Ghosts of the Ocean

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Arrived safely!

Date: April 17

Hi mom!

I made it! Phew, that was a long flight, but I’m here now and I’m so excited! Plymouth is the cutest town - did you know this is where the Mayflower left from? I didn’t put that together until I got here.

Anyway, I got moved into my accommodations, a really cute decommissioned light house on the Hoe. It’s right near the docks and downtown, and this place is so cozy! I can go up to the gallery surrounding the old light and can watch the boats leaving for day sails and the University of Plymouth crew team practicing. Very fun and relaxing.

I better get unpacking, but I knew you would want to know I was here and okay. I can’t wait for you to come visit

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: New job

Date: April 27

Hi mom!

I started my new job today at the Nautical Museum. It’s really beautiful and so spankin’ new - I’m really honored to be getting to kick off some of their first exhibits. I got a tour of my office today, and got to check out the equipment and materials they have available to me. Most of my restoration is going to be from water damage and mold/mildew/bacteria, as you can imagine, being a maritime town. It’s going to be such a fun challenge!

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: New project

Date: May 19

Hey mom!

It was great to see those pictures of Grandad and Grandma - please pass on my wishes for a happy anniversary. I miss all you guys!

I got a new project at work, and it’s related to my home, which is really cool. The museum is doing an exhibit about Plymouth’s fast as a fishing town, and the people who lived and worked this job. Families, etc. They have a sheaf of letters from a woman who’s father was the lighthouse keeper, so she spent a lot of time in my new house, which is fun. Her husband went to sea on a fishing trip and never came back - their ship went down and was never recovered. I don’t know yet what I’ll find in them, but, of course my primary focus is on the restoration, not the content.


I’m going to sign off to make dinner, but please hug everyone for me.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Getting started

Date: June 1

Hi mom,

I’ve started in on these letters - the woman’s name is BethAnn. Most of the letter are written to her sister, and I guess when her sister passed away she left the letters to the University for the historical record, and they as are on loan to the museum. I think they are also taking advantage of the museum’s restoration team and technology - can’t blame them.

Most of the letter so far have been in good shape, and only require some light drying, but I’m certain as I get deeper into the pile, the damage to the letters will be greater. She’s mostly writing about her daily life as a new wife. Her husband was named William. They lived in a little house that wasn’t too far from my house, but I guess it’s been torn down since then.

It’s a beautiful day today - I’m headed into downtown get a pastie and to sit on the Hoe and read for a bit.

Love you!

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Sinking ships?

Date: June 3

Hey mom,

I’ve been working a lot with those letters. They seemed really happy - it’s sad knowing what the end point is going to be. I feel sad for her, because her letters are so happy… I know that I shouldn’t be so involved in the material, but she’s the same age as me and it’s hard not to relate to her.

I try to clear my head in the evenings with some hot tea and watching the sunset over the Channel. It’s really quite lovely - the salty sea breeze and sea birds… Every once in a while there will be a big ship on the horizon and it I feel like I live in postcard! I’m looking forward to your visit in September.

All my love.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: William is gone

Date: June 13

Hi,

The day I kind of dreaded has come. I’ve reached the letter where BethAnn tells her sister that William’s ship has gone missing. It’s heartbreaking. She was only 22, so in love, and was widowed. She talks about going to their father and watching the sea all day from the gallery of the lighthouse, for days and days until her father told her it was time to let him go. I can’t imagine.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Strange dreams

Date June 14

Mom,

I’m having weird dreams. Of BethAnn and William and ships and the sea. I dream of BethAnn on the gallery of the lighthouse, my lighthouse, and then she blows away like she’s make of sand. I see William on his ship, but it’s under the ocean and he is dead and sways with the currents. And I always wake up scared.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: London getaway

Date June 20

Hi mom!

Some of my work friends took me away to a weekend in London to clear my head and have a good time. I didn’t realize that I had been so transparent about how these letters were affecting me. My boss even offered to pull me off the project, but I said no, that I was okay.

We had so much fun! We went on the Eye of London, and saw London Bridge and London Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace - no sightings of the Queen, sadly. It was fun to have a weekend with the “birds” (that’s what Brits call their girlfriends). Even the train ride was fun!

I feel much better, ready to take on the world!

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Eww, mildew

Date: June 23

Well, that subject says it all. Most of my documents have just been wet and the things that come with that (mostly warping). But now I’ve found some letter that have mildew - yuck. These have to be dried out, and then irradiated to get rid of bacteria. Some of the content might be lost, since sometimes the ink is irreparably damaged, but I guess we’ll see. But at least it gives me something to focus on, rather than the content.

The days have been really beautiful - there are some local clubs lately that have been having regattas, and I like watching those from the gallery. It’s cheerful and the perfect pairing for the sunshine and a nice iced coffee (which is really hard to find here!).

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: The dreams are back

Date: June 29

Mom,

The dreams are back. The bad dreams. Of BethAnn blowing away in the wind and William drowned with his ship, but now he is looking right at me. His eyes are open and they are ALIVE - they look right at me, alive, not dead like a corpse, but alive and HUNGRY.

I should stop having a drink before bed.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: Ghost ship

Date: July 3

There is a ship - I thought I was imagining it, but it is definitely getting closer to the lighthouse. It is old fashioned, with full rigging and it looks ragged. I can’t see the name of it. I must be losing my mind, but mom - it’s moving closer. How can that be? A ghost ship? William’s ship?

That’s not real. There are not ghost ships. I have to be imagining it, right? My mind playing tricks on me? I need to shake it off.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject: IT’S HIS SHIP

Date: July 7

Mom, I can see the name.

It’s the Mary Andrew.

That’s his ship. It sank. How is it getting closer to my lighthouse? How is it still there?

It can’t be real, right? It must be my imagination running wild. I mean, what else can it be? It can’t be his ship. Ghost ships are not real. None of this is real.

**

To: Marielle (Mom)

Subject:

Date: July 8

In my dreams, he pulls me down with him now. He reaches out and grabs my ankle and takes me under with him. And I cannot get away. And I don’t even try.

The ship is practically to the shore. He is coming for me.

**

THE PLYMOUTH HERALD

July 11

An American document restoration specialist working at the new Maritime Museum has gone missing. She was living in the lighthouse located in the Hoe Park, and working on historical documents in preparation for the Museum’s exhibit on Plymouth’s fishing heritage. She last sent an email to her mother on July 8. No one has received any communication from her since that time.

If you have any information, please ring the Plymouth Police Department.