Young Teazer — the burning ghost ship of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

The Young Teazer was an American privateer that met a fiery end in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, on June 27, 1813, during the War of 1812. Cornered by British naval vessels, the ship was deliberately set ablaze by a crew member — Frederick Johnson, a deserter from the Royal Navy who feared being captured and hanged. The resulting explosion killed most of the crew and scattered burning wreckage across the bay. Since that night, witnesses have reported seeing a phantom ship on fire sailing across Mahone Bay, most frequently around the anniversary of the destruction. The ghost ship, known as the 'Teazer Light,' appears as a burning vessel on the dark waters of the bay, its flames reflected in the surface. Fishermen, residents of the bay's communities, and tourists have all reported sightings over the course of more than two centuries. Some witnesses describe seeing the masts and rigging outlined in fire, while others report only a formless glow moving across the water. The phenomenon tends to appear on calm, dark nights when the bay's waters are still. Mahone Bay, with its 365 islands and its sheltered, island-dotted waters, is one of the most scenic locations in Nova Scotia — and one of its most haunted.