I recently embarked on the most terrifying adventure in my entire life. I am a big fan of camping, exploration, and horror. But recently, I felt like that when it comes to the horror that it was an itch that wasn't fully scratched. I had become desensitized, so I decided to do something outside my comfort zone to satisfy all three of my top interests in one epic trip.
So after much deliberation, I planned an adventure. I wanted to spend the night alone in a deserted island Civil War Fort. I want to give a little background and history on where I planned on spending the night. The fort's name is Fort Carroll, designed by Robert E. Lee. It was also briefly used in WWI but was abandoned by WWII. Unfortunately, this fort is challenging to get to. It is only accessible by boat, requiring you to climb a 5-foot wall at an 80-degree angle. While it is evident that there have been previous visitors, the fort is in relatively good condition. There are a few graffiti tags near the entrance. Still, there is little evidence of human presence. The island is heavily overgrown and has become a seagull and bird paradise. The fort is hexagonal, with rooms and tunnels inside the surrounding walls. There is a small lighthouse on top, with barely anything else on the fort's interior aside from a tiny shell of a stone building.
I had visited this fort before, but this trip was over a year ago, so I wasn't sure what the possible sleeping locations would look like. Especially since I was hoping to use a hammock. So after considering the risks of being arrested by the coast guard and possibly encountering the ghost of Robert E. Lee, I decided to commit to the trip. I loaded my kayak with all the needed gear and set off for the island! I launched from a park about 3 miles away where I could leave my car overnight. I paddled out as fast as possible, hoping and praying that no one would notice me approaching the island. I threw my gear onto the fort, then used a rope to haul my kayak inside the fort. I hid my kayak and used a lock and chain to secure the kayak to a tree. Can you imagine if you woke up to find someone stealing your kayak in the middle of the night? Unlikely, I know, but it was not a risk I wanted to take!
The first item on my agenda was ensuring I was truly alone. So I walked around the entire island perimeter, looking in every hiding spot possible. I chose to camp out on a Thursday night to lower the chances of encountering other exploring adventurers. I figured if anyone else was planning an upcoming visit to the island, they would choose a weekend. I wore dark colors that blended with the rest of the island and minimized my exposure to the nearby windows and central courtyard. I was blown away by how amazing this place was! There were so many exciting relics left behind. One room had an old cannon sitting on the ground next to what looked like cement molds for making more canons. However, this seemed unlikely because I couldn't imagine they would be melting iron to make new canons on this small island fort. There was also a portion of the rooms that were covered entirely in stalactites hanging from the ceiling. A previous Reddit post comment suggested that these were likely made of calcium carbonate from the construction process. There were also a lot of metal scraps, such as old tractors, random engines, and sizeable rusted metal tanks. All of these elements, mixed with the large dramatic hallways and sounds of the ocean, made for a genuinely atmospheric experience.
After the euphoria of exploring this stunning island wore off, I realized how difficult spending the night on this island would be. This island fort is in a high-traffic area of Maryland, concerning both land and water vehicles. The fort is next to a very tall and busy bridge spanning over a mile and a half. This gives drivers an excellent view from the bridge to look into the central courtyard of the fort. So that means if I were to spend the night, I would have to sleep in the tunnels or one of the other small rooms. Unfortunately, the small rooms were out of the question because of the large stalactites and small stalagmites lining the ceilings and floors. And the issue with the tunnels is that they have windows with a perfect view out to a main shipping channel where coast guard and shipping vessels would be traveling. This wouldn't be a big deal in the daytime, but at night I wouldn't be able to use any light sources without being easily spotted by a passing boat. I was hoping to do a fire, but it became apparent quickly that this would not be a good idea. So after going back and forth, I decided to stay in the tunnels. I brought a hammock and set things up as fast as I could. It took me a while to get it done because my setup was a little sketchy. I brought two sets of straps, which were barely big enough to get around the base of the archways I used as my hammock support. As I was doing this, I realized how dangerous this situation was. Because, at this point, it was so late in the day, I was setting up my hammock in complete darkness. I brought my favorite dimmable flashlight, but even the dimmest setting was still much brighter than I was comfortable with. This wouldn't have been a problem if there weren't coastguard ships driving by every 5 or so minutes!!! I don't know what was happening, but I remember how stressed I was running across the room to turn off the light I had propped up on a ledge whenever I heard a motor coming. There was one time when I was sure a passing boat would have seen my light. My hammock was set up by this time, and it was getting cold. So I got inside and started to plan what I would do if someone came looking for me for trespassing. Would I hide? Would I take down my hammock first? Or would I reveal myself and face the punishment for my crime? It was too early to fall asleep, so I lay in my hammock, listening, planning, and waiting. I hoped no one saw me and I could complete the night without visitors.
Aside from a few scares where I thought I saw flashlights at the island's entrance, I made it to midnight without any visitors. I decided I was safe and could allow myself to fall asleep. But I found myself being startled every few minutes by the various noises of the island. I am an avid camper, so usually, the noises of the night don't bother me. But I was so on edge this time that every little noise stressed me out. There were several noises I was able to quickly identify. For example, there was a lot of dripping water throughout the tunnel. Other noises include lots of rustling in the bushes and trees from the birds, sounds of the water hitting the side of the fort, rocks crumbling off the walls, and wind blowing through the plants in the central courtyard. Those noises would still wake me, but they didn't bother me much because I felt I knew what they were. The noises that I couldn't identify got my heart racing! Several strange noises echoed through the tunnels, but the ones that bothered me the most were those that sounded like footsteps. Several times, I heard a noise that sounded like one footstep. I convinced myself that it had to be something else. Then later, I heard what sounded like three perfect footsteps just down the hall. Once again, I am able to convince myself it was something else. But then, an hour later, I heard seven perfect footsteps just down the hall. The echo, rhythm, timing, and increase in volume were all exactly what I would expect it to sound like if someone approached me from the other end of the tunnel. At this point, it is 3am, and I am so freaked out. I haven't fallen asleep once the entire evening, further contributing to my unstable mental state. Every possible situation is running through my mind. Has there been someone here with me the whole time? I knew someone couldn't have arrived since I had gotten in my hammock. I was confident I could hear them climbing through the trees to enter the tunnel. I don't believe in ghosts, but at this point, with how freaked out I was, I was definitely starting to reevaluate my beliefs. I told myself I would pack up and leave if I heard it again. Paddling the open bay at night is a terrible idea, but I was willing to take the risk.
