Douglas M. Carnahan NorCal Paranormal Investigators, Inc.

1. Where do you see ghost hunting and Paranormal groups like your own in 10 years?

I wish I had a crystal ball to look into for that answer. Right now we are seeing a lot of interest in the paranormal field from all walks of life. Seems like “meet up” groups are popping up all over the place with memberships of 100 people or more. When we decided to start NPI we wanted to do it a little different. We’re more like a Army Special Forces team, keeping our group to a much smaller, professional and mobile unit. In the next 10 years I see the interest still growing as we’ll have a whole new generation coming up seeing that it’s no longer taboo to talk about and share their paranormal experiences with others.

2. What would you personally consider to be the definitive proof that ghosts are real?

Personally I can say without a doubt, we share our world with ghost and spirits. I would have to say that a combination of good and definitive evidence would prove the existence of ghost and spirits. Photos, digital videos, digital voice recorders - with all the equipment investigators have at their disposal nowadays we are coming up with some amazing information and have evidence to share with everyone.

3. What is the most real evidence you personally have uncovered so far?

I have been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time quite often. I have a great photo of myself and the family dog that was taken in my home. I brought it out to have the NPI team take a look at it as there were several possible orbs in the photo and I wanted to get the teams opinion. When I handed the photo to Shane Thornton my co-founder of the group he said, “The orbs are cool, but that skull head is really wild” Right there for all to see is an apparition of what appears to be a human skull to my left. I was so busy looking at the orbs that I didn’t even see the real prize; documentation of a spirit. I have a digital video of what I call the “hairy” apparition, caught on board the USS Hornet down in the ships hospital area. One my favorite bits of evidence was filmed in a hotel room at the Brookdale Lodge in California. I call it my hide and seek orbs. Before heading off to dinner for a few hours I decided to set up one of my HI8 digital video cameras equipped with infrared. What I found days later when checking the film still amaze me today. In the dark and with no possability of any outside light source . There are 2-3 orbs chasing after each other like children playing tag, they disappear behind a backpack left on the floor. Seconds later they’d peek back out from behind the backpack then went back behind again. This took place a few times and then they just disappeared. I’ve also been very lucky with EVPs and have recorded many amazing voices from unseen sources.

4. Are you skeptical of the claims other make of their findings?

I think any true paranormal investigator has to be somewhat skeptical to a degree. It’s in our nature to question and seek the answers to those questions. I have a passion to unearth the unknown. So yes, when people make claims of findings and have nothing to back up their claims I have no choice but to question them.

5. If you could investigate your "Dream Haunted Hot Spot" where would it be?

Wow, so many amazing haunted hot spots in the world to choose from, but if I could only pick one I will have to pick the Whaley House located in San Diego, California. The Whaley House was built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley on land that was partially once a cemetery. The two story brick building is possibly the most haunted and active building in America. That would be my dream spot and I’m also a firm believer that dreams can come true.

6. What was your first Paranormal encounter?

My first personal paranormal encounter happened in the early 80’s in an apartment I was renting in Fremont, California. I had been living there for about 5 months. One evening as I was going from the living room to the dining area I suddenly felt all the hair on my arms and back of my neck stand up. Moments later, I felt as if I was being punched and pushed back into the living room area by an unseen force. I tried to move forward again and was pushed back another time. I spoke out to this unknown force and told it to leave and to allow me pass. My third try to pass was successful, but that was not the end. Over the next four-five months the same type of physical pushing and punching paranormal activities happened at least two-three times a week. Each time I would try to force my way forward and verbally combat the unseen force. Then as quick as it came, it left and didn’t return for the remainder of the time I was there. That opened a new door for me into the world of paranormal investigation. I had lots of questions and no one had any answers for me, so I set out to find my own.

7. What scares you about Ghost Hunting or Paranormal Investigations?

Personally, I’m not scared of ghosts or spirits, but I have been startled and surprised more times than I can count. Now if we’re talking about butting heads with a demonic entity, that can be a bit on the scary side of the street. Getting calls or emails that children are being hurt or tormented is also scary to me, but that quickly turns into anger and our NPI special forces team is out the door and ready to address the issues.

8. If you could work side by side with one of the Paranormal Investigator greats, who would it be?

I would have to say Mark Nesbitt is on the top of my list of Paranormal Investigators I would enjoy working with. He has been active in the field for over 30 years. I would like to pick his brain to gain some of his knowledge. Troy Taylor is also right there on top of my list of paranormal investigators I would like to work with.

9. Read any good Paranormal Books lately?

I try to read up and stay current on the world of the unknown. Mostly I’ve been burning the midnight oil with more reference like books than anything. The Ghost Hunters Bible & The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Ghosts And Hauntings. They give me that edge I need to be on top of things.

