Antarctica has a long history of abandoned buildings, from the huts of the early explorers to the remains of scientific bases and military outposts.
For those who follow such things, Antarctica is supposedly the most haunted place in the world. Many explorers, scientists, and tourists have ended their life’s journey there so it is no wonder that a number of ghostly encounters have been experienced there. I can’t say whether they are true or not but here are just a few examples:
SHACKLETON’S HUT
Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealand born climber, was the first to climb Mt Everest with Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Hillary also visited Antarctica a number of times and he recounts an experience he had on the Ross Ice Shelf:
“I remember when I first went to Shackleton’s hut – and I’m not a person who really sees things very much – but I went inside the door… when I opened the door – it’s a rather sort of bare hut inside – but I distinctly saw Shackleton walking towards me and welcoming me and then it all sort of flashed away and he was gone.”
MT EREBUS DISASTER
When an Air New Zealand McDonnell Douglas DC-10 carrying tourist on a scenic flight crashed into Mt Erebus, 257 passengers were killed. The rescue and recovery operation stored the remains at the American McMurdo Base
At the crash site visitors claim to have heard voices, seen footprint trails that disappear, and feel they are not alone. At McMurdo one worker who entered the room where the bodies were kept claimed that:
“As soon as I entered, something was weird. I took a couple of steps in and the hair on the top of my head stood on end – footsteps upstairs; undeniably footsteps. A slow cadence of footsteps. I froze. It went from the back of the building to the front.”.
Although it seems the remains were kept in tents not in a room at McMurdo so this is probably all made up.
WORDIE HOUSE
The British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE) 1934–37, built a hut for their base on Winter Island in 1935. Wordie House (Hut) was built on the same site in 1947 after the BGLE hut was destroyed and is now designated an Historic Site and Monument.
The weekly adventure TV series Destination Truth visited the hut after hearing of paranormal happenings and spent the night.
The members of the team claim to have heard a light switch being turned on and off continuously for periods of time, doors slamming and jar lids falling off shelves, as well as the feeling of a presence.
There is a spooky element to Antarctica with all the abandoned bases and huts because many of them still have supplies and equipment and furniture in them.
As if the occupiers have just stepped out for a walk and will soon be back and this has an interesting, yet eerie quality to it. As for ghosts? Well, maybe. The world is stranger than we know.