Caleuche

The Caleuche is a ghost ship from the legends of Chiloé, a large island off the coast of southern Chile. People there say it sails at night, glowing with lights and filled with music, and that it can slip through the waters of the island's channels faster than any real vessel.

It is a story, not a real ship. Folklorists link it to local beliefs about the sea, to witches and spirits, and to older European tales of phantom ships. No evidence shows that such a vessel exists, but the legend is still told in Chiloé today and is part of the island's culture.

What does the legend say?

In the tales, the Caleuche is crewed by witches and spirits and is seen only at night, bright with lights. Sailors who hear its music may be lured aboard, and people who board are said to fall into a daze so they cannot reveal its secrets.

The ship can vanish at once. To escape notice it can turn into a tree trunk or a rock, and its crew can change into seals, sea lions, dolphins or seabirds. Some stories say foggy days are when it can be sensed, by the sound of chains, parties and music.

Where could the story come from?

The name may come from a Mapuche word meaning "to transform", which fits a ship that changes shape. Another idea is that the tale grew from a Dutch ship lost at sea in the early 1600s, mixed with European ghost-ship stories that arrived with sailors.

Seas around Chiloé are foggy and full of narrow channels, so odd lights and sounds on the water were easy to explain with a magical ship. Treat it as folklore: a way for island people to talk about danger, mystery and the sea.

On the globe

Find it on the globe near the island of Chiloé in southern Chile and zoom in to open its card.