Why Your Next Horror Story Should Be Set Under the Sea

The ocean is an excellent setting for horror novels, though it can sometimes be overlooked by modern authors who are searching for a setting for their next story. Sure, there are many iconic ocean-themed horror movies (like Jaws), but I find horror like that barely scratches the surface of all the terror that the ocean can hold. 

First of all, let’s forget about sharks. For the love of God, nobody wants to see anymore shark movies. Sharks are more afraid of you than you are of them, and movies that tell you otherwise are just anti-shark propaganda. 

​Anyways, shark rant aside, I still think that the ocean is one of the best horror settings available, and here’s why. 

The ocean doesn’t care
The ocean and space are two sides of the same coin, scary for how unexplored and unforgiving both settings are. The ocean does not care one way or another whether you live or die. It is not a malicious space, it is simply so big that you as one person barely even register, and that’s freaking terrifying. 

So much can go wrong when you’re in the ocean. Drowning, the bends, various sea creatures that may be venomous or poisonous, even if not openly hostile. If you’re not incredibly careful, the ocean can be your worst enemy. 

A Quick Note on Ghost Ships 
Ghost ships are another great tool to keep in your horror arsenal, especially if your main genre is paranormal horror. If you’re ever bored or looking for new story ideas, I recommend doing some looking into different ghost ships – especially if you’re like me and your main knowledge of ghost ships consisted of the portrayal of the Flying Dutchman in Spongebob Squarepants. 

The ocean and cosmic horror 
Cosmic horror authors like awful H.P. Lovecraft often used the ocean as the central setting for this very reason. It is quite obvious that H.P. Lovecraft had a serious case of thalassaphobia (the fear of large bodies of water – a more common phobia than you might think), so it makes sense for his villains to consist of a lot of sea creatures. However, even for people who don’t suffer from thalassaphobia, the ocean can still be made into an incredibly effective scary setting. 

With most of the ocean being unexplored and the ocean being as deep as it is, it is the perfect setting for cosmic horror. The main theme of cosmic horror is something so large and terrifying that humanity is tiny in comparison. It is something that is large, unknowable, and utterly unstoppable. Like I covered earlier on, the ocean will win out against humans who aren’t careful. It is an unstoppable force that does not care about humanity, that makes humanity look puny and insignificant. 

Fear of the Unknown 
The main reason that the ocean is so scary is how much of it is still unexplored. One of the biggest fear factors in horror is the unknown. It’s a classic rule of thumb that something is scarier when you can’t see it, since it leaves it all to your imagination. The ocean is that times infinity. There is so much down there that you have no idea what could be right under you at any moment. 

Recently I went swimming in a lake – not even an ocean – and as I dove under the water I felt this cold fear run through me. I couldn’t see the bottom. Anything could be under there, and I wouldn’t know. (Realistically the worst it could be is a snapping turtle but that besides the point). In the ocean, that fear would be quadrupled. 

Floating in the water with miles and miles below you that you can’t see, that no one has ever seen, is terrifying. If you want to freak yourself out, there are lots of pictures of people swimming and coming upon sudden drops where the sandy bay or the reef give out into total darkness. It’s enough to make anyone’s stomach drop. 

All in all, the ocean would make a great setting for any creepy story. From the bends, ghost ships, cosmic horror, and the fear of the unknown, everything about the ocean screams run away – which to a horror author obviously means come closer…

​​​​​​Nate Fahmi

​​is a young writer from Ottawa, Canada. When he isn’t in school, he enjoys reading, writing, crochet, and playing with his two cats. Their favorite genres are horror and fantasy, and they enjoy all things strange. You can find him on Instagram at @nate_fahmi

MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR:

• ​The Bronte Sisters and the “Sad Girl” Trend
• It’s About Drive, It’s About Power: Hustle Culture in the Creative Writing Community 
• Harrow the Ninth: A Lesson in Perspective
• Gideon the Ninth — Necromancy just got Gayer!
• Storytelling in The Magnus Archives
• Writing Time Skips: What to Watch Out For