The Ruins of Lake Champlain

Background

Lake Champlain is Vermont’s most recognizable body of water and with it, comes an infamous history of its alarming count of shipwrecks, almost spelling a certain doom for the ships that cross it. But what most people don’t know is the legend of the witch who is said to be the cause of these shipwrecks. Only a portion of the lake's sunken ships have been documented, while other boats seem to have vanished mysteriously.

Due to so many unfortunate disasters unfolding, it is speculated that Lake Champlain is haunted by a restless witch. Where storms strangely pop up almost as if a spell was cast, rough waves as if someone had angered the water itself, and other bonechilling events that take place on the water, Sailors began to form theories of the witch’s curse. Today, the witch’s rumored curse has become so famous that there was a song written about her by Banjo Dan titled “Mystery and Memories.”

The Champlain Witch is said to have been responsible for the tragic fate of the Sarah Ellen in 1860, which now lies on the bottom of the lake somewhere between Willsboro Point and Burlington Vermont, which is where the ship had intended to go.The Sarah Ellen ship was a native to the water of Lake Champlain having sailed across its waters for its only 11 years of functionality.

There were only 3 people on board the ship at the time of the crash- The Captain, Henry Clay, who was a very young sailor, Joseph LaPlante who was a crewman, and his bride, Lucy Whitney. Lake Champlain is also known for being extremely cold during the winter months and winter storms while sailing are not known to be uncommon. So, why on earth would someone be crazy enough to sail during this season that’s fast approaching? The captain was likely worried about providing for his family and with winter coming, there would be no work for him. So, we speculate he was trying to get as much money in as he could to save for the winter season. Clay was taking a huge gamble, since he did not have any reliable way to predict the weather, he just had to trust his amateur sailor instincts and have faith that the journey would be smooth sailing. But unfortunately for him, it ended up being anything but.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s research team were the ones to uncover the details of what happened to these crewmates. It was speculated that the ship may have sprung a plank with such heavy cargo, or have taken water over the bow. The research also found some eye-witness accounts from the crew of the Daniel Webster, the other ship that was sailing Lake Champlain. The crew aboard the Sarah Ellen fought for their life to free themselves from the lifeboat. At this time The Sarah Ellen was covered with ice, but the Sarah Ellen crew remained clinging to the ship.. They were trying to survive while waiting for Daniel Webster to come to their rescue, But the first attempt that was made to save the crew ended in a tragedy. The impact against the lifeboat coming alongside knocked the Captain and his bride into the water. Daniel Webster kept fighting and decided to make another attempt. However, the couple disappeared into the freezing water of Lake Champlain before they were able to be rescued. Many are convinced this was the work of the jealous Champlain Witch, because why else would the crewman be saved while the young couple perished?

Where is Sarah Ellen now?

In the year 1989, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum marine archeologists found the one and only Sarah Ellen at a depth of 300 feet, and completely documented the shipwreck making use of a remotely operated vehicle. The ship was miraculously found in incredible condition due to the cold water, as well as the absence of any light. The wreck is somewhere between Willsboro, New York and Burlington, Vermont.

Recent findings
It is no secret that over the recent months of writing this article, Vermont has been suffering a bad drought. The waters are an astonishing foot lower than average. Due to this, the historically low water levels in Lake Champlain have revealed countless old ship wreckages. For researchers, such as the Maritime crew, this discovery is fascinating, but there is concern for it being exposed to the air. If the ruins dry out, the structures will start to crack. It’s also a worry if the water levels remain low through the winter, when the water thaws in the spring, the wreckage may be dragged to an entirely different location. My thoughts
I’m a person who is open minded when it comes to the paranormal. I do believe that Lake Champlain could be haunted. There are so many different energies likely playing a role in all of these disasters. Lake Champlain could very much be haunted by the witch, or even the ones who suffered a tragic death at the mercy of the aggressive waves. Before coming across these stories, as a local, I’ve always had this eerie feeling about the lake. I’ve sat on the shore many times and just felt this strange quietness. The wind would be blowing gently and the waves would be coming in more quickly, syncing up with the sun's descent. It always just felt like this strange feeling of the quiet before the storm before, as if something bad was about to happen. The spirits that perished in these disasters are likely not able to rest yet because they want their story to not be forgotten; or they still believe they are still alive, waiting to arrive at a destination they will never get to.