by Kimberly Peterson | Sep 30, 2026 | Writing from the Sea
Hello all! It’s that time of year again! Here are all the paranormal findings that I’ve made note of for this year’s ghost hunts. Also… follow me at @paranormalsalem on TikTok. I share my favorite things from the season over there!
9/26/26- We heard “Get out of here” on someone’s spirit talker app and then we asked “Tell us on the spirit box if you want us to leave” and we heard “You’re intruding”. There was a lot of activity on the EMF detectors in the ouija board room. Names: Abigail, Bill, William, Cecelia, John, Benjamin.
9/27/26- Ghost radar said, “Listen” and then the REM Pod got really loud. A faint male voice kept coming through the spirit box over and over but we couldn’t understand him. Someone heard “Get it” on the spirit box and it reminded her to take it to the next room with her. Ghost radar said “worry” in the dark room and someone said they felt heavy after. We heard a male voice in the ouija board room… not on any equipment but with out own ears. REM pod and EMF detectors took turns going off multiple times.
9/28/26- The spirit box said, “Witchcraft” the moment we walked into the ouija board room. Someone said they could hear what sounded like a little girl whispering. They got the word “Fire” on the stairwell. Giles Corey came up.
9/30/26- Only 3 guests tonight (That’s never happened) I asked “What’s your name?” on the spirit box and heard “Ray” so I told the group about the night the group of firemen were there and we got so much on the spirit box that night and then we heard coughing and “arson” and they said they saw the spirit box move.
10/1/26- Asked “are you a ship captain?” And heard “sail” “compass” “radar” and “January”. In the stairwell, someone asked “Are you happy?” And they heard a scream. Someone also heard “smoke”. Names: Roman, Don, Kristen.
10/2/26- Quiet night. Someone heard “grandmother” and “ring” and she said her mom passed and she has her ring so she thinks that was a message from her. Names: Daniel, Ellen, Kepler. And a 17 year old girl?
10/3/26- In the ouija board room, someone asked “Where are you? Are you behind me” and we heard “In the back room” on the spirit box. And at one point there was a very noticeable small cold spot around the spirit box as it was being held. That was interesting. I don’t think that’s ever happened before. We asked “Can you light up this REM pod?” And heard “I don’t want to” on the spirit box. Someone said they felt like they were pushed. We asked for a name and heard Michael. Asked for an age and heard 13. Asked for their favorite color and heard red and green. Names: Jim, Robert, Edward, Billy, Tom, Michael, Jonathan.
10/4/26- I asked the REM pod to blink twice and the spirit box said “yeah” and it blinked twice. And then I knocked on the door 3x and asked the REM pod to light up 3x and it did. We asked “Where are you from?” And heard “We never left” super clear. Someone said that she felt like her forehead was touched. So they asked “Did you touch her forehead” and we heard “touch” on the spirit box. A lot of talk about the spirits being naked and bare. Ha. A Ghost radar said “Guide” so they said, “Do you want to talk to Meg?’ And the spirit box said, “I do” on the stairs. Names: Alice, Carlos, Jean.
10/5/26- We heard “On” on the spirit box and then all the EMF detectors and REM pod all lit up together. The door knocked back tonight. We heard “That was fun” when all the meters were lighting up all together again. A group heard “Dance” on the spirit box in the stairwell and someone’s phone started playing music out of nowhere. And then it said, “Run”. Names: Mike, Ollie, Grant, Victor, Kevin, Betsy.
by Kimberly Peterson | Feb 20, 2026 | Writing from the Sea
Fifteen years ago I started a tour company called Paranormal Salem. I would take small groups on a walking tour through the haunted streets of Salem starting at 10pm, using ghost hunting equipment. We’d end the tour in the basement of what used to be Salem’s first firehouse. I wrote a book about my experiences owning that company, the spooky things that happened during that time, and how those experiences shaped who I am today.
I was on a couple television shows back then. I was asked to speak at historic places such as The House of the Seven Gables and Old Sturbridge Village. I even taught a class called Paranormal Studies at North Shore Community College. (Yes, really.) When my daughter was born, I sold the company to move back to Seattle to be closer to family. (And the woman who bought it caused it to fizzle out.)
