The phantom schooner Blanco — Lincoln City, Oregon's ghost ship

The phantom ship Blanco has reportedly been seen off the coast near Lincoln City, Oregon, since the vessel capsized in Siletz Bay in 1864. The Blanco was a lumber schooner that went down with its crew during a storm while attempting to cross the treacherous bar at the bay's entrance. According to local maritime legend, the ghost ship appears on stormy nights, sailing toward the bar with its sails set, as though making one final attempt to reach safe harbor. Witnesses describe the vessel as a classic two-masted schooner, illuminated by a pale, phosphorescent glow, moving against the wind and waves before vanishing as it reaches the breakers. Fishermen and coastal residents have reported the sighting across multiple generations, always describing the same vessel in the same location. Some witnesses have reported hearing the creak of rigging and the shouts of crew members over the sound of the surf. The Oregon coast, with its frequent fog, violent storms, and treacherous bar crossings, claimed dozens of vessels during the 19th century, and phantom ship legends are not unique to Lincoln City. However, the consistency of the Blanco sightings over 160 years has made it the best-known ghost ship on the Pacific Northwest coast.