Haunted Outer Banks: Spooky OBX Ghost Stories

Known as one of the most haunted places in North Carolina, the Outer Banks’ history is rich with folklore and ghost stories that date back centuries. Countless hauntings are connected to the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” shipwrecks. The treacherous waters just off the Outer Banks are known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” due to the abundance of shipwrecks. The world’s most famous pirate, Edward Teach, otherwise known as Blackbeard, lost his life in Ocracoke, where his ship was anchored in a small channel of water. The channel, now known as Teach’s Hole, is reportedly still haunted by Blackbeard’s ghost to this day. The first English settlement in the New World mysteriously disappeared leaving many unanswered questions about what happened to the Lost Colony, and an intriguing tale about the first English child born in the New World, Virginia Dare, being transformed into a white doe.

But children were not the only ones who knew of Miss Mabe’s abilities. It was customary for fishermen in the area to slow their boat as they passed her pier to donate a fish or two from their day’s haul. Miss Mabe, who was unable to catch her own, was always appreciative of the gesture and would call out a special blessing on the men and their boats. However, on days when the fishermen were too preoccupied to share, Miss Mabe could be seen walking circles around her old cabin, holding a torch and mumbling incantations. Inevitably, the wind would begin to blow from the northeast, making it impossible for a successful next day of fishing. Realizing their blunder, fishermen would do all they could to remedy their relationship with Miss Mabe, promising to never forget the poor widow in the woods. Miss Mabe would not let on that she could give anything in return but expressed gratitude for their thoughtfulness. But without fail, the wind would always shift, giving way to flourishing days of fishing. So, if you are ever out fishing in the sound and pass by an old cabin surrounded by black cats, leave a fish. You never know who might be counting on that day’s catch!

Or was she? Many people will assure you that if you walk the shores of Cape Hatteras, Bald Head Island, NC, or Georgetown, SC, during the dreary winter season when the sky is overcast, and the wind blows up from the wildness of the North Atlantic, you may see Theodosia walking the same beach upon which Alexander Hamilton himself commissioned a lighthouse to be built before his own death. But do not fear, she will not harm you. Theodosia is searching, always searching, for the portrait meant for her father in New York. Little does she know, the portrait has since completed its journey, hanging for a short period in a Manhattan gallery and now residing at Yale University.

Inspired by Theodosia’s lore, the legend lives on in northern Duck at Theodosia, a signature restaurant from award-winning chef and restaurateur Vivian Howard.