I didn’t completely stop paranormal investigation when I left Salem, but it wasn’t my main “thing” anymore. I hosted a “Ghost Hunting 101” event on Saturday nights at Merchants Cafe in Seattle. I offered “A Spirited Evening Connecting with the Other Side” at Intraspace at the Old Rainier Brewery. I did similar events and mediumship circles for spiritual retreats like Souldust and other gatherings. I was still teaching about paranormal history, equipment, debunking, intuition, and mediumship. I was still guiding people through experiences. It just wasn’t nightly walking tours through dark streets anymore.
Then after living on a boat for a few years and eventually moving back to Salem, I met the owner of Gallows Hill Theatre at a friend’s BBQ. I told him about my old ghostly adventures, and he suggested we collaborate on an event. That’s how I started hosting the “After Hours Ghost Hunt” every night in October for the past five years.
So, here’s my honest confession… Ghost hunting itself isn’t really my favorite thing. I don’t like trying to “get something” to happen, and I really don’t like turning spirits into entertainment (even though tourists here in October want that entertainment and my event sells out every night year after year).
What I do love about that event, though, is that people end up connecting with their loved ones on the other side. Sure, Salem has ghosts. Everywhere in Salem has ghosts. It’s Salem. It’s haunted. But the most meaningful moments aren’t when a K2 meter lights up. They’re when someone says, “My grandmother always said that,” or “That song was his favorite,” or they feel something they can’t quite explain but know in their body.
Connecting with people you love is really freaking special. This is the part that feels aligned with who I am today and the rest of my business.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been brainstorming what I want my October events to look like going forward. I started thinking I needed to invent something new. Something exciting and marketable. And then I remembered that I’ve already done this…
Like I said, I taught Paranormal Studies at a community college. I lectured at The House of the Seven Gables and Old Sturbridge Village. I created “A Spirited Evening Connecting with the Other Side” years ago. I’ve blended history, investigation, intuition, and mediumship before. Many times. In many places. Somehow I forgot that this has always been part of what I do.
I want to do paranormal events that feel more me. More intentional and aligned with the healer, educator, and intuitive I’ve become.
I don’t want to “hunt ghosts”. I want to teach people how to listen. I want to talk about the history of ghost hunting and what pop culture gets wrong. I want to show my own photos and EVPs and tell the story of the ghost of a young girl at the Lyceum. I want to talk about the weight of hearing “It’s so cold. I’m thirsty.” at the site of the old witch dungeon and what that does to you over time. I want to explain the “clairs” and signs and symbols. I want to guide a meditation. I want to hand someone a pendulum and teach them how to ask a question to someone they love.
So instead of completely reinventing myself, I’m returning to something I’ve already done, but doing it even more clearly and more intentional. And in my own beautiful private office space.
So here’s the rough copy I have so far for this new event:
A Spirited Evening Connecting with the Other Side
A unique workshop bridging intuitive mediumship and modern paranormal investigation. Or… A hands-on workshop bridging intuitive mediumship and modern paranormal investigation. (Not sure which one I like better. Thoughts?)
Step inside an intimate 90-minute indoor workshop exploring the history, tools, and lived experiences behind paranormal investigation in Salem. Drawing from material I previously taught in college-level Paranormal Studies courses, along with years of leading investigations through haunted sites in Salem and beyond, this evening blends education, storytelling, and guided experiential practice.
We’ll explore how ghost hunting actually works, including the use of tools like K2 meters and spirit boxes, and how investigators responsibly interpret what they encounter. Through slides, personal photographs, and real EVPs collected during past investigations, I’ll share some of the moments that reshaped my understanding of the unseen and the responsibility that comes with this work.
Alongside the investigative foundation, we’ll dive into intuition and mediumship. You’ll learn about signs and symbols, the “clairs,” and how connection with the other side can show up in everyday life. The evening includes guided intuitive exercises to connect with your own loved ones, and a small-group spirit communication circle using investigative tools in a protected, respectful way.
Each guest receives a pendulum to take home and may choose a signed copy of one of my books, Ghost Stories & Hippie Sh*t or Sea of Colors: A Voyage Through the Chakras.
Part history lesson. Part intuitive development. Part séance.
Limited to 12 guests.