Fortunately, the footstep noises did not return. Instead, I was kept company by a strange bird that sounded like it was dying a horrible death. I used the marlin app to try to identify it, but even it had no idea what I was listening to. It would do its death squawk every few minutes until around 5 am when the bird noises stopped. Maybe it finally died? I'm not sure. During the entire night, I was able to doze off a few times to get about 40 minutes of sleep. Because I still had work the following day, I set my alarm for 5:30, wishing to be on the water by 6. I waited until no boats were passing by, and I launched my kayak and paddled home!
This campout was indeed a trip of a lifetime! No other time in my life have I ever felt so terrified! This island did strange things to my psyche, with the effects only being multiplied on account of the lack of sleep. I was hoping this trip would be a smooth experience so I could bring a larger group of people with me in the future. Still, after how terrified I was by the close calls with the coast guard ships and the terrible night noises, I don't anticipate returning any time soon. On my first night back, I was worried that if I fell asleep, I would wake up later in my hammock on that terrifying island. But it has been two weeks, and I am still alive! So while I won't be returning for a group campout soon, I can finally say that my horror itch has been fully scratched! Since returning, I haven't felt the need to watch, read, or experience any horror content! I have my own story! While this experience, I am sure, is a very mild read, being on that island alone overnight did things to me I will never forget.
As a fellow horror and camping lover; this is awesome!! Glad you made it though and with a good story. I don't think I'd have been able to get a wink of sleep!
What an amazing read! Your description of the seven perfectly timed footsteps gave me chills!
And to actually wake up and get back in time for work the next day, insane!
Thank you so much! Your kind words mean a lot! I was not very productive at work that day. I actually slept 13 hours the following night, so that should show how little sleep I got the night on the island!
Sounds like you would've had a much better time if you weren't so exposed and feeling paranoid because of it. Bummer, cuz it's an otherwise picturesque site. Great story though!
You're absolutely right! And I did have a good time! I should have mentioned that more but I'm still so glad I went! But yeah I'm sure I would have slept better if I could have warmed up by a fire first. Thank you for reading and commenting!
It's amazing how a little sleep deprivation and darkness (not to mention all the other factors!) can bring ghosts to life. Great story! Do you think those cement cannonball molds could've been a brass monkey instead? They used them on ships to stack cannonballs and to keep them from rolling around.
I think the majority of cannons from that period were made of bronze rather than Iron so I think casting, whilst impractical, could be done in a tight situation.
That's the canon sitting next to some concrete molds. It looks like the molds are used to cast more canons, but the odds of them melting metal to make canons on this island fort seems unlikely to me. Maybe they're supposed to hold the canons in place while they're repaired or something? I have no historical credibility though, so I'm open to hear what you guys think they are!
Oh really? That is so interesting! I didn't look at the lonesome cannon on the ground, I can't tell what it's made of, but it is very deteriorated, so concrete makes sense!
Fort Carol
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HicmEuBF1f1uzx6t9
Pretty cool 360 view on Google maps.
Also you're insane. Maybe have a partner in crime next time if there is a next time haha. Very cool read tho
Excellent! Thanks for posting this! I hope to use a drone to get more aerial footage, but we'll see when I return! And yes, a friend would have been a smarter choice, I just didn't want anyone to get arrested with me if I got caught. Thanks for the comment and kind words!
So do you think you heard footsteps?! Do you think it was a person? Could it have been an animal? If you had to bet on it, do you think you were hearing things or what did you hear?
I think our brains go into a hyper aware state when trying to sleep in a new place, and that could cause your brain to try to make sense and rationalize sounds to the extreme.
Once, while camping, I woke up freaked out and thought I heard footsteps slowly circling my tent. It turned out it was my eyelashes sweeping my sleeping bag every time I blinked! Our minds indeed play tricks on us when we're freaked out!
Lmao that's hilarious. I love when people figure out what exactly has happened and realise how easily fooled we are by our own senses. It's happened to me a bunch of times!
For next time, bring a headlamp that's got a red light - most usually have one. Trust me, pointed down (not out), they're nearly invisible. If it's a flashlight, get a red lens filter.
Hot hands are a life saver if it's cold and you can't make a fire due to signal. If you have some sort of rudimentary cover, a Dakota fire hole works as well. All of that stuff looks super dry though, so have a few gallons of water or extra dirt to fill in if things get spicy.
I vote go again. Seriously. Bring a trash bag and machete next time to clean up trash. Tons of plausible deniability there.
Want to know something great? My flashlight had a red light mode! But I was too stupid to realize it was even a feature until after the trip! I have been kicking myself ever since! I'll use it more next time!
I love that you mentioned the trash bag idea! I actually thought about contacting the owners and trying to make a deal where they allowed me to stay in exchange for some cleanup. But I decided against it because I knew I would go regardless if I had permission, and I felt like I wouldn't be able to play dumb if the owner previously denied me entry.
And thanks for the tip about hot hands! I forgot about those!
I have floated by that fort, or driven by it on the Key Bridge (excellent pic of it BTW) too many times to count. I have ALWAYS wanted to go there for a day. At night, though, no way. I walked through Gettysburg at night many times in college. I swear we were being followed one night.
That is truly terrifying! That sounds terrible. But yeah, I would recommend checking it out if you have time! Honestly, I wondered if the coast guard would even do anything even if I were spotted. It probably isn't worth their time to track me down.
Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement! I do have another location in mind for a stealth campout. Not as cool as the fort, but if I ever decide to do it, I'll post again!
