Mysterious ghost ship hits the shores of Ireland

A strange tar covered, solar-powered ghost ship has washed up on the shores of western Ireland. It is believed to be from Newfoundland.

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An unusual ghost ship, made out of wood and covered in tar, has landed on the shores of western Ireland.

A passerby taking a Sunday walk discovered the vessel on a beach in County Mayo and notified the Irish Coast Guard.

The Ballyglass Coast Guard Unit attended the scene near to Cross Beach on 13 November, 2016.

Inside the homemade boat, officers found a strange cryptic note, scrawled onto the side of the vessel.

It reads: “I, Rick Small, donate this structure to a homeless youth to give them a better life that Newfoundlanders choose not to do! No rent, no mortgage, no hydro.”

The strange message inside the ghost ship in County Mayo, Ireland

The strange message scrawled inside. Credit: Ballyglass Coast Guard Unit

Members of Ballyglass Coast Guard Unit secured the ghost ship for the night. It is expected to be hauled onto the beach until it can be towed away for disposal.

The unit posted pictures of the vessel on its Facebook page.

This prompted much interest, especially from social media users in Newfoundland.

Ted Perrin, who is from Kelligrews, a city in Newfoundland, wrote that Rick Small had built the vessel at Foxtrap Marina, Foxtrap, Conception Bay.

Small’s intention was to sail it home to British Columbia via the North West Passage.

He is believed to have only made it as far as Portugal Cove before abandoning the vessel.

“We called the Coast Guard when he launched it as he told us he was going to sail it home to British Columbia via the North West passage. He made it as far as Portugal Cove about 10nm from where he started,” wrote Perrin.

“He lived in it most of last year and abandoned it on the beach in Portugal Cove sometime over the winter. I’m amazed how far it drifted in such short time. I’m positive it was still in the cove in September,” he added.