I’m planning to begin offering this new event on Saturday evenings starting in April, and then nightly in October. I’m not sure what this means for the October “After Hours Ghost Hunt” yet. I’ll likely do both this year. “A Spirited Evening…” at 7pm, and a 9pm “… Ghost Hunt”. Maybe. We’ll see.
by Kimberly Peterson | Oct 20, 2025 | Writing from the Sea
I had the opportunity to visit almost all of the museums and attractions here in Salem Massachusetts over the summer. Most of them I had visited previously but it had been years and years. Here are my thoughts on each one along with a video I made about them…
Witch Dungeon Museum: This museum features a reenactment of a witch trial based on real 1692 transcripts, followed by a tour of a recreated dungeon that shows the small, dark cells where the accused were held. Overall I think they do a great job teaching about the Salem Witch Trials.
Edited 9/2/26: Note that Blackcraft Haunt is included in this first video. This is no longer here. It was replaced by The Warren Museum and I don’t plan to visit there.
Museum of Torture: This museum is relatively new and very well done in my opinion. They have authentic torture devices, each with stories and context. It’s chilling but educational. The ambiance has soft lighting and subtle sound which adds an eerie vibe. It takes about 30 minutes to go through and I highly recommend a visit.
Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery: If you love horror movies, go here. It’s not a haunted house and there are no jump scares (yay), but it’s surprisingly immersive. You’ll see life-sized monsters, movie props, masks, and more. The displays include trivia about film history and special effects. As someone who appreciates art and detail, I think it’s very cool.
Witch History Museum: I think you can skip this one. They do a very brief presentation about the trials, and then a guide takes you to a dim basement full of cheesy dioramas. Some of the information is blatantly wrong, and they don’t even say Giles Corey’s name correctly. Skip this one unless you purchase a combo ticket with The Witch Dungeon Museum and New England Pirate Museum and you’re bored and need a laugh.
Halloween Museum: You wear 3D glasses as you go through this museum and their floor is especially cool. There’s a nostalgic collection of Halloween memorabilia, from vintage costumes to classic decorations. It’s very family friendly and a pretty quick little museum that’s worth checking out.
The Witch House: Judge Jonathan Corwin one lived here so it’s very funny to me that they called it The Witch House. He’s probably mad and haunts it. 🙂 It’s the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the trials. You walk through (self-guided) and see original architecture, period furnishings, and a bit of museum-type history pieces and information. It’s also really pretty from the outside and great for photos.
The Salem Witch Board Museum: Highly, highly recommend. It’s a small but fascinating museum filled with Ouija boards and spooky history. I kinda wish I had time to pop in here everyday. The owner, John, is a wealth of information and a great storyteller. I think he needs to write a book.
Real Pirates Museum: If you’re going to choose just one pirate museum to visit in Salem, I’d choose this one. This museum is filled with real artifacts from the wreck of a ship called the Whydah including coins, cannons, and pirate treasure. You learn a lot about the passengers aboard and what piracy on the east coast was really like.
New England Pirate Museum: This museum takes you through different dioramas of pirate scenes as a guide tells you stories. It’s pretty outdated and less authentic, but still fun. It does have some interesting information about piracy and privateering. This is also part of a combo ticket if you are visiting the Witch Dungeon Museum and Witch History Museum.
Salem Witch Museum: A classic Salem tourist attraction. It is very accurate but I really feel like it could use a refresh. You sit in a big room while scenes above you light up as a voice-over tells you history of the Salem Witch Trials. And then you get a short guided tour about the history of witchcraft, from the burning times to modern day witchcraft. I wish the latter part of the experience lasted a bit longer so you have time to read everything.
Salem Wax Museum: I think this museum is only worth your time if you’re buying a combo ticket for all the “Haunted Neighborhood” has to offer. It’s great bang for your buck if you want to visit their haunted houses, see a spell casting, or go on a walking tour. They’ve done a lot of updating recently but it still has that old outdated cheesy Salem attraction charm. For laughs, look around and count how many wax figures are missing their hands and fingers.
The House of the Seven Gables: This house was made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel. It’s been a tourist attraction in Salem for generations and I think it’s definitely worth a visit. A guide takes you through each room of the house telling stories and history, and there’s even a secret stairway and a secret liquor closet that once held souvenirs to sell. You can also visit Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth place that was moved on to the property. And make sure you visit the gardens. They’re beautiful and right on the water.
The Peabody Essex Museum: This is one of the oldest museums in the country founded in 1799 by sea captains as the East India Marine Society. Salem used to be the biggest maritime port in the US and this museum is filled with art, history, and culture from all over the world. It’s beautiful, modern, and calming. They recently added a permanent exhibit for the Salem Witch Trials with real artifacts owned by the accused. I visit this museum frequently and I highly recommend it. Make sure to visit the Chinese House.