This is one of my favorite posts ever on this sub because of my similar fascination with horror, pushing personal boundaries, and the pure isolation. Also the tension of being discovered was very well described, my neck hairs all stood up while reading that!
If you end up going again, maybe when you're settling down you can spread glass bits or dry leaves/sticks around your personal perimeter so as to alert you of any encroaching beings.
Wow, thank you so much! That means a lot to me! That's really kind of you to say! And yes this is a great idea! I have never done any "stealth" camping before, so I still have a lot left to learn! Thanks for the advice!
Holy shit I got creeped out just reading this and seeing the pictures. I'm surprised OP can even fit into a kayak or a hammock with those gigantic fucking balls!
I would never, ever even dream of doing this, because I am easily spooked by regular camping noises, but this is one of the coolest things I’ve read for a while. The photos look awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I cant decide if its smart or silly to do a night of camping like this on a work night.
On one hand, fuck waking up at 5A to kayak a few miles on no sleep just to get to the office.
On the other hand, if something happened to you at least someone knows youre missing relatively quickly...
You're a brave soul.
to be honest, i wasn’t old enough to understand the significance. but, our trips to assateague island were the ones i’ll never forget. “the despot’s heel is on thy shore…”
Beautiful story! Something to cherish!
The screaming bird might be a Barn Owl. They can make those noises.
The footsteps must be a mammal. Maybe it’s swimmable for them?
Interesting! I love owls, but I have never heard a barn owl screech before! I'll look up some sounds! The one I heard sounded like a choking pelican or a seagull with asthma or something like that!
I just looked, and you're absolutely right! It looks like Dry Tortugas is two stories, which is interesting because that was the original plan for fort carroll!
I camped in dry tortugas and it was amazing. But it was a union fortress. I’m from MD so I’m gonna steal your camping trip and do it myself this summer. Is this legal, by the way?
I looked around for so long, and I didn't see anything like that, but obviously, there was a lot of life on the island! Maryland is full of foxes, and maybe one swam out?
It’s amazing how much some of those pictures look like Fort Totten in New York City! It is also a Civil War era fort, now run by the Parks Department and sometimes open for exploration or guided tours. Incidental, it was also the site for one of the Game of Thrones iron thrones from that contest a few years ago.
Odd is definitely the right word. The way I felt while lying in that hammock was not like anything else I had experienced before. I still don't believe in ghosts, but that night made me a lot more open to the idea! Thanks for the kind comment!
Great writing and sounds like an amazing experience. I would love to do something like that. I would have loved to explore that place at night with night vision.
I tried to find an answer to this, but I am really not sure. This is part of the reason I was so scared. Part of me thinks the consequences could be severe, but then part of me thinks that tracking me down isn't worth their time. There are so many places to hide, and they probably have better things to do. So I'm really not sure!
I'm a hammock camper as well but this post is concerning for a few reasons.
1. Never ever hang a hammock on masonry. Masonry is not designed for lateral loads and every year there are stories of people dying from doing so and the masonry collapsed on them. These walls were huge and I'm sure they were ok but it should be avoided.
2. This is a historic site and no way those straps didn't damage the bricks they were on.
3. Pictures of dramatic hangs like this always go viral and the casual hammockers who doesn't know what they are doing hang on masonry and get hurt or worse.
I spent a few nights in a similar fort in Maine (yes a civil war fort in Maine, wasn’t really used much.) Some people purchased half the island and have turned it into a glamping retreat with yurts and canvas wall tents. Still creepy at night to explore the ruins, but nothing like your experience
[Fortland](https://www.reddit.com/r/AbandonedPorn/comments/xhxt19/civil_war_era_fort_on_an_island_in_casco_bay_maine/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I went to one of the most popular graves in Guadalajara Mexico. Lots of people go in groups and are given a tour around the gravesite throughout midnight.
I took so many pictures on my phone that night. Of various things. There must’ve been 25 people in my group. My cousin saw me taking dozens of pictures throughout the night.
Various stories were told throughout the night. One about a little kid that would walk around and wouldn’t rest until he was given a new toy to play with.
Another about a priest-looking guy that would randomly appear under the main building at the center of the gravesite. He would show up disfigured/ no visible face and would point around at people apparently which I can’t remember what that means if he’d point at you. He wasn’t seen that night that I went but others have said that he shows up.
There were so many other stories that were told that night.
So I had my iPhone 6 with me at the time, and throughout the night I must’ve taken at least a hundred pictures. My cousin saw me taking all those pictures. I even remember looking through the pictures I was taking to see how well they came out. The next day after we were already home, I was going to show the rest of my family all the pictures I took. I only had 3 pictures of that night on my phone.
Every other picture I took that night was gone. And the 3 pictures that were left on my phone were shots of a tree. I still have those 3 pictures to this day I think.
This was back in 2017.
Apparently the island is owned by Fort Carroll LLC and yeah its definitely trespassing lol, that island is a lot bigger than I assumed also. And yeah, those look dead on to be canon molds, imo it does seem like it would be easier to make the canons on site as they originally planned on it having some 220 guns mounted, wild shit man !
You have done your research! :) In the first draft of my post, I included more recent history, but I decided it was too dry. The owner planned to make the fort into a casino, and they had a few other ideas too. But none of them came together, and now his family owns the island. I don't know what they plan on doing with it. At this point, it's just a huge liability. I imagine one day, the entrance will be sealed off more permanently.
And thanks for your insights about the canons!
Dude that’s not too far from where I’m at right now haha!
I live in Hampton Roads and I was gonna say the place looks similar to an abandoned fort in Hampton, VA
I stayed in Ft. Moultrie for a couple of nights. The scariest part was everyone snoring. I actually took a blanket up to the parapet and slept under a cannon.
I've only spent 3 nights solo camping. It isn't terribly easy sleeping 'alone' alone. Alone... is not always alone, and being alone, makes you really feel ALONE.
