During this time of year, it's not surprising to hear tales of Maine hauntings. From spooky train rides to haunted houses, we've certainly got our fair share of ghost stories. But, a big part of Maine life is the water. And, we'd be remiss if we didn't give you at least a FEW ghost stories relating to our waterways. Here are some of spine tingling tales of some of Maine's spooky waterway creatures. If nothing else, they'll be a nice departure from the more obvious ghost stories that we hear every year.

1. The Curse of the Saco River in York

The legend of the Curse Saco River dates back to around 1547. A tribe of Indians living on Saco Island worshiped a nefarious river monster. One night, three drunken sailors made their way to Saco Island, grabbed a mother and child and sent them hurtling off Saco Falls. They believed that they’d survive the fall, but (somehow not surprisingly) they didn’t. The husband put a curse on the Saco River, demanding that the river monster kill three white men each year to avenge the deaths.

The river monster (who is sometimes called the "White Monkey" for his human-like appearance), has been seen several times since 1547. The most recent was in 1970.

2. The creatures of Mount Desert Island

The first sea serpent sighting in the area was reported in 1793. Captain Crabtree spotted a creature about 60 feet long swimming near his ship. The creature looked at the ship, but was more interested in the birds flying overhead. It just about disappeared before anyone could really report it as an actual sea creature. Similar sightings have been made on Cranberry Island. Captain David Thurlo reported seeing a similar monster in 1827 while fishing for mackerel off Mount Desert Island, and reportedly harpooned it. It escaped. Sightings were most frequent in the 1800s and slowly stopped in the 1900s.

3. Ponik, the creature of Lake Pohenagamook

While Ponik is known to inhabit Lake Pohenagamook, which is mostly found in Canada, we couldn't skip it. Because, really spooky waterway creatures will go wherever they like.Ponik was first spotted in 1873 and was reported to be seen walking down the beach and spitting fire and flames like a dragon might. Is this true? Hard to say. What we do know is that the Pohenagamook mayor, Guy Leblanc, reported seeing the strange being in 1990 during a boat ride on the lake. Everyone on the boat reports seeing the creature, but even today most say it simply resembled a giant sturgeon. Over time, Ponik has been described as a horse-like headed being with flippers and a snake-like body. When it swam, humpe were created in the water. In 1997 a local Maine business offered the public $500,000 for a photograph of Ponik. Nobody has claimed this prize yet.

4. The Monster of Pocomoonshine, Princeton

This lake in Washington County has held stories of lake monsters for as long as any Mainer in the area can remember. Some have even reported seeing the snake-like beings along with the trails they leave behind when the come to and leave the lake. While there are no photos of the creatures, locals estimate them to be anywhere from 30 - 60 feet long and could date back as far as 1873.

5. Cassie, the Sea Serpent of Casco Bay Area

Edward Preble who first sailed the waters of Penobscot Bay, spotted a large serpent creature floating motionless and near the ship. He was ordered to row over and investigate by the captain. As Preble approached the animal raised its head ten feet above the water, looked at the boat and swam away. In 1780, a similar sighting by Captain George Little was reported in Broad Bay. Initial reports have the creature estimated at 45 feet long with a head carried well above the waterline.

Want to take your love of spooky things on the road? Check out our famous haunted Maine road trip!