Professor Spindlewink’s World of Wizardry: You walk through a series of interactive themed rooms filled with lights, sounds, and fantasy creatures. It feels more like stepping into a storybook than a museum, and kids love it. It’s a nice break from all the witch trial history if you want something lighter and a little more magical.
Gallows Hill Theatre: The Main Show is a mix of live actors, holograms, ghostly projections, and 4D effects to bring witch history to life. It’s spooky and theatrical. A great stop if you want something that feels like part haunted house, part history lesson.
After Hours Ghost Hunt: My event! Every night in October. This is a real paranormal investigation with real ghost hunting equipment. If you love ghosts and Salem history, come see me. More info HERE.
And lastly, come see me at Celestial Navigation Astrology for a reading or healing session. I combine astrology, tarot, reiki, sound healing, and chakra work to give guidance, clarity, and a little magic for your day. I also give private walking tours, teach workshops, and more. You can read all about my in-person offerings HERE and book right on my website.
I hope you enjoy your time in Salem and I’ll see you soon. 🙂
by Kimberly Peterson | Sep 29, 2025 | Writing from the Sea
Hello fellow ghost hunters! It’s that time once again. This is all the strange things that happen during my After Hours Ghost Hunt at Gallows Hill Theatre for 2025. Also… I tell the best of these stories on Tiktok so make sure you’re following me over there @paranormalsalem.
9/26/25- A guest who attended last year walked into the very first room and someone’s ghost radar app said his name, Robert. Someone was touched on their shoulder blade. He asked the person next to him if he touched him and he and the spirit box said “no” at the same time. The spirit box said, “Following you” as I told the guests we were going to walk further into the haunted house. Names: Robert, Steve, Pete, Lizzie, Jeff, Joe, Tony.
9/27/25- A group was picking up on a kid in room one named Grace. In the starwell they kept hearing “fall” and the name Mark or Marcus. Super responsive cat balls tonight. One of them jumped off the bench and onto the floor. Names: Grace, Marcus, Justin, Mason, Connor, Steve, Andrew, George, Sally.
9/28/25- A group came to see if a woman could contact her dad who had passed. His favorite number was 3 and I put them in group 3. She also said her mom died at 3:33 so they have a huge connection with that number and it seemed to keep coming up. I asked if the spirit remembered my name and the spirit box said “Kim”. We heard “hold on” in room two as I told the group we would be walking to another room. Someone said that it looked like there was a person-shaped image on the thermal imaging camera but I couldn’t verify it as someone moved into it’s way. We had some strange shadows on the back wall of room 2. It could have been a spider on the flashlight? It was weird. Check out the video on my Tiktok channel. The door in room 1 knocked back. Names: Mike, Jack, Jazz.
9/29/25- We heard lots of shuffling and footsteps tonight… probably upstairs but I never hear that. K2 meters and ghost meter going off simultaneously. My spirit talker app said “I’m right next to you” and the flashlight next to me lit up.
9/30/25- Heard footsteps again. Every time I turned the spirit box off they stopped. K2 meters strong but not consistent.
10/1/25- Asked “What’s your favorite color?” Spirit box said Ivory. Also heard Evil or Eva “Absolutely not” (I wrote “got closer” in my notes but I don’t remember what that refers to…. absolutely not as we walked closer to something?) Crazy night, but not because of the paranormal. Made a Tiktok about it.
10/2/25- Spirit box said, “Don’t go” when I got up to leave. And also said, “Don’t” another time I got up to leave. What’s your favorite color? “Purple” Someone asked “Would you chew on a Lego?” and the spirit box said, “Alright”. and then later a group asked if they missed the last group and it said, “I don’t know what he said.” so we joked that the spirit didn’t know what a Lego was. As we were walking through towards the ouija board room, I told the group we were going to turn left and the spirit box said, “Turn”. I said we were going further in and it said, “Good”. Names: Robert, Jeffery, Dave.
10/3/25- What’s your favorite color? “Red” on the spirit box. Someone asked “Do you want us to go?” and all the meters lit up. So we got up to leave and the spirit box said, “Wait”. We heard “Ghost” on the spirit box so we said, “Are you a ghost?” and it said, “human”. Names: Luke, Henry, Fred.
