Florida’s waters are filled with mysteries, legends, and eerie tales run the gamut from restless ghosts to spooky creatures to unexplained phenomenas. Since the beginning of Florida’s existence, the state has been teeming with folklore that has been passed down from generation to generations starting from the Native Americans to our current society. As a whole, these mysteries and legends serve a unique purpose as they comprise the culture and history of Florida.
Here are some of the most intriguing ocean myths and mysteries surrounding the Sunshine State:
The Mystery of the Florida Keys’ Lost Treasure
The waters off Florida’s coast are littered with sunken Spanish galleons, and with them, untold riches. One of the most famous shipwrecks is the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a Spanish treasure ship that sank during a hurricane in 1622.
It carried gold, silver, and emeralds, some of which were recovered by treasure hunter Mel Fisher in 1985. However, legend has it that much of the treasure is still missing, hidden beneath the sands of the Florida Straits. Some divers claim to have seen ghostly figures guarding the treasure, warning those who come too close.
The Bermuda Triangle – Florida’s Haunted Waters
The Bermuda Triangle, an infamous stretch of ocean between Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico, has long been associated with unexplained disappearances.
Ships and planes have vanished without a trace, from Flight 19 in 1945, a squadron of U.S. Navy bombers, to the mysterious case of the SS Cotopaxi, which disappeared in 1925. Some believe these vanishings are caused by rogue waves, underwater methane eruptions, or even time warps. Others insist it’s something far more supernatural, perhaps a portal to another dimension.
The Legend of the Ghost Ship of the Florida Coast
Sailors have long whispered about a phantom ship seen off Florida’s coast. Some believe it to be the Wormhole, a pirate vessel said to appear during storms, warning sailors to turn back. Others think it’s the ghost of the Mary Celeste, a real ship found abandoned in 1872 with its crew missing. Those who claim to have seen the ghost ship describe a fog rolling in suddenly, eerie lights on the water, and shadowy figures on the deck before the ship vanishes into thin air.
The Kraken of the Gulf of Mexico
Deep-sea fishermen and divers have reported sightings of a massive, squid-like creature lurking in the Gulf waters. Some say it’s a surviving Megalodon, a prehistoric shark that once dominated the ocean. Others believe it’s a colossal squid, far larger than anything science has recorded. In 2005, a mysterious giant tentacle was found washed up on a Florida beach, sparking speculation that something enormous still lurks in the deep.
The Cursed Treasure of Gasparilla
The legendary pirate José Gaspar, or Gasparilla, is said to have terrorized Florida’s west coast in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Before his capture, he reportedly buried millions in gold and jewels on one of Florida’s barrier islands. Treasure hunters have searched for centuries, but none have found it—some claim the treasure is cursed, and anyone who comes close either disappears or meets an unfortunate fate.
The Sirens of St. Augustine
St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S., is rich with ghost stories, but few are as eerie as the legend of the Sirens of Matanzas Bay. According to old sailor tales, men at sea have reported hearing hauntingly beautiful singing just before being lured toward the jagged rocks near the shore. Some believe these sirens are the spirits of shipwrecked women, seeking revenge on unsuspecting sailors. Even today, some claim to hear strange, melodic voices drifting over the water at night.
The Mystery of the Gulf Stream’s ‘Vanishing Boats’
Fishermen off the coast of Miami and the Keys have spoken of boats disappearing in calm waters, only to be found days later—empty and undisturbed. The Gulf Stream, a powerful current running along Florida’s coast, has been known to carry wreckage thousands of miles away. Some theorize that underwater currents pull boats into deep-sea trenches, while others whisper about alien abductions or sea monsters that claim their victims without a trace.
