Across the Water

Make some waves

Today is more of a blog than a tale to give you thought. Highly suggest the Ghostly walks of Victoria is you get a chance, but I have a treat for tomorrow!

The BC Ferries travel from the mainland to the Island, crossing the ocean at all hours of the day through every season, There aren't many reports of incidents on any of the Ferries themselves, but many people have stood on the top decks, during night crossings looking over the waters past hartley bay, around the midnight hour, and have had eerie, uneasy feelings. It's said that you can hear metal creaks, sounds of ghostly pasts, and possibly the calls of distress from the tragic incident of Queen of the North which happened in March 2006. (Due to the connection to 100 miles,and the recent timeline, I won't go further into this out of respect) but the waters have always had some people feeling uneasy.

When heading to Victoria a must, on any ghost tour is Bastion Square. Situated downtown, Bastion Square is the center of the hustle and bustle, If you want to find a great place to eat or for some retail therapy, then this is the area you want to be in!

However, when the sun goes down, the site takes on a new persona, with many people believing it’s the most haunted place. This statement carries weight as it reportedly has the highest concentration of ghosts in all of Victoria

Helmcken Alley, across from the courthouse, was once the city jail. Some believe that one night in the 1850s, a guard beat a prisoner in the alley, killing him. People have heard the rattling sound of chains or even seen a man in shackles walking the alley and following them. If you stand still you can feel winds brush through your hair and across your cheek, many have said their eyes sting and their stomach will feel heavy or queasy. As you walk the alley the air gets thick, it's like being transported into a different era. Instantly my ears started to pulse, and my hearing aid whistled almost like a static. You really feel like someone is watching from above. No one likes to stay in the passage long, it just has a heavy feeling to it.

Pass through to the courthouse is said to be the most haunted of the bunch. A slender figure gliding down the main staircase has been seen (and photographed) and is thought to be the ghost of the infamous “Hanging Judge”, Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie.

He was an angry hotheaded man, and was known to slam his fist like a gavel. He was a man of 6ft 7 and was an imposing figure, like I said you really can’t help but constantly look up, as it feels like someone is hovering over you. If you stand near the outside window of the renovated court suite, you can faintly hear the slam of a fist on a desk or smell of pipe smoke.

There are many tales here, but a stop at Garrick’s Pub will be the next stop. A common connection is that before heading to the main square to watch a public hanging, town folk would stop to share a pint with the owner Micheal Powers. Often it was even the last stop for last rights and last meal too, talk about a close community.

The funny thing is you can still do that today even though he was brutally murdered over 124 years ago. Powers was opening the pub, on Oct 9th, 1899. While unlatching the gate he was brutally struck with a sandbag from behind by 2 unknown (but speculated to be his Ex-wife, but the strong smell of rose perfume on powers clothing and her lover) assailants.

He was then beaten to and left on the stoop of the still-standing English Pub he held so dear. He crawled to the fireplace where he was found, and he succumbed to his injuries 4 days later. Powers can often be seen in the back, sitting on the edge of the fireplace on chilly autumn nights, content to watch the pub patrons enjoy their meals. If you smell a strong order of perfume he will vanish and mist can be seen near the entrance to the place of his death