10/4/25- Spirit box said, “I don’t feel well”. and then “From Miami” and two guests in the room were from Miami. Someone said, “I don’t like it in here” and it said “That’s great”. Someone’s ghost radar said, “Tom” and then the spirit box said “Gracie”. Someone told us that those are his grandparent’s names and he asked for a last name a little while later and the spirit box said his last name. I told the group it was time to leave and the spirit box said ,”Gotta go”. Names: Jeff & Pam (Jeff is Pam’s brother who passed), Mike, John, Justin, Tony.
10/5/25- The spirit box said “Evil” so someone asked, “Are we evil?” and it said “Yeah.” We got the number 77 when someone asked for an age. One guest said that was the age his father passed away. Got the name Robert many times this night. Also, Andrew/Andy
10/6/25- I said, “It’s time to switch!” and the spirit box said, “Yes”. We asked for a name and it said “Maurice”. Asked for a color, it said, “Red”. Asked, “Did you live here?” Heard “Affirmative”. We heard a man’s voice and a woman’s voice going back and forth but couldn’t always hear what they said. We heard “Idiot” and “You’re dead” and we joked that it was couple arguing about how to use the spirit box. Later someone else asked for a name and it said, “I don’t remember”. Frank was another name this evening.
10/7/25-Someone brought a spirit candle (an EMF candle) and asked the spirit to sit on the chair it was on and it went off. Someone asked “Were you here in the fire?” and we heard, “Yeah I was.” We were getting something about falling on the first floor. The door in room one knocked back tonight. A girl was mispronouncing the word “dowsing” as she was using the dowsing rods and the spirit box said, “What did you say?” We heard noises, like moaning in the next room and the K2 meters started going off at the same time. Names: George, Bob.
10/8/25- My apple watch started doing something weird I’ve never seen it do, like it was trying to connect with a device I didn’t have. I asked, “Was that you?” and heard “It was me.” Someone asked, “Can you show yourself on the camera?” and we heard “no” twice. We thought maybe we were talking to a sailor and I asked what their ship name was and heard, “Who knows”. Someone said it looked like they saw a figure with the thermal camera. Names: Raymond (first time this season), Mark, Mike.
10/9/25- Spirit box said “Hello” the moment I started. K2 meter was going off and the spirit box said, “Interesting”. The person holding the K2 meter said his fingers were getting colder and it looked like they were cold on the thermal camera. When Pam left the room, the spirit box said, “There she goes”. Names: Robert, Edward, Patrick, Albert.
10/10/25- Someone’s Ghost radar said “Bad” and they asked, “Can you tell me what’s bad?” and the spirit box said, “I’m a ghost”. And later when a different group was in that room, the spirit box said, “Hi, I’m a ghost”. The spirit box also said the name Emily twice and Emily was a guest in the room. Later in the evening, everyone in the stairwell started coming downstairs at once. They said the spirit box told them “Everyone get down there”. A cat ball kept going off inside a bucket when no one was near it and the K2 meters also started going off… really strong when we asked if their name was Jonathan. Someone told a knock knock joke and the spirit box said “knock” back. Names: Greg, Charlie, Chad, Shawn, Frank, Andrew, Donald, Julie, Jake, Ray.
10/11/25- The door knocked back tonight. We heard “I’m watching you” and “I’m coming” and then the K2 meters started going crazy. One guest asked the spirit box questions in Russian and they received responses in Russian. They said it said hello in two different forms in Russian and that they said they were an old man. Names: Kate, Frank, Brad, John, Michael, Mike, Jimmy, James, Kevin, Ann.
10/12/25- The spirit box said Kaitlin and that’s the name of someone in the room. And then it said, “Who’s that person?” Asked for a color, got “green”, asked for a favorite food and it said, “Cod”. The cat ball was lighting up when we asked if it was Jonathan (That name sure has been coming up a lot the past few days.) Names: Tito, Roger, Liam.
10/13/25- Spirit box said, “I’m here”. Someone asked if the spirit could knock for us and the spirit box said the word “knock”. A Ghost radar said “nightmare” and a guest was wearing a Nightmare on Elm Street shirt so he said, “Are you talking about my shirt?” and a Spirit box said, “Indeed”. They asked if there were two spirits and it said, “Yes” but later we heard “One”. Names: Hannah, Henry, Jason, Mike, John, William.