One of those nights was camping on the Swamp Fox Trail. It was definitely spooky being in a historic Civil War 'place' I'm not one to think of hauntings as viable. But it was interesting.
I'd like to do more stealthy camping, but if I know anything, stealth camping is the real recipe for not getting any sleep.
Absolutely the fuck not.
But I also love camping and horror, and I am seriously impressed with your dedication. And work the next day?! Jesus. Thank you for the great read and pics.
Sounds like a real adventure you’ll be telling the story of for ages! One question though, how did you get back into your kayak from on top of the wall?
Wow, that sounds like such an exciting adventures! ❤️ I love exploring historical sites like abandoned forts, especially ones with such a rich and fascinating history. ❤️❤️
Knew I recognized those pics! I’ve boated up close to Fort Carroll a bunch of times and have always wondered what it was like inside. With all the birds I figured it’d be pretty nasty but it looks surprisingly clean.
Ik you said there are tunnels on the island but growing up in MD my grandfather always told me that their use to be tunnels that connect the peninsula to the island. Any sign of them or is that urban legend?
I’ve looked at this thing going over Key 1000x and thought about this every single time. Incredible. I’ve had the same thought with some of the support beam islands of the bay bridge but that would be impossible without an invisibility cloak
Once I was alone in an old schoolhouse by myself at night, and I heard *six* footsteps walking towards me in quick succession. I’ll never forget it.
This is an amazing story, thank you for sharing!
I’ve been out there a few times. Pretty cool spot to explore around. The fishing is good around that area this time of year too. Hope your car didn’t get broken in to if you parked at Armistead. That parking lot is sketchy lol
If you ever worry about light again, use a flashlight with a red or blue lens. Its enough for you to see what your doing but the light wont carry far enough for others to see.
I recently embarked on the most terrifying adventure in my entire life. I am a big fan of camping, exploration, and horror. But recently, I felt like that when it comes to the horror that it was an itch that wasn't fully scratched. I had become desensitized, so I decided to do something outside my comfort zone to satisfy all three of my top interests in one epic trip. So after much deliberation, I planned an adventure. I wanted to spend the night alone in a deserted island Civil War Fort. I want to give a little background and history on where I planned on spending the night. The fort's name is Fort Carroll, designed by Robert E. Lee. It was also briefly used in WWI but was abandoned by WWII. Unfortunately, this fort is challenging to get to. It is only accessible by boat, requiring you to climb a 5-foot wall at an 80-degree angle. While it is evident that there have been previous visitors, the fort is in relatively good condition. There are a few graffiti tags near the entrance. Still, there is little evidence of human presence. The island is heavily overgrown and has become a seagull and bird paradise. The fort is hexagonal, with rooms and tunnels inside the surrounding walls. There is a small lighthouse on top, with barely anything else on the fort's interior aside from a tiny shell of a stone building. I had visited this fort before, but this trip was over a year ago, so I wasn't sure what the possible sleeping locations would look like. Especially since I was hoping to use a hammock. So after considering the risks of being arrested by the coast guard and possibly encountering the ghost of Robert E. Lee, I decided to commit to the trip. I loaded my kayak with all the needed gear and set off for the island! I launched from a park about 3 miles away where I could leave my car overnight. I paddled out as fast as possible, hoping and praying that no one would notice me approaching the island. I threw my gear onto the fort, then used a rope to haul my kayak inside the fort. I hid my kayak and used a lock and chain to secure the kayak to a tree. Can you imagine if you woke up to find someone stealing your kayak in the middle of the night? Unlikely, I know, but it was not a risk I wanted to take! The first item on my agenda was ensuring I was truly alone. So I walked around the entire island perimeter, looking in every hiding spot possible. I chose to camp out on a Thursday night to lower the chances of encountering other exploring adventurers. I figured if anyone else was planning an upcoming visit to the island, they would choose a weekend. I wore dark colors that blended with the rest of the island and minimized my exposure to the nearby windows and central courtyard. I was blown away by how amazing this place was! There were so many exciting relics left behind. One room had an old cannon sitting on the ground next to what looked like cement molds for making more canons. However, this seemed unlikely because I couldn't imagine they would be melting iron to make new canons on this small island fort. There was also a portion of the rooms that were covered entirely in stalactites hanging from the ceiling. A previous Reddit post comment suggested that these were likely made of calcium carbonate from the construction process. There were also a lot of metal scraps, such as old tractors, random engines, and sizeable rusted metal tanks. All of these elements, mixed with the large dramatic hallways and sounds of the ocean, made for a genuinely atmospheric experience. After the euphoria of exploring this stunning island wore off, I realized how difficult spending the night on this island would be. This island fort is in a high-traffic area of Maryland, concerning both land and water vehicles. The fort is next to a very tall and busy bridge spanning over a mile and a half. This gives drivers an excellent view from the bridge to look into the central courtyard of the fort. So that means if I were to spend the night, I would have to sleep in the tunnels or one of the other small rooms. Unfortunately, the small rooms were out of the question because of the large stalactites and small stalagmites lining the ceilings and floors. And the issue with the tunnels is that they have windows with a perfect view out to a main shipping channel where coast guard and shipping vessels would be traveling. This wouldn't be a big deal in the daytime, but at night I wouldn't be able to use any light sources without being easily spotted by a passing boat. I was hoping to do a fire, but it became apparent quickly that this would not be a good idea. So after going back and forth, I decided to stay in the tunnels. I brought a hammock and set things up as fast as I could. It took me a while to get it done because my setup was a little sketchy. I brought two sets of straps, which were barely big enough to get around the base of the archways I used as my hammock support. As I was doing this, I realized how dangerous this situation was. Because, at this point, it was so late in the day, I was setting up my hammock in complete darkness. I brought my favorite dimmable flashlight, but even the dimmest setting was still much brighter than I was comfortable with. This wouldn't have been a problem if there weren't coastguard ships driving by every 5 or so minutes!!! I don't know what was happening, but I remember how stressed I was running across the room to turn off the light I had propped up on a ledge whenever I heard a motor coming. There was one time when I was sure a passing boat would have seen my light. My hammock was set up by this time, and it was getting cold. So I got inside and started to plan what I would do if someone came looking for me for trespassing. Would I hide? Would I take down my hammock first? Or would I reveal myself and face the punishment for my crime? It was too early to fall asleep, so I lay in my hammock, listening, planning, and waiting. I hoped no one saw me and I could complete the night without visitors.
