida. I have always wanted to go to the lighthouse and all the other historic places in St. Augustine but with four kids, two that are very small, and a husband that works ALL of the time so I can be a stay home Mommy, it is difficult to manage to do that.=( My daughter went to a lot of the places in St. Augustine including the old school house. I told her not to go to the lighthouse because I want to go with her, so she didn't. 😊 She also went on one of the ghost tours but nothing followed her home and she is like me, a sensitive. I told her to tell the spirits to stay where they belong and they are not welcome to follow her home. It tends to work. I use that phrase myself when I leave a certain place! Anyways, it sounds REALLY freaky! However, it also sounds unharmful. Thank God! I know exactly what you mean by walking through that "static electricity" feeling. I've felt it myself! Thanks for sharing you experience. It sounds like this ghostie likes lights!

SHELBY ❤

Hi Kim,
The condo was fairly new. I know that there was a battle nearby at the Old Fort I mentioned in the story. If I remember correctly the Spanish forces in that area had killed the French soldiers whom they were keeping captive. There was a lot of blood shed. Interestingly enough my mother is at that very condo right now. I'll have to ask her when she gets back if she experienced any lights turning on or off, or anything else. 😉

-Jennifer

It stands to reason with all of the history and happenings in the area, there will be some residual energy left behind. There are also probably those who have not corssed over yet for one reason or another.

During the tour, if you or your friend picked up on being sensitive to what was occuring or being relayed to you, it is possible that you were followed back. On the other hand, you may have been followed to the tour. Do you know the history on the place you stayed?

God Bless!

Hi Jennifer. I agree with the other members here. I think that the ghost followed you guys home. And since ghost do have an energy I'm not surprised that the lights were going crazy. I really liked your story. I hope to hear from you soon nad take care

Hello Jennifer. As I read through your story, I was thinking you and your friend was just being paranoid.You(figuratively speaking) go on a ghost tour hoping to see a ghost and your mind conjurs them up. The lights going off and on was easy enough to explain and I was about to write this one off to overactive imaginations. It was when you stated that the next morning you walked through that "wall of static electricity" that I became convinced that something had followed you home. Apparently it was just curious as no harm was done. Thanks for sharing your story with us, I am looking forward to your future stories. Take Care.

FRAWIN 😊

Hi again Jennifer and thanks for another interesting story. One thing's for sure, in places with such rich historical background, it's only "natural" to find some sort of energy (if not more) staying behind. I live in Greece and according to hundreds of testimonies, particular areas such as battlefields still withold an "echo" of the past, you can hear the screams of wounded soldiers, canons and trumpets. So sad to know there are so many lost souls out there who live and relive their painful deaths for an eternity.
Take care
Tammy.

Hi ParaTam!
Thanks for responding to my story. That sounds like a very interesting account you had in Gettysburg. That has been a place I have wanted to visit for some time now. I do believe that ghosts can follow you home. I was told that they wouldn't but my experiences have told me otherwise. In the mid-90s I took pics in a cemetary and I know something followed me back. I kept seeing stuff out of the corners of my eyes and then I got very ill. I may submit that story next. Things did come out in the pictures that I can't explain, like zig-zagging lights,etc... I haven't had much happen recently (which I'm glad about!) but It seems like the first 35 years of my life (I'm almost 40) strange occurences were the norm.

Thanks again for reading my story and sharing your experience in Gettyburg. 😊

-Jennifer

Hi, Jennifer!
Have you had anyother experiences since then that reinforce your thought that one of those lost souls followed you? It is possible. We were followed home from Gettysburg by a spirit who was a medic during the battle, and died on the battlefield himself.

It is also possible that with the condo being so close to Old Fort Matanzas, there could have been a battle or fight that occurred on the location of the condo. Bringing up Gettysburg again, we stayed in the Quality Inn in G'burg in two different rooms on two different occasions that happended to be located one on top of the other. Both of them were haunted. There was paper thrown at one of my daughters, orbs in the one room, the smell of sulfer (no one smoking nearby), a male shadowperson walking out of the bathroom one night, everyone felt watched in said bathroom and a pic of what appears to be a pant leg of a person walking out of the same bathroom. My daughter was alone in the room when she took that pic.

Thanks for the submitting your story. There is so much history of death and suffering in the forts and battlefields, and no wonder there are some lost souls who are tied to those locations.

ParaTam