Isle Haute's Untold Stories: A Ghostly Island in the Bay of Fundy
Rising steeply from the turbulent waters of the Bay of Fundy, Isle Haute is a place where history and legend intertwine. A rugged, fog-shrouded island, it has captivated sailors, historians, and storytellers for centuries. Some say it moves—a phantom landmass shifting with the tides. Others believe it holds buried treasure, ghost ships, and spirits that still linger in its windswept cliffs.
To the Mi’kmaq people, Isle Haute was a sacred place, a gathering ground used for centuries. To explorers like Samuel de Champlain, it was a mysterious high island rising from the sea. To shipwrecked sailors, it was a cruel trick of nature, its surrounding waters deadly and unforgiving. And to treasure hunters, it was a puzzle, holding the promise of pirate gold—a promise that has never been fulfilled.
Despite its isolation and perilous approach, Isle Haute has remained an important landmark, a silent observer of the passage of time. Now owned by the Canadian government, its future as a protected wilderness is secure—but its mysteries remain unsolved.
A Sacred Isle of the Mi'kmaq
Long before European explorers arrived, the Mi’kmaq people held Isle Haute in reverence. They called it Maskousitkiks and used it as a neutral meeting place. It was a site for gatherings, feasts, and even wartime alliances.
Missionary Silas Rand documented a historic event from 1724, in which Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq warriors met on Isle Haute before launching an attack on Port Royal Fort. With painted faces, they feasted, danced, and prepared for battle—proof that this small island was once a pivotal meeting ground.
The Mi’kmaq believed the island’s highest point was sacred and forbidden to climb. Even today, Isle Haute carries an air of mystery, its cliffs still standing as silent witnesses to thousands of years of human history.
A Ghost Ship Beneath the Spring?
When Samuel de Champlain first mapped the island in 1604, he named it Ilhote, meaning "High Island." He noted that its flat, tree-covered top held a spring of freshwater, which he curiously described as a "mine of copper."
For centuries, this spring has been the setting of a strange maritime legend. On dark summer nights, some claim to see the phantom image of a French sailing ship trapped beneath its waters—its ghostly outline flickering under the moonlight. Whether the tale originates from sailors’ superstitions or a deeper mystery remains unknown.
The Refuge of the Acadians
In the mid-1700s, the island became a place of refuge for Acadian exiles fleeing British forces during the violent Expulsion of the Acadians. One story tells of a mysterious elderly Mi’kmaq woman who approached the fleeing Acadians, asking for passage to the island. Though food and supplies were scarce, they took her in.
After the Acadians departed, the woman refused to leave. Some believed she was a spirit who had guided and protected them in exchange for their kindness. To this day, legends persist that her spirit still watches over Isle Haute, guarding its secrets.
The Island of Shipwrecks
By the 1800s, the Bay of Fundy had become a thriving center of maritime trade, but Isle Haute gained an ominous reputation as a "ship killer."
Though Isle Haute’s northeast side offered safe anchorage, the rest of the island was surrounded by deadly riptides and submerged rocks. At least twenty ships are known to have crashed in its waters, their wreckage claimed by the unforgiving tides.
Recognizing its danger to sailors, the Canadian government built a 53-foot-tall lighthouse on the island in 1878. The lighthouse keepers who lived there braved isolation, brutal storms, and, in one tragic case, a death that left one woman alone with a corpse for four days.
Despite its ominous reputation, Isle Haute has drawn visitors for centuries. In the late 19th century, it was a popular spot for "Bay Parties," with hundreds of people arriving by boat to picnic and explore its rugged landscape.
The Lighthouse Tragedy
From 1904 to 1941, Percy Morris served as Isle Haute’s lighthouse keeper. One winter, Morris left the island for supplies, leaving his wife Bertha and a hired assistant to manage the lighthouse. A brutal blizzard swept in, preventing him from returning.
As he waited helplessly on the mainland, he saw the dreaded signal of four fires burning—a death had occurred. Bertha had been left alone in the lighthouse for four days with the lifeless body of the assistant, who had suffered a fatal heart attack. It was one of many chilling episodes that defined life on the isolated island.
Pirate Gold and Treasure Hunters
For over a century, stories of buried pirate treasure have fueled expeditions to Isle Haute. Some claim Captain Kidd or Edward Lowe hid their spoils there, though no evidence exists.
In the 1920s, treasure hunter Dugald Carmichael spent four years digging on the island, even attempting to drain the spring in hopes of uncovering the legendary ghost ship. In 1952, American explorer Edward Snow arrived with an early metal detector, claiming to have found gold coins and a pirate skeleton. Locals, however, suspected the bones belonged to a sheep, not a swashbuckler.
Perhaps the best treasure tale comes from Percy Morris, the lighthouse keeper from 1904 to 1941. When he saw treasure hunters marking an "X" on the island, he decided to play a trick. That night, he buried a kettle under the spot. The next day, the treasure hunters excitedly dug up their "loot"—only to find an old pot. The Morris family watched from afar, laughing at the deception.
No significant treasure has ever been found on Isle Haute, but that hasn’t stopped the search. Sadly, treasure hunters have left scars on the island, their reckless digging disturbing sacred Mi’kmaq sites and turning parts of the landscape into what looks like a First World War battlefield.
A Time Capsule for the Future
Though Isle Haute is largely untouched by modern development, it hasn’t escaped human impact. In 2001, the Canadian government considered selling the island, a move that was quickly opposed by conservationists. Thanks to efforts by figures like Bill Casey, the island is now protected as a wilderness preserve.
Unlike many remote places, Isle Haute has no mosquitoes, no black flies, and no ticks. It is a haven for migratory birds, including the peregrine falcon, and home to rare species like the red-tailed salamander. The only mammals are deer mice, though harbor seals and gray seals are common along the shore.
For those lucky enough to visit, Isle Haute offers a rare experience—a step back in time. There are no lights, no roads, and no distractions. Just the sound of the wind, the call of seabirds, and the crackle of a campfire. It is a place where the world falls away, and history feels alive.
The Island's Future: A Wilderness Preserve
Today, Isle Haute is uninhabited and belongs to the Canadian federal government, which plans to turn it into a wilderness preserve. However, the damage caused by treasure hunters has left scars on the island. The once-sacred site around the famous spring now resembles a war-torn battlefield, a stark reminder of how greed can tarnish a land rich with history and spiritual significance.
Though no major treasure has ever been discovered, Isle Haute remains an untamed, mysterious place, its fog-covered cliffs and eerie stories continuing to intrigue adventurers and dreamers alike.
Whether it’s the lingering presence of the Mi’kmaq spirits, the ghostly French ship, or the whispers of buried treasure, one thing is certain—Isle Haute is a place where legends never die.
More from
North American Islands
Category
