The Haunting of Vancouver Island: Supernatural Encounters with the Other Side

by Shanon Sinn

A compelling investigation into supernatural events and local lore on Vancouver Island.



Vancouver Island is known worldwide for its arresting natural beauty, but those who live here know that it is also imbued with a palpable supernatural energy. Researcher Shanon Sinn found his curiosity piqued by stories of mysterious sightings on the island—ghosts, sasquatches, sea serpents—but he was disappointed in the sensational and sometimes disrespectful way they were being retold or revised. Acting on his desire to transform these stories from unsubstantiated gossip to thoroughly researched accounts, Sinn uncovered fascinating details, identified historical inconsistencies, and now retells these encounters as accurately as possible.



Investigating 25 spellbinding tales that wind their way from the south end of the island to the north, Sinn explored hauntings in cities, in the forest, and on isolated logging roads. In addition to visiting castles, inns, and cemeteries, he followed the trail of spirits glimpsed on mountaintops, beaches, and water, and visited Heriot Bay Inn on Quadra Island and the Schooner Restaurant in Tofino to personally scrutinize reports of hauntings. Featuring First Nations stories from each of the three Indigenous groups who call Vancouver Island home—the Coast Salish, the Nuu-chah-nulth, and the Kwakwaka’wakw—the book includes an interview with Hereditary Chief James Swan of Ahousaht.

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Mythology, History, Canada, Dark

367 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

As a member of the British Columbia Ghosts & Hauntings Research Society (BCGHRS) and Paranormal Studies and Inquiries Canada (PSICAN), I research folklore and hauntings from a journalistic perspective. I write fictional ghost stories and dark fantasy/horror as well.

I'm also an infantry veteran, photographer, forager, and stand-up paddleboarder. I'm currently enrolled in Vancouver Island University's Creative Writing Program and was recently awarded the Barry Broadfoot Award for Journalism.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly fascinating read! Being from Vancouver Island I couldn't get enough of these stories. So, so good!

[Emily Menary · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the spirit of spook, and craving a community in my new town, I picked up The Haunting of Vancouver Island. Brief tales from all over the Island has inspired me to haunt-hop instead of bar-hop. Sinn (apart from having the perfect name for such a read) did his research. He travelled to these sites with an open mind, and dropped the writers’ ego at the door. He spoke to elders, locals, and tourists to transcribe full entries as best he could.
After also loading my October with horror movies that give you the where, why, and how of their respective hauntings in faux-documentary form, I think I expected the same here. Of course, real real accounts and research can only give so much, so many of the tales in this book ended along the lines of, « we don’t know why this is the way it is ».
That being said however, it’s a well done spooky read.

[Jay Storey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up on Vancouver Island, and have often heard (though never experienced myself) about the numerous paranormal events that have taken place there. This book captures a lot of the mystery and intrigue surrounding events up and down the island. I like that that author keeps an open mind, careful not to fall into the trap of just repeating unfounded rumours, that often turn out to be false, but also accepting that there could be something to the events described.

A fascinating read for anyone interested in the island, the paranormal, or the history of the area.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty terrible storytelling. The Nanaimo Museum covers the surrounding area's ghost stories around Halloween - much more entertaining.

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of the writing style. I did however enjoy learning some BC history and haunting stories.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read in tandem with a trip to Vancouver Island!

[Sionainn]

I think the premise for this is excellent. A different editor maybe? I rolled my eyes a lot, let’s just say that.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love reading about ghost stories and hauntings and was pretty excited to dive in. I was quickly disappointed. The writing was not captivating, leaving out a lot of interesting details. It seemed like most of the resources came from “creepy Canada” and the author’s own website, where people left uninteresting comments.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting stories within this book. I’ve spent a good chunk of time on the west coast of Canada, so this was really intriguing to read.

[Anne Evangelista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I was going to love this book because I really enjoy ghost stories. While I enjoyed learning about the island and learned some history that I never would have otherwise, the author’s writing style made it very difficult to fully enjoy the book. His best stories were the ones were he interviewed people or wrote about personal experiences rather than just talked about what someone said in an online forum, on a tv show, etc.

[Ella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt this got off to a good start with the story about the wolf. I liked that the author was in the story and this set up the expectation that there would be a personal connection to each story.