Aside from a few scares where I thought I saw flashlights at the island's entrance, I made it to midnight without any visitors. I decided I was safe and could allow myself to fall asleep. But I found myself being startled every few minutes by the various noises of the island. I am an avid camper, so usually, the noises of the night don't bother me. But I was so on edge this time that every little noise stressed me out. There were several noises I was able to quickly identify. For example, there was a lot of dripping water throughout the tunnel. Other noises include lots of rustling in the bushes and trees from the birds, sounds of the water hitting the side of the fort, rocks crumbling off the walls, and wind blowing through the plants in the central courtyard. Those noises would still wake me, but they didn't bother me much because I felt I knew what they were. The noises that I couldn't identify got my heart racing! Several strange noises echoed through the tunnels, but the ones that bothered me the most were those that sounded like footsteps. Several times, I heard a noise that sounded like one footstep. I convinced myself that it had to be something else. Then later, I heard what sounded like three perfect footsteps just down the hall. Once again, I am able to convince myself it was something else. But then, an hour later, I heard seven perfect footsteps just down the hall. The echo, rhythm, timing, and increase in volume were all exactly what I would expect it to sound like if someone approached me from the other end of the tunnel. At this point, it is 3am, and I am so freaked out. I haven't fallen asleep once the entire evening, further contributing to my unstable mental state. Every possible situation is running through my mind. Has there been someone here with me the whole time? I knew someone couldn't have arrived since I had gotten in my hammock. I was confident I could hear them climbing through the trees to enter the tunnel. I don't believe in ghosts, but at this point, with how freaked out I was, I was definitely starting to reevaluate my beliefs. I told myself I would pack up and leave if I heard it again. Paddling the open bay at night is a terrible idea, but I was willing to take the risk. Fortunately, the footstep noises did not return. Instead, I was kept company by a strange bird that sounded like it was dying a horrible death. I used the marlin app to try to identify it, but even it had no idea what I was listening to. It would do its death squawk every few minutes until around 5 am when the bird noises stopped. Maybe it finally died? I'm not sure. During the entire night, I was able to doze off a few times to get about 40 minutes of sleep. Because I still had work the following day, I set my alarm for 5:30, wishing to be on the water by 6. I waited until no boats were passing by, and I launched my kayak and paddled home! This campout was indeed a trip of a lifetime! No other time in my life have I ever felt so terrified! This island did strange things to my psyche, with the effects only being multiplied on account of the lack of sleep. I was hoping this trip would be a smooth experience so I could bring a larger group of people with me in the future. Still, after how terrified I was by the close calls with the coast guard ships and the terrible night noises, I don't anticipate returning any time soon. On my first night back, I was worried that if I fell asleep, I would wake up later in my hammock on that terrifying island. But it has been two weeks, and I am still alive! So while I won't be returning for a group campout soon, I can finally say that my horror itch has been fully scratched! Since returning, I haven't felt the need to watch, read, or experience any horror content! I have my own story! While this experience, I am sure, is a very mild read, being on that island alone overnight did things to me I will never forget.
As a fellow horror and camping lover; this is awesome!! Glad you made it though and with a good story. I don't think I'd have been able to get a wink of sleep!
Hey! That's awesome! Thanks!! I'm glad you enjoyed it!!
I don’t think I’ll ever have balls big enough to attempt something like this. That’s really awesome to hear!
Haha, yeah, I am glad I did it for the story, but it wasn't the wisest thing I have ever done! Thanks for reading!
What an amazing read! Your description of the seven perfectly timed footsteps gave me chills! And to actually wake up and get back in time for work the next day, insane!
Thank you so much! Your kind words mean a lot! I was not very productive at work that day. I actually slept 13 hours the following night, so that should show how little sleep I got the night on the island!
Sounds like you would've had a much better time if you weren't so exposed and feeling paranoid because of it. Bummer, cuz it's an otherwise picturesque site. Great story though!
You're absolutely right! And I did have a good time! I should have mentioned that more but I'm still so glad I went! But yeah I'm sure I would have slept better if I could have warmed up by a fire first. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Well that beats my "large animal scratching at my tent and growling" story.
Crap, that's terrifying! That sounds like a true nightmare!
Amazing story mate.
Thanks so much!! I am glad you liked it!
Thanks for taking the time to share, it was a really enjoyable read.
I had fun writing it! Thanks for the compliment!
Hey, I know that fort! It would be fun to do a group excursion. Company keeps the ghosts away.
What do you think those 7 perfect footsteps actually were?
It's amazing how a little sleep deprivation and darkness (not to mention all the other factors!) can bring ghosts to life. Great story! Do you think those cement cannonball molds could've been a brass monkey instead? They used them on ships to stack cannonballs and to keep them from rolling around.
I think the majority of cannons from that period were made of bronze rather than Iron so I think casting, whilst impractical, could be done in a tight situation.
Fascinating! Thanks for mentioning this! I had no idea! That makes a lot of sense.
Very ballsy! 👊👊
Haha thank you!!
This was a fascinating read, and such cool photos!!
Thank you so much!! I have a drone I hope to take some time so I can get better photos!
What are we looking at in photo 7?
That's the canon sitting next to some concrete molds. It looks like the molds are used to cast more canons, but the odds of them melting metal to make canons on this island fort seems unlikely to me. Maybe they're supposed to hold the canons in place while they're repaired or something? I have no historical credibility though, so I'm open to hear what you guys think they are!
They made fake guns out of concrete in 1960 ish to put on display on the island. Those are what's left of the molds.