10/14/25- One guest had the word “Wild” tattooed on his knuckles and the spirit box said “Wild” twice. Meg was giving someone further instructions on how to use the an EMF detector and the spirit box said, “Let’s talk.” One guest took quite a few paranormal photos. One of a shadow in the window of the door in room 1. And one of what looks like a spirit coming through the wall in room 3. That’s the room/wall that all of us who work there get weird vibes from. Name: Peter
10/15/25- I was walking a group through the haunted house and I said, “Don’t worry, nothing is going to jump at you” and the spirit box said, “That’s good.” We also heard it say “Hi” 3 times. Someone got the name Maurice and then the spirit box said, “I died”. They asked how they died and it responded “Natural”. Another guest asked if the spirit could see a light and the spirit box said “That light”. Names: Jack, Christopher, Matthew, Annie, Adam, Cory.
10/16/25- Someone asked, “Are you part of our family? Give us any family name, first or last” and their Ghost radar said their last name. We asked “Can you show yourself on the thermal camera?” and the spirit box said no. Then we asked, “Do you not know how or do you not want to?” and heard “How”. Someone asked, “Is there anyone there?” and we heard “Old man”. The thermal camera looked like it suddenly had a layer of fog and then turned off as the spirit box said “Accident”. I asked “Are you trying to tell me something?” and heard “Yes” as the K2 meter went off. I asked, “Was that you? Did you turn that off?” and it turned back on. One guest had a really special connection talking to her grandmother and dad who passed. She got the word “Word”and she said her and her grandma used to love doing word searches together. She got “Mexico” and she spent winters in New Mexico. And “Bark” and her dog was really important to her. Two guests also said they swear they saw a dog run by them in two different rooms. She also heard her dad’s name. Lastly, someone was using the K2 meter on the ouija board and it lit up on N…A… and P…Â And someone said, “We’re talking to Napoleon!” and I thought that was funny. Names: Carey, Richard, William, Peter.
10/17/25- We heard a woman’s voice say Lisa three different times through the spirit box and then a man’s voice that said, “It’s not real” and “call me handsome”. Later we heard, “Come up to me” and “Always behind you” (Creepy!) “I’m here” “There are arrangements” “Speak up”. We asked, “Are you here for someone?” and heard ” I bet you guys are”. One woman jumped and screamed and said she was grabbed on the shoulder. Someone else tried to use the ouija board on the wall with a K2 meter like last night and it lit up on the letter M. Someone asked, “Are you mark?” and the spirit box said Mark aas the K2 lit up. Other names: Harry, Charles, Maya, James, Phillip, Albert, Emma.
10/18/25- Right off the bat the spirit box said, “Will” and three people in the room were named Will. Second night in a row where someone was touched on the shoulder. As I was walking a group through the haunted house the spirit box said, “In the front”. Names: Autumn, Leon, Fried, James, Tom, John, Rose, Raymond.
10/19/25- Someone said, “Make yourself known” and the spirit box said, “I already did.” K2 meter was all the way red and the spirit box said, “I’m there with the light”. Later we also heard, “I just work here” on the spirit box, and the word “work” at the same time on Ghost radar. Names: Jack, George, David.
10/20/25- I asked, “What do you think of me being here every night?” and heard the word “Laugh” followed by laughter on the spirit box. I told a group that the spirit box likes to shout out directions as I’m walking groups through in the dark and it said, “On the right”. Someone asked, “How many are here?” and it said, 7.. and then 8 as I walked in. We also heard “Do you know what he wants” as someone was asking the spirit box a lot of questions. I asked the K2 meter to light up 3x in a row and it did. Names: Steve, Andres, Joe, Patrick, Paul.
10/21/25- K2 meter was going crazy. Someone asked it to only light up to orange and it did, while the spirit box said the word orange at the same time. We heard “Don’t” on the spirit box twice after hearing it on Ghost radar. The door knocked by itself twice tonight. Two groups got the name Tiffany in two different rooms. I walked back to take a group further into room two and they asked me what was behind the curtain. I told them it’s just another room of the haunted house and they said that they all heard and saw someone behind the curtain. Someone said they think they got it on film. We’ll see if they send it to me. We asked, “Are you friendly?” and heard “Of course.” but also heard “Go away” as we were leaving. The spirit box was speaking back in Spanish to someone. I even heard it say Hola. Another guest was using the K2 meter and moving it up and down the wall and the spirit box said, “You’re going up”. Names: Steve, Frank, John, James. Oh, also, I walked into a room and said, “It’s me, I’m not a ghost” and I thought someone said, “Yet…” and I thought that was funny.