There was not. And as a result, it felt like I was reading pretty much any other location specific haunting/ghost story book. I think including more of a personal narrative would have made this book stand out from other books that cover this region.

[Sabrina Voerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read especially having been to many of the areas mentioned in this book. As someone who does not believe in ghosts, I found it merely entertaining and informational of the history of the island. I like that Sinn remained neutral and was never trying to force readers to believe in ghosts or not. I found it to be a very respectful way of writing this topic.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because I live on Vancouver Island and am interested in ghosts and strangeness. As I read through the introduction and the first few of more than two dozen chapters, I thought the material was presented in awkward chunks of history, folklore, and anecdote, mixed in with background material about ghosts and the paranormal, and even some autobiography. I thought the author contradicted himself by citing dubious sources such as TV programs, even though he said in the introduction that his perspective is an investigative one.

As I read on, I realized how ambitious the book is. Indeed, it does describe a large number of apparent hauntings and paranormal phenomena in locations all over Vancouver Island. Historical material provides context, and different accounts of apparitions are presented in order to illustrate how stories change over time as they are told and retold. Then there is the phenomenon of ghosts as celebrities and tourist attractions. Sinn's ideas about this add a valuable perspective to the topic.

Another element that distinguishes this book from the usual sort of account of the ghosts of a place, is the First Nations perspective. Sinn consulted members of several indigenous communities about paranormal phenomena and their relation with spirituality. The difference between white and indigenous views on the entity called Sasquatch and its indigenous analogues is especially telling; is it an ape-like monster or a spirit being?

Combining the descriptive, investigative, and critical elements, along with adding a personal perspective was an ambitious undertaking. To an extent, this accounts for some unevenness in presentation of the material.

The final chapter of the book (titled "Conclusion") examines the ghost story as a phenomenon, with references to some of the accounts in the preceding chapters. Sinn draws no conclusions about ghosts in general, but points out the presence of ghost stories in all human cultures and observes that they deserve attention and methodical investigation.

The book is enhanced by numerous illustrations and photographs, as well as a bibliography and index. One feature I think should have been set off in some way is the several paragraphs in which Sinn steps away from the investigator's narrative and vividly imagines a scene involving a particular ghostly appearance. In effect, these are verbal illustrations and effectively create creepy atmospheres. However, I think it would have been better if they had been labelled or highlighted in some way to distinguish them from the main text.

As someone familiar with the geography of the area, I thought this book enhanced my knowledge and appreciation of Vancouver Island, its history and its culture.

[Sephy Hallow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sinn doesn't quite grasp the meaning of the word "skeptic." His investigations are shallow, and he is quick to interpret perfectly explainable events (such as an old window closing by itself) as proof of the supernatural. Although I appreciated the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives and folklore or spiritual beliefs, the fact is the book is self-contradictory and relies on the author's innate sense of belief, rather than a "question everything first" approach expected of a true skeptic. This is quite troubling when dealing with supernatural claims, as Sinn himself demonstrates when relaying the story of the late journalist Joe Fisher. Fisher died by suicide after finding the "channeling" offered by psychics and mediums led to false information; instead of coming to the rational conclusion that the psychic was lying, Fisher believed he was being manipulated by spirits, and later threw himself off a cliff, still believing he was being harrassed by malevolent ghosts. It's a tragic tale in its own right, but the fact Sinn doesn't make the connection between the death of an evidently vulnerable man (even Sinn reports Fisher was on psychiatric medicine at the time of his suicide) and the manipulations of living, breathing people, insisting that there is still some use for psychics, and that they are largely good, honest people - despite vast quantities of evidence to the contrary demonstrating that psychics are either frauds using techniques such as cold reading to fool the grieved, or that they themselves are acting under the direction of a mental illness.

In addition to the problems with his loosely skeptical, but not particularly analytical stance (placing him at best as a weak advocate for the supernatural), the book itself is written in bursts of short, staccato sentences, giving it the sense that each story could be the first draft of an informational pamphlet. Even someone wanting to report pure facts could still lend atmosphere and a sense of place to the stories relayed, and it is disappointing that the events themselves are portrayed in such a bland manner.

[Amanie Johal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know Vancouver Island had so many ghost stories! It was fun to re-contextualize the places I've known all my life with the knowledge of the apparitions that have been witnessed there.

