Got spooks?
Call Nantucket's new ghostbusters
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Have you ever experienced a creepy feeling in your house that you are not alone, though physically you really are? Have you had lights go off and on, doors open and close or objects move inexplicably, or perhaps heard voices when no one is present?

Now help is available to find answers to your questions or fears with formation of Paranormal Investigations, a group of four men who, free of charge, will search the building in question and either document your spirits or find the practical and fixable reason behind what you sense.

The men - Ray Sylvia, Jr., Bob Grangrade, Scott Williams and Brian Potter, ranging in age from their late 20s to mid-30s and all natives except for Potter, have had some brush with the otherworldly in their lives and been interested in the paranormal since they were youths. Sylvia, Williams and Grangrade have a rock band called Dead Wait, and know Potter as a friend. All of them have day jobs with Grangrade working at Hatch's, Sylvia does the sign work for the Department of Public Works, and Williams and Potter work for Dave Potter Construction, so they conduct their investigations at night.

Their first job was in December at the Cliff Lodge, where an owner experienced uncomfortable feelings when upstairs at the inn and thought he saw a floating black shadow. The group did not document evidence of spirits at that time, but Potter felt as if he had been poked at one point during the visit, Grangrade felt a pinch and they heard thumping noises. They say that investigations may need to be done more than once.

Before forming their group, which works at no charge to gain field experience, the men did extensive research by reading up on the subject and through the Internet, as well as regularly watching a program called Ghost Hunters, profiling the experiences and techniques used by the Rhode Island-based Atlantic Paranormal Society. Through those means, they learned what to look for, how to go about their searches and what equipment they required.

Grangrade said some of the recording devices they use, such as voice recorders, are part of the band's equipment, but they also have invested about $1,500 in other stock. That includes digital cameras, camcorders, an electromagnetic field tester and a thermal imaging thermometer. The digital cameras are used in conjunction with regular 35mm cameras to make comparisons, and the men communicate on jobs using walkie-talkies so they do not make noise disturbances that could confuse their efforts when they split into teams of two and attend to differing portions of the building under investigation.

"Anything we catch we will document," said Sylvia, who clarified that the group does not eradicate ghosts if they are found. "You kind of put people at ease of what it is. Sometimes people think they have spirits, but it could be wiring problems and old piping, so we can find natural explanations for a lot of things and that can be helpful to the homeowner."

Their technique is to first do an interview with the client to learn what they have experienced and available history on the building. Then they conduct a walk-through of the house or business in daylight to see where objects are placed and to have the client show them the "hot spots" of perceived activity. Next, they determine where to set up their cameras and audio recorders and take photos during daylight for use in comparisons to see if anything has changed during night photos. The cameras are set up with open shutters, and the men go from room to room, returning at intervals to check on what the cameras have captured.

Because some people see actual apparitions, or mist, unexplainable shadow-type movements or orbs, which are small, reflective balls, they also ask questions when they visit different rooms, such as whether anyone is there, and if so, would they make a noise or give a sign of their presence and perhaps even offer a name.

"A lot of people aren't concerned about it, they just want to know what's there," said Sylvia, who added that they intend to keep client information confidential unless otherwise directed by the client.

Of the most eerie experiences the men have had individually, Williams said that a few years ago when he was in Polpis he saw, in broad daylight, what appeared to be a semi-solid person riding a bike directly toward him. When the rider got within about 20 feet it suddenly veered off and disappeared into the woods.

Grangrade recalled an incident in Surfside in 2002 at the house of a friend whose father had died approximately five years earlier. Grangrade, his friend and others back from college for a winter holiday break were playing cards at a table near the front door, which was heavy and had a closure preventing it from slamming shut. Suddenly, the door started opening and slamming and two pottery plates displayed on a wall shelf "flew," not rolled off or fell to the floor, onto the card table without breaking. Maybe the dad disapproved of gambling, who knows?

For a consultation with Paranormal Investigations, call

228-5709. I