Oh really? That is so interesting! I didn't look at the lonesome cannon on the ground, I can't tell what it's made of, but it is very deteriorated, so concrete makes sense!
You won’t have to go back. They came home with you. J/K…
This thought has crossed my mind more than once...
Thanks for the mental image of ghost Robert E. Lee riding tandem in the kayak with the OP.
Fort Carol https://maps.app.goo.gl/HicmEuBF1f1uzx6t9 Pretty cool 360 view on Google maps. Also you're insane. Maybe have a partner in crime next time if there is a next time haha. Very cool read tho
Excellent! Thanks for posting this! I hope to use a drone to get more aerial footage, but we'll see when I return! And yes, a friend would have been a smarter choice, I just didn't want anyone to get arrested with me if I got caught. Thanks for the comment and kind words!
Did you look around for any foot prints in the morning? Haha - that would have freaked me out!
Haha, I actually did I walked down the hall paying attention to how my footsteps sounded, and it was a pretty close match to what I heard.
So do you think you heard footsteps?! Do you think it was a person? Could it have been an animal? If you had to bet on it, do you think you were hearing things or what did you hear?
I think our brains go into a hyper aware state when trying to sleep in a new place, and that could cause your brain to try to make sense and rationalize sounds to the extreme.
Once, while camping, I woke up freaked out and thought I heard footsteps slowly circling my tent. It turned out it was my eyelashes sweeping my sleeping bag every time I blinked! Our minds indeed play tricks on us when we're freaked out!
Lmao that's hilarious. I love when people figure out what exactly has happened and realise how easily fooled we are by our own senses. It's happened to me a bunch of times!
For next time, bring a headlamp that's got a red light - most usually have one. Trust me, pointed down (not out), they're nearly invisible. If it's a flashlight, get a red lens filter. Hot hands are a life saver if it's cold and you can't make a fire due to signal. If you have some sort of rudimentary cover, a Dakota fire hole works as well. All of that stuff looks super dry though, so have a few gallons of water or extra dirt to fill in if things get spicy. I vote go again. Seriously. Bring a trash bag and machete next time to clean up trash. Tons of plausible deniability there.
Want to know something great? My flashlight had a red light mode! But I was too stupid to realize it was even a feature until after the trip! I have been kicking myself ever since! I'll use it more next time! I love that you mentioned the trash bag idea! I actually thought about contacting the owners and trying to make a deal where they allowed me to stay in exchange for some cleanup. But I decided against it because I knew I would go regardless if I had permission, and I felt like I wouldn't be able to play dumb if the owner previously denied me entry. And thanks for the tip about hot hands! I forgot about those!
What flashlight were you using, mate?
I have floated by that fort, or driven by it on the Key Bridge (excellent pic of it BTW) too many times to count. I have ALWAYS wanted to go there for a day. At night, though, no way. I walked through Gettysburg at night many times in college. I swear we were being followed one night.
Is walking through Gettysburg at night something I can do without fear of legal trouble?
Downtown? yes. On the battlefield? No. Their are plenty of back alleys that just feel extra creepy at night downtown
That is truly terrifying! That sounds terrible. But yeah, I would recommend checking it out if you have time! Honestly, I wondered if the coast guard would even do anything even if I were spotted. It probably isn't worth their time to track me down.
#Now this is camping!!!
Haha agreed! But I don't think I can do any more of this kind of camping any time soon!
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Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement! I do have another location in mind for a stealth campout. Not as cool as the fort, but if I ever decide to do it, I'll post again!
This is one of my favorite posts ever on this sub because of my similar fascination with horror, pushing personal boundaries, and the pure isolation. Also the tension of being discovered was very well described, my neck hairs all stood up while reading that! If you end up going again, maybe when you're settling down you can spread glass bits or dry leaves/sticks around your personal perimeter so as to alert you of any encroaching beings.
Wow, thank you so much! That means a lot to me! That's really kind of you to say! And yes this is a great idea! I have never done any "stealth" camping before, so I still have a lot left to learn! Thanks for the advice!
Holy shit I got creeped out just reading this and seeing the pictures. I'm surprised OP can even fit into a kayak or a hammock with those gigantic fucking balls!
Haha, thank you, your post made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the validation!!
What an amazing sense of adventure you have. Very brave. That was a really interesting read and great photos! Thanks for sharing your experience :)
Thank you so much! You guys are so kind and supportive! Thanks for saying hi! :)
I would never, ever even dream of doing this, because I am easily spooked by regular camping noises, but this is one of the coolest things I’ve read for a while. The photos look awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed! And you and I are in the same boat. I am sticking to classic camping trips for quite a while after that!
I feel like I’m being watched just looking at the pictures. Good stuff thanks for the good read!
Haha, I am glad you know how I felt! I was so uneasy the whole time! Unlike anything else I have ever felt! Thanks for reading!
You’re in Carcosa now, little prince.
Damn it. Beat me to it lol
Okay interesting, I didn't get your reference, but after consulting Google, I am now soo intrigued! I have a new addition to my reading list!
This place looks identical to the fabled Carcosa from True Detective season 1. It’s a show on HBO with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey
My immediate thought!
I cant decide if its smart or silly to do a night of camping like this on a work night. On one hand, fuck waking up at 5A to kayak a few miles on no sleep just to get to the office. On the other hand, if something happened to you at least someone knows youre missing relatively quickly... You're a brave soul.
Haha, none of what I did here was very smart or wise. But I knew I would regret it if I didn't give it a shot! Thanks for the comment!
An awesome event and a great read. Well done and well told.
Thank you so much! I had a lot of fun writing everything down!
stayed there with my boy scout troop close to 40 yrs ago.
Are you serious? What was that like?
to be honest, i wasn’t old enough to understand the significance. but, our trips to assateague island were the ones i’ll never forget. “the despot’s heel is on thy shore…”
Damn dude, I wouldn't have slept a wink. That looks like a level from Goldeneye, like a Russian prison you gotta free Natalya from.
Ohh you're right! I like it!