10/22/25- We got the words “I was shot”, “I was scared” on the spirit talker app and then the spirit box said “Doctor” as one person’s Ghost radar said “Physical” and another said, “Death”. It was weird to have so many related words all at once. One guest had really strong contact with her husband of 40 years who had passed earlier this year. The spirit box said his name “Bill” and then said, “I’m here”. Later when another group was in that room with me, we heard “North Carolina” on the spirit box. I went to a few other rooms to ask if anyone in attendance was from North Carolina and the same woman said that she is. So I went back into that room to tell that group that Bill’s wife is from North Carolina. So they asked if the spirit box could say her name and it said her name, Angela. How cool that this man came through so strong for her. Later on, likely unrelated, someone asked for a favorite color and we heard “Red” twice. The spirit talker app said, “This land is cursed” and the spirit box said, “I didn’t say that”. Only other name tonight: Mike
10/23/25- The second I turned the spirit box on it said, “We’re aware.” It also gave directions again and said “left” after I said we were going left. I thought I saw someone coming into the ouija board room but no one was there when I asked. The spirit box said, “Other room” so someone walked over to that room and their K2 meter lit up. Someone in the stairwell asked if it was hard to talk through a spirit box and it replied “It’s hard”. Names: Victor, Milton, Harry, David, Fredrick, Barbara.
10/24/25- The group was pretty excited and loud tonight and when that happens, we don’t get a whole lot of activity. The spirit box said Max and that was the name of someone in the room. It said “circle” as I was giving directions through the haunted house. I asked the K2 meter to light up 3x in a row and it did. Names: Tom, Oliver Putnam, Giles, Robin.
10/25/25- Spirit box said, “What’s that ball?” as we were talking about the cat ball. I was giving directions in the haunted house and it said, “Here we go!” Lots of names tonight: Will, William, John, Jack, Thomas, Raymond, Ryan, Bill/Billy, Harry, Mark, Mary. Janis, Natalie.
10/26/25- I asked the spirit box what the spirits think of me being down there every night and heard, “Wonderful”. We asked, “Are you a woman?” and heard “yes” in a woman’s voice. It said, “Don’t go” as I went to leave. We were hearing a kid’s voice on the spirit box so I ran off to go grab a cat ball and set it on the floor. I asked for the kid to play with the ball and it lit up on command. It lit up 3 or 4 more times as we sat there. Names: Mark, Richard, Tim. Daniel.
10/27/25- We heard “Hello” right off the bat as soon as I turned the spirit box on tonight. Later it said, “Turn around” as the K2 meter lit up to red. I asked for the K2 meter to turn off and it did.. right away, twice, like magic. 🙂 We heard “Hello” again with the next group as well. And another group we heard “You’re on a roll” as I was walking a group through the haunted house. Someone said they heard, “House fire” in the stairwell. Names: Frank, John, Edward, William.
10/28/25- This night we heard a lot of different related words all at once. Some on the spirit box and some on different apps: “I have to go to the doctor”, “Gonorrhea” or “diarrhea” (not sure which), “Hurting”, “Negative” and “I died”. We also heard the name Michael a few times so we asked, “Is your name Michael?” and heard, “You bet.” When another group was in the room, we heard “Lillian” on the spirit box which was the grandmother’s name of a guest named Michael in the room. Other names: Raymond (also the name of Michael’s grandfather) and Edward
10/29/25- We heard “Don’t” as I told a group that I was going to leave the room. A cat ball and a flashlight were especially active tonight. Names: Mike, Mitchell, Robert, Edward, Jim, Evelyn.
10/30/25- We asked “Can you move that cat ball?” and the spirit box said, “I want to see what it does.” Oh! This was cool… So we heard the name Tyler which is my son’s name, and we heard Evelynn the night before which is my daughter’s name. Usually each year I hear from my deceased father in law but hadn’t yet this season. So it kind of dawned on me that it could be their grandfather. I told myself I’d ask if he was there when I went back in that room with a different group. In the meantime I went to move the group in the stairwell and I asked, “Did you get any names in here?” And they said, “Yes. Tony.” That’s his name. Of course. So he was there that night to say hi. 🙂 I also heard the word “Married” which is kind of funny since his son and I got divorced. I wonder what he thinks of that. Later that evening, the thermal camera died, and 10 seconds later someone’s spirit talker app said “Drain camera” we then asked, “If that was you, can you move that cat toy?” and it lit up. Other names: Thomas, Mike, Ellen, Catherine.
