The Honeymoon's Over

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina The Ghost Hunters Academy team lands in Wilmington, North Carolina for their next investigation: A stem-to-stern scouring of the USS North Carolina, a famous vessel from World War II. The ship has been the site of numerous reported paranormal phenomena, including objects moving, shadows, noises, strange lights and even apparitions. With two full nights to spend on the ship, the recruits are ready and enthusiastic to get things underway. Unfortunately, the beginning of the investigation is decidedly inauspicious. Equipment setup is delayed because the recruits didn't take notes on Steve and Tango's initial tour, and they quickly manage to get lost in the maze-like bowels of the ship. In addition, they have to show Heathyr, who once again refused the initial tour in an effort not to influence her work as a medium, the various hot spots. At 10:44, Steve and Tango find the equipment still not set up, and cut off the recruits' wanderings with a message that they have to get started on setup immediately. While the investigation gets underway, we hear from some of the recruits. Chris feels he's a natural-born leader, and that he will automatically segue into that role. Karl sees some butting heads among the team, but doesn't think it's a problem yet...but Susan feels corners are being cut, and that the team will pay for it later. During the first night, there are a few minor incidents. Chris, Ben and Susan hear some noises in the kitchen, and later get a very high EMF reading. Heathyr and Karl get a lesson from Steve and Tango on double-checking their equipment. Ultimately, the first night is relatively fruitless thanks to the problems and delays in setup. On night two, Steve and Tango decide to take matters into their own hands and lead the setup so as to allow more time for the recruits to investigate. In addition, they give some instruction on the use of the thermal cam to Chris and Susan, who use it to investigate, but quickly realize that its utility is limited in an environment covered with metal and glass that reflects a lot of infrared imagery. Meanwhile, Heathyr is having a medium moment. She says she's feeling something from a sailor named Thomas Greenwell. The other recruits aren't quite sure what to make of her claims or status as a medium, but she's convinced she's contacted a spirit. Steve and Tango wrap up the investigation and throw a special curveball at the recruits for the analysis phase: This time, it'll be each recruit for his- or herself, analyzing data alone, and the team leaders will see who does best. Chris finds a lot of noises on the EVP, and makes sure Ben and Karl know about it, but in the end, none of it would matter. Steve and Tango only need to listen to a couple of noted incidents to realize that the recruits did not take their advice about tagging their recordings, meaning any ambient noise could be mistaken for paranormal phenomena. In their opinion, this makes the entire investigation suspect. The mood is decidedly darker this time around as a disappointed Steve and Tango prepare to drive the recruits to their next destination, where the fate of one or more of the current team members may hang in the balance. Today's Lessons: - Always take notes when the team leaders are talking. - Double-check your camera angles. - Tag audio in your EVP sessions...or else.