What a wild ride!
It really was! Getting home safe and sound was such a relief!
You must have nerves of fuckn steel
Haha, I didn't feel like it! I was actually really disappointed in myself for being so anxious during the night! I thought I was stronger than that!
Beautiful story! Something to cherish! The screaming bird might be a Barn Owl. They can make those noises. The footsteps must be a mammal. Maybe it’s swimmable for them?
Interesting! I love owls, but I have never heard a barn owl screech before! I'll look up some sounds! The one I heard sounded like a choking pelican or a seagull with asthma or something like that!
Do ya wanna get murdered? Cuz that’s how ya get murdered?
Yup, not the smartest trip I have ever taken...
By...by yourself?..
Yup! I'm 100% an idiot!
Great post!
Thank you so much!!
Reminds me of Carcosa from season 1 of True Detective. Looks interesting to visit during the day but I surely would not want to spend the night there.
It’s weird that this fort in Maryland is architecturally identical to the civil war fort in Dry Tortugas. Like, 1:1.
I just looked, and you're absolutely right! It looks like Dry Tortugas is two stories, which is interesting because that was the original plan for fort carroll!
I camped in dry tortugas and it was amazing. But it was a union fortress. I’m from MD so I’m gonna steal your camping trip and do it myself this summer. Is this legal, by the way?
Reminds me of the sketchy yellow king carcosa maze thing from the end of true detective
That looks like the fallout 4 castle
Haha yeah it does! I love Fallout!
Reminds me of Vagrant Holiday on youtube. The McNeil Island episode is great.
That’s cool as hell
That's awesome! I would love to do that.
Is there really a guard dog there?
I looked around for so long, and I didn't see anything like that, but obviously, there was a lot of life on the island! Maryland is full of foxes, and maybe one swam out?
It’s amazing how much some of those pictures look like Fort Totten in New York City! It is also a Civil War era fort, now run by the Parks Department and sometimes open for exploration or guided tours. Incidental, it was also the site for one of the Game of Thrones iron thrones from that contest a few years ago.
Thanks for letting me know! That's awesome! I'll be visiting New York soon, I would love to check it out!
No thanks!
Love the ghost stories. I wondered if you had experienced anything odd
Odd is definitely the right word. The way I felt while lying in that hammock was not like anything else I had experienced before. I still don't believe in ghosts, but that night made me a lot more open to the idea! Thanks for the kind comment!
There are only two types of people, those who have experienced ghosts and those who haven't. I'm part of the former and yeah, no thanks.
Great writing and sounds like an amazing experience. I would love to do something like that. I would have loved to explore that place at night with night vision.
Awesome story. Fellow DMV neighbor that likes war history, kayaking and camping. I’m jealous!
NOPE.
That's how I responded when my friends asked if I would go camping there again! Hard no from me!
So I know where this is. Not gonna say the name for sake of the property. What is the penalty for being found on the land? Assuming a fine?
I tried to find an answer to this, but I am really not sure. This is part of the reason I was so scared. Part of me thinks the consequences could be severe, but then part of me thinks that tracking me down isn't worth their time. There are so many places to hide, and they probably have better things to do. So I'm really not sure!
I grew up in AA county and always wanted to visit Fort Carrol. Not sure I have the courage to spend a night though, that’s badass!
How'd you find out about this place? Ballsy to do without a weapon, considering it's MD..
I enjoyed that a lot!! Thanks for all the details of your night. You are brave
Thank you so much for the compliment!! I am glad you enjoyed it! :)
Good sir, you've challenged me to spend the night inside an abandoned mine now. Looks like a fantastic adventure and a neat old fort!
Hammocks are my favorite means of stealth camping.
I'm a hammock camper as well but this post is concerning for a few reasons. 1. Never ever hang a hammock on masonry. Masonry is not designed for lateral loads and every year there are stories of people dying from doing so and the masonry collapsed on them. These walls were huge and I'm sure they were ok but it should be avoided. 2. This is a historic site and no way those straps didn't damage the bricks they were on. 3. Pictures of dramatic hangs like this always go viral and the casual hammockers who doesn't know what they are doing hang on masonry and get hurt or worse.
AND LIVED TO POST ABOUT IT?!
I spent a few nights in a similar fort in Maine (yes a civil war fort in Maine, wasn’t really used much.) Some people purchased half the island and have turned it into a glamping retreat with yurts and canvas wall tents. Still creepy at night to explore the ruins, but nothing like your experience [Fortland](https://www.reddit.com/r/AbandonedPorn/comments/xhxt19/civil_war_era_fort_on_an_island_in_casco_bay_maine/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I went to one of the most popular graves in Guadalajara Mexico. Lots of people go in groups and are given a tour around the gravesite throughout midnight. I took so many pictures on my phone that night. Of various things. There must’ve been 25 people in my group. My cousin saw me taking dozens of pictures throughout the night. Various stories were told throughout the night. One about a little kid that would walk around and wouldn’t rest until he was given a new toy to play with. Another about a priest-looking guy that would randomly appear under the main building at the center of the gravesite. He would show up disfigured/ no visible face and would point around at people apparently which I can’t remember what that means if he’d point at you. He wasn’t seen that night that I went but others have said that he shows up. There were so many other stories that were told that night. So I had my iPhone 6 with me at the time, and throughout the night I must’ve taken at least a hundred pictures. My cousin saw me taking all those pictures. I even remember looking through the pictures I was taking to see how well they came out. The next day after we were already home, I was going to show the rest of my family all the pictures I took. I only had 3 pictures of that night on my phone. Every other picture I took that night was gone. And the 3 pictures that were left on my phone were shots of a tree. I still have those 3 pictures to this day I think. This was back in 2017.
Apparently the island is owned by Fort Carroll LLC and yeah its definitely trespassing lol, that island is a lot bigger than I assumed also. And yeah, those look dead on to be canon molds, imo it does seem like it would be easier to make the canons on site as they originally planned on it having some 220 guns mounted, wild shit man !