I appreciated the skeptic stance Sinn took with the stories because it would have been very easy to write the most sensational version of the stories, but the decision to investigate each story and strip it to the most verifiable pieces based on historical evidence available is admirable and actually more interesting. One comment I have, which I suspect is very specific to my brain, is that the skeptic commentary honestly added unexpected comedy. I can't even explain why I found it funny when he'd be like "Why does this ghost appear in April when she didn't die in the Spring? And why does she have different outfits during the day and night, especially with one of them being a wedding dress when she didn't die shortly after her marriage?". I don't know, like I said, probably just my brain.

As a sidenote, I was pleasantly surprised to see Susan Juby (author of Mindful of Murder, which I enjoyed) thanked in the Acknowledgements. Small world for Vancouver Island publishing!

[K. R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the worst books I've ever read. It seemed promising, as hauntings are an interesting subject matter, and I generally enjoy mysterious/paranormal/unexplained phenomenon type content. However this reads as though a high-schooler wrote it - amateur, bland, and a very basic, poor writing style. One of the first books I threw in the recycling bin after reading because it was so bad. Several of the "quotes" in the book were based off of Facebook comments... ugh... cringe... If I wanted to read Facebook I wouldn't have purchased a book. It is embarrassing that this is seen as a representation of the quality of writing coming from Vancouver Island, as we have so much more/better to offer. Also, a story written about Vancouver Island, which is fully First Nations territory through and through, written entirely by a white man, with little to no consultation of First Nations for their legends and lore... how disappointing. It reeked of the author's self importance and I wonder if he intended it for teens or kids maybe, as their level of reading would be more suited to the level of basic, uninspired writing found in these pages. I hated this book.

[Vixtrolla · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of ghost stories and folklore from Vancouver. I loved all of the research that went into each story. I often find that there is never enough background information when the supernatural is involved, so this was a nice change of pace.

Some of my favorites were:

-"The woman in chains": This ghost story had physical evidence of the ghost's body at the site of the haunting, which granted more weight to the story.
-"Kanaka Pete, Axe Murderer": The original account of this haunting was not as sensationalized and the witness (James Hearst Hawthrowaite) had nothing to gain by claiming the cabin he stayed in was haunted, which made the haunting seem more valid.
-"The Mystery of the Nanaimos Fire Hall": I enjoy the idea of a grandfatherly fireman protecting people even after his death. Also the life of the supposed spirit was even more interesting than the fact he might be haunting his fire hall.
-"Ghosts and Black Magic": This section contained a wonderful interview about Nun-Chan-Nulth beliefs.

Again, wonderful collection that I would recommend.

[Dee Chainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impeccably researched, Shanon Sinn's book delves into a world of spirits and strange creatures seen and experienced on Vancouver Island. Tales range from ghosts to cryptids, with stories being traced back to their original tellings, with careful attention given to accuracy of initial reports and eye-witness accounts. Stories are all explored from the community wider perspective and placed within their cultural context, with a commentary from the author on how the experiences have morphed and changed, or retained a sense of reliability, as they have transformed into local legend. One of my favourite aspects of the book is how the author's own critical eye and spirituality shines through the text, giving an added depth, and a feeling of connection to the island – and therefore to the tales that belong to it – which is strange, for a place the reader might not have visited. A fascinating journey into a region filled with folklore and spirituality that really evokes a sense of place, and brings a timeless and diverse landscape to life – one well worth reading!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hell of a book! Author Shannon Sinn takes the reader on a cross-island spooky tour. He shows the hauntings and creepy stories from the southern tip of Vancouver Island to the most northern point.

The way than Sinn made these stories flow together was nothing short of spectacular. I don't know if it was coincidence that they are interconnected, or or that he's just THAT good, or both - either way, it made for a really satisfying read. His prose is professional yet comforting, like a really nice neighbour who wrote you a thank-you note for bread you baked them.

I had a few standout tales that I love - the story of Staqueya, the spirit wolf - the Fan Tan Alley story - the Vancouver Island University Theatre's ghost (he's quite cheeky).

Many of the stories lean very heavily into Indigenous cultures and it was nice to get educated a bit on some of their spiritual beliefs.

This book really makes me want to go back and visit a few spots on the island. Not necessarily to get scared or see ghosts but just to see it's resplendent glory again!

