Wednesday 1/22/14 Daufuskie Haunted Hotel

     There is this big hotel on Daufuskie Island that has been abandoned for quite some time.  It was built 30 years ago, and several different management and property owners schemes to keep it afloat have failed.  Back a few years, the last management company informed the workers one night that the place was closing that night - and padlocked it.  It has sat since - locals say that the coolers full of food rotted.   As I explored the hotel today I found beds made with mints on the pillows, store-rooms full of supplies - in many areas it looked like it was in use just yesterday. But many other areas have decayed.  Rodents have gotten into the dry food storage areas and eaten cases of potato chips and other goods.  Some of the cans have rusted and leaked their contents.   Kitchen appliances are slowly rusting.  

     So, through the process of shooting pics out here I have been told by several people the place is haunted.  More than one person has talked about fans mysteriously coming on, lights lighting when there is no electricity hooked up, and orbs appearing in photographs taken at night.  People like Robert Levis, who have live here all their lives.  

Robert Levis

     Well, you all know I am a huge skeptic of anything like this, but I couldn't leave it alone.  I had to go back and explore tonight.  I shot a few photos in the dark, and when I arrived back I noticed the photograph below - in a small section it had an unexplained white circle.  I zoomed in on the circle, and it had a mysterious look indeed - some sort of weird static electric looking - well, orb.  Here are the pics -

  

     I looked at this as closely as possible - and no explanation.  Woo-hoo - I captured my first Orb !!  They are real after all !!

     But then I went back to a photo taken in the same ballroom earlier today in the daylight. . . 

     And there it is - the same reflection, but now you can see the flash reflecting off of an old television screen.  Well, I am not overly disappointing.  I have shown that orbs do exist, and at least some of them reside in the old style curved-face television sets.  I am not sure of orbs can exist in the newer flat screens or not - stay posted.  I may have to go back tomorrow night and try a few more shots....

      Anyway, here is a painting done by someone on the island that hangs in one of the bathrooms.  It is three ladies skinny dipping, smoking cigarettes and drinking booze.  The inscription says "It's a shame they want to come over to our island."

     Yes, the recession has hit here, but the fact is that the owners of these resorts came in and treated the islanders like they had nothing to contribute and nothing to say.  Carrying yourself with a superiority complex is not the best way to garner cooperation with your neighbors.  Who can say what the difference would be on the island if the locals had felt included and as though they had a vested interest in the success of this place?  We can only speculate, but it is a reminder that we reap what we sow.

    All have a great Thursday, and I will continue my search for the paranormal tomorrow night - maybe.

David