Douglas M Carnahan

10. What Question do people ask you most when you tell them your a paranormal investigator?

I’m asked mostly if I’ve seen any ghost and I love to smile back at them and say “Yes“, many times in fact. I also get the question, how did you get started doing that? I give then the quick version about the encounter in my apartment many years back.

11. In your opinion, Where is the most Haunted city in America?

That’s a tough question to answer. I would think New York, NY might be high on the list and of course New Orleans, LA

12. Do you feel more people should get involved with Ghost hunting or Paranormal Investigation?

Yes I do, but when you ask me if more people should get involved with Ghost Hunting or Paranormal Investigation, to me we are talking apples and oranges. To me Ghost Hunting is a group of friends getting together for a fun ghost tour in cities all over the country or a Saturday night in the local graveyard seeing which one gets scared first. Paranormal Investigation is a whole different ball game. Investigators are looking for answers to the great mystery of what happens when your soul leaves your physical body and to gather proof and evidence that ghost, spirits, entities do exist among the world we share.

13. What does the future hold for you?

A whole lot more investigations. Our mission at NorCal Paranormal Investigators Inc. is to protect, investigate, explore, document, educate, understand and help others who believe they are experiencing a haunting. We also believe it's our obligation to assist those in the afterlife who need our help to move on. "We're here to help" people understand what they are experiencing and conquer their fears. There’s been interest in NPI doing convention appearances and speaking. NPI’s Co-Founder Shane Thornton and myself also have a weekly radio show at www.blogtalkradio.com Sundays 6pm-7pm pst called “NorCal Ghost Talk” We open our lines for people to call and talk about Ghost, Spirits & Hauntings... There is a local TV station that’s interested in doing something with NPI in the future. Whatever the future brings I’m going to do my best to make it a positive experience.

14. Paranormal Conventions do you see them growing? And which ones are the Must go to ones?

Yes, I see that more and more people are opening up and sharing their stories and experiences. The Paranormal Conventions are great for net-working and getting new and exciting information. Must goes is a tough question, but the one in Virginia City, Nevada does come to mind as being very good. Also the Convention on the Queen Mary docked in California looks like a winner too.

15. What is your most favored tool of the trade?

My brain… a paranormal investigator needs to be able to think and reason very quickly when things are happening around them. I always have a digital voice recorder handy and a Hi8 digital video recorder with infrared at the ready.

16. Tell us about your best moment in investigating ghost for you?

One of the first and best moments was when I was being physically touched and pushed by a spirit or entity that was haunting an apartment I was living in at the time back in the early 80‘s. This physical combating went on for months until it just stopped for no reason at all. The encounter opened up my mind to more questions than others had answers. My life and the way I look at it now forever changed and the paranormal investigator in me was born.

17. What is the hardest part about being a paranormal Radio talk show host?

Having a radio show and being host is a blast… Shane Thornton, NPI’s co-founder and I have a one hour show on BlogTalkRadio.com called “NorCal Ghost Talk” Sundays 6pm-7pm pst. Lets Ghost Talk... Unearthing the Unknown... The hardest part about the show is Shane and I agreeing what we should talk about that week.. A wonderful thing about us is we at times agree to disagree and that can make for some interesting time on the air. Since BlogTalkRadio is over the internet we are not just heard local but worldwide. We love to have people call the show at (718) 508-9724 or instant message questions via yahoo IM at norcalghosthunters. We have interesting guests join us at times as well.. Come check us out.

18. How do you document your investigations?

We use many different types of equipment to document our investigations. Hi8 Digital Video Recorders with night vision and infrared illuminators, digital voice recorders for EVP’s, DVR recorder & monitor with infrared cameras and digital cameras. Our investigators also use EMF meters, digital thermometers and motion detectors during our investigations.

19. Have you ever taken a ghost Tour?

Yes, but it was not a planned tour. A small group of us NorCal Paranormal Investigators took a day trip to the USS Hornet docked in Alameda, California. We wanted to check it out and get a feel of the ship in the hopes of having a chance of investigating it one day. We were fortunate to run into James, one of the resident renovators living on board and received a private tour of the great ship. We came back with some wild EVPs and captured what I call a hairy apparition on video in the hospital bay of the ship. Check out NPI’s web-site at www.norcalghosthunters.com and follow the links to the USS Hornet.

20. What in the field of ghost hunting and Paranormal Investigating needs the most attention?

I think all paranormal investigation groups need to have a code of standards and conduct. To be honest with themselves and their clients about their findings and have the common sense to not jump to conclusions every time there is a speck of dust on a photo and announce to the world that they have proof of life after death. Until we form and elect a world council on paranormal activity, we need to be more accountable for ourselves and our fellow investigators.