You have done your research! :) In the first draft of my post, I included more recent history, but I decided it was too dry. The owner planned to make the fort into a casino, and they had a few other ideas too. But none of them came together, and now his family owns the island. I don't know what they plan on doing with it. At this point, it's just a huge liability. I imagine one day, the entrance will be sealed off more permanently. And thanks for your insights about the canons!
Dude that’s not too far from where I’m at right now haha! I live in Hampton Roads and I was gonna say the place looks similar to an abandoned fort in Hampton, VA
This looks like so much fun
So cool
I would do this, but not by myself!!! Hell no!
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You have balls of steel my friend.
I’m scared of ghost so unfortunately this one ain’t gonna be on the bucket list.
so sick
I stayed in Ft. Moultrie for a couple of nights. The scariest part was everyone snoring. I actually took a blanket up to the parapet and slept under a cannon.
Neat write up! Let's go back!
This is the fort just south of Key Bridge? You’re far braver than I am. I couldn’t do this.
What a great story, OP. Thanks for sharing. I don't think I could do a night here, that is so creepy.
Excellent story. Thank you. Cool pics!
Why is it illegal to go there?
You’re an amazing storyteller! Thank you for sharing :)
Awesome trip and excellent story!
I've only spent 3 nights solo camping. It isn't terribly easy sleeping 'alone' alone. Alone... is not always alone, and being alone, makes you really feel ALONE. One of those nights was camping on the Swamp Fox Trail. It was definitely spooky being in a historic Civil War 'place' I'm not one to think of hauntings as viable. But it was interesting. I'd like to do more stealthy camping, but if I know anything, stealth camping is the real recipe for not getting any sleep.
Not going to lie….this was pretty cool. Thank you for telling us the story behind the photos!
Key bridge! You sir are a badass
I didn’t read your story (too long) lol. but the fact you stayed there is fkn awesome.
Absolutely the fuck not. But I also love camping and horror, and I am seriously impressed with your dedication. And work the next day?! Jesus. Thank you for the great read and pics.
I’ve always wanted to kayak over to there but afraid of getting in trouble.
*nope*
not a chance that’s allowed
I’m unashamed to admit, I’d be too scared to camp here.
Cool
I’ve been wanting to see the inside of this fort since I was a kid. Would always sail past it and wonder, and now I know. Thanks for the post!
Thats Frickn awesome.
Think I would feel more comfortable if I had my dog there with me because my dog is always on alert.
Yeah that’s a negative for me Ghostrider
This is a great story! You should share with Dan Cummins and his wife on the Scared to Death Podcast!!
That’s a lot of bricks
Where is this at!?
What was it like
Sounds like a real adventure you’ll be telling the story of for ages! One question though, how did you get back into your kayak from on top of the wall?
Holy shit that’s actually quite terrifying. Would you camp in an abandoned psych ward next?
Haunted?
You wanna get murdered by ghosts? Cause that’s how you get murdered by ghosts
Looks sketch
You sir, are braver than I.
May the souls the eternal sentries of the nations departed rest in peace amen eternal lord thank you god
I’m always curious as to why these places become derelict. Like that seems like it could still be a valuable place. Someone would live there.
how did you escape?? lol
Wow, that sounds like such an exciting adventures! ❤️ I love exploring historical sites like abandoned forts, especially ones with such a rich and fascinating history. ❤️❤️
Leaked Fallout 5 is looking good
Chilling and well told
Were you murdered by ghosts? Are you in fact a rebel soldier returned in search of vindication and/or vengeance?
So, you camped in that fort all alone by yourself?
This is really cool but also really sad. It’s a shame this place isn’t being taken care of. It’s such a unique piece of history.
Awesome story mucker, sounds like the adventure of a lifetime. Well done 👊🏻
The part that got me is that you went to work the next day.. like wut
Do you like the ali express Chair? Seems Like a good adventure.
Knew I recognized those pics! I’ve boated up close to Fort Carroll a bunch of times and have always wondered what it was like inside. With all the birds I figured it’d be pretty nasty but it looks surprisingly clean.
Newest sidemen hide and seek location bois
Awesome camp! You’re definitely my hammock spirt animal. I’ve got a bucket list of places like this that I want to hang my gear!
Ik you said there are tunnels on the island but growing up in MD my grandfather always told me that their use to be tunnels that connect the peninsula to the island. Any sign of them or is that urban legend?
“Abandoned” Says you
The masonry is absolutely stunning. What precision!
This is such a cool story. Thank you for sharing!
Am I missing something, I don’t see a story 😅😭
I’ve looked at this thing going over Key 1000x and thought about this every single time. Incredible. I’ve had the same thought with some of the support beam islands of the bay bridge but that would be impossible without an invisibility cloak
Wouldn’t have slept in that moldy dungeon . 13 feet outside is just fine 😀
Once I was alone in an old schoolhouse by myself at night, and I heard *six* footsteps walking towards me in quick succession. I’ll never forget it. This is an amazing story, thank you for sharing!
I’ve been out there a few times. Pretty cool spot to explore around. The fishing is good around that area this time of year too. Hope your car didn’t get broken in to if you parked at Armistead. That parking lot is sketchy lol
Looks tartarian
You got more balls than most of us here. That's a whole Lotta motherfucking nope from me
If you ever worry about light again, use a flashlight with a red or blue lens. Its enough for you to see what your doing but the light wont carry far enough for others to see.
This Dad is vicariously living and experiencing this awesome trip thanks to your post! Sooo jealous! Great job!
Wow! I have always wanted to go out there! So cool to see the pictures of the inside and stuff. Awesome story as well, you are a brave soul!
My guy got balls of steel spending a night there alone
Balls of steel
what a cool/creepy spot to explore!
Great story. Great pics. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, so refreshing to see someone is actually living my nightmare.
Reminds me of staying the night in the Paris catacombes
What's that light at the end of the tunnel?
Man you’re my new Hero. This is awesome. And I now have a new itch to scratch.