11/1/25- We heard, “Hello” right away. We also heard “I was here” and “How’s it going?” The spirit box and the ghost radar both said “Secret” right after the other. Since this was my last night of the season, I asked, “Are you going to miss me after tonight?” and heard “Sort of”. I asked, “Are you glad we’re here?” and heard “Yes I do”. I said, “Are you sad for me to leave?” and heard “Excited”. (Ha, ok thanks). And at the very end of the evening I said, “Ok, this will be my last night down here for a while” and heard “Miss me”. and “November” I said, “It was nice chatting with you the past month!” and heard, “Thanks!” as the K2 meters in the room went all the way to read. I kind of love that was the last message before packing up for the year. 🙂 Names: Seth, Sam, Tom, Raymond, Mike, Ben, Harry.
Well, it’s been fun! Thanks all! Hope to see you next year!
by Kimberly Peterson | Jan 5, 2025 | Writing from the Sea
Dear Kimberly Bizjak,
The other day, a client looked me in the eye and said, “You look like you’ve shed a heavy coat.” I smiled and told her, “You’re right. The funny thing is, I didn’t even know I was wearing one.”
I’m writing to you now, from the other side. From the freedom, the peace, the lightness. And I need to apologize—to you, to us—for not recognizing the weight of that coat sooner.
I am sorry for the years you spent carrying the emotional and mental load of a man who never saw you. I’m sorry for the countless nights you lay awake, wondering why you felt so lonely in a marriage. For the silent stares and the dismissive reactions when you tried to share your feelings. For the way he twisted your emotions into weapons to make you believe you were the problem. You weren’t. You were a lighthouse in the storm, and he refused to see the light.
You cooked, cleaned, shopped, raised kids, worked full-time, and somehow still earned a master’s degree. You were a machine when you should have been a human. You poured yourself into everyone else and left nothing for you. Meanwhile, he went to his job, came home, sat down to dinner on the table, and left the rest to you—his partner, his caretaker, his emotional punching bag. And you thought it was normal. You had been with him since you were fifteen. How could you have known otherwise?
His mother moved across the country to fold his underwear and bear the burden he never learned to carry himself. But you—you carried it all for years, didn’t you? The careful tiptoeing around his moods, the constant forgiving of his lack of empathy, the appointments at the mental hospital towards the end when he refused to admit he had the same mental illness as his father. You wanted to be his safe place, his rock, his everything. And in doing so, you lost yourself.
I’m sorry, married me, for letting you believe that this was what love looked like. That a man who never told you you were beautiful was all you deserved. That love meant silence, sacrifice, and self-abandonment. You deserved so much more than that. You deserved to be seen.
But here’s the thing—you are seen now. By me. By this version of us who finally realized that love starts with self-love. I see you, the woman who shed that coat and stepped into the world as herself again. Who learned that no amount of love or empathy can fix someone who refuses to do the work. Who finally let go of the hope that he would become the person you needed him to be.
Let me tell you about life on this side. The apartment is quiet in the best way. No blank stares. No walking on eggshells. No one controlling what you say, do, or feel. Just peace. Just freedom. The kids see a stronger version of their mom now—one who loves herself enough to demand better.
You don’t have to carry anyone anymore, except yourself. And you do it so beautifully now, with grace and strength and joy. You laugh more. You breathe more. You live more.
This is what I want you to know: The coat wasn’t yours to carry. It was stitched together from his inability to grow, his unwillingness to care, his refusal to communicate. And you wore it for far too long, thinking it was just the weight of being a wife and mother. But it wasn’t. It was the weight of a one-sided partnership, and you deserved so much more than that.
I’m proud of you for finally refusing to be defined by someone who never saw your worth. For creating a life that’s lighter, happier, and more you.
And if this letter finds its way to someone else—a woman sitting under the weight of her own invisible coat—I want her to know this: You don’t have to carry it. You never did. The freedom you’re looking for is out here, waiting for you.
With all the love you’ve learned to give yourself,
Kim Peterson
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