[Michael Be Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction anthology explores Vancouver Island's supernatural reputation, debunking myths and presenting researched accounts of ghostly encounters, creature sightings, and other unexplained phenomena. The book delves into First Nations folklore and includes firsthand investigations of haunted locations across the island.

Reviewing an anthology is always so challenging, because I absolutely loved some of these, liked some, thought some were meh, and thought some were bad. However, as a whole I loved the approach of this nonfiction book. I love haunted things, even if I'm not sure I entirely believe in ghosts, the lore and history is so fascinating! Some of the stories could have been excluded because there was so little information to research and report on, while others had an abundance of information. So while this did feel imbalanced at times, it was very enjoyable as a whole even if I didn't find every story super interesting or captivating.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I've read, waste of $. It was so bad that I gave it away to my in-laws, and then a year later they forgot I had given it to them and gave it back to me, stating they couldn't get past the first few chapters. Boring, uninspired writing. It seems like the author wrote this while still in high school... such low quality. Each chapter is set up so awkwardly. I guess a young kid might enjoy it but they'd actually probably stop reading it because it was so boring. The best thing about the book is the cover art. Though the pages were a good fire starter for a backyard bonfire recently. Wish I could get my $ back.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just a collection of ghostly myths, it is more a journalistic research into the reports and tales of both classic Vancouver Island ghost sightings and other creatures (such as sea serpents.) Historical records, reports and often eyewitness accounts of the spirit activities are used to tell the tale but also sort through inconsistency, fraud and the truly unexplained. I found I learned a lot of the island’s factual history, both First Nations and British colonial and how ghostly activites are viewed and understood throughout.

[Storm Bookwyrm · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was in desperate need of an editor to help Sinn organize their research. Though they clearly did a lot of good legwork and investigation, reading the stories had the feeling of being made privvy to ALL of that research - out of logical order, without proper introduction to persons relevant to the cases, and regardless of whether Sinn discovered evidence to be erroneous. As much as I wanted to keep reading, I felt it necessary to stop, to keep from learning things I would simply have to UN-learn a sentence or two later.

[Christine Stobbe · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a sensational, scary read, this book isn't for you. This is an analysis of several popular ghost stories written by a pragmatic investigator who has an open mind but isn't likely to believe sensationalism. The content won't keep you awake at night, listening for scary noises. The writing was a bit dry in places, and I disliked how the author would occasionally stretch his creative writing wings to add a colorful "patch" into a story, because I felt that fiction and reality didn't blend well, in this instance. But overall, an interesting read.

[Mystic Faerie ✨️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars, rounded up) I really liked this book. I felt like the stories were well researched, and not told in a way just to scare people and sensationalize the story. The author included a lot of history behind the story, which was great. I feel like he really cared about the subject matter. He always stated both the reasons why and why not the story could be true. I felt that he represented our Island's lore very well, and with a lot of respect.

[Sharren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read about hauntings on my beautiful island. Shanon goes into each investigation with an open mind, believing that anything is possible, but he also does not blindly accept what he first sees or hears as fact. I recently discovered after a visit to our museum that most of the stories about Forbidden Plateau in the Comox Valley were shamelessly made up to encourage tourism, and so I was happy to see this was reported on in his book. Well done!!

[Brian Grouhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book about ghosts and spiritual beings as recounted by all manner of people living on Vancouver Island. The authors intense research is evident in the telling of the stories and the histories of the events. Having lived on the Island my whole life I had heard of a few ghost stories but this book opens up a whole new viewpoint with which to look at buildings and places, even in our own city, with a fresh perspective!

[BRAT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a fantastic read. The author ensures that he places the context of the research and stories, as well as his own experience and background into this book. Additionally he incorporates both Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge with proper acknowledgements and background to tell the hauntings of Vancouver Island. It’s a book that I would read in a well lit area or during the day.

[Kat Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick read. Appreciate that it was set up going from one end of the island to the other, and double appreciation for the authenticity and perspective that it's written from. Despite being a skeptic, Sinn did a good job of providing evidence and pointing out where things had gotten "amplified" for the sake of entertainment/appeal. Would love to be able to visit some of the spots mentioned

[Nazareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that there were so many events that have been explained. I like ghost stories that are told from a TRUE aspect. Making up ghost stories is easy!! Ensuring they’re truth, that’s the hard part. Loved the story telling.