Ellen MacLeod was walking along the beach near the harbour in Alberton, P.E.I., last Sunday, when she noticed something strange protruding from the wet, red sand.

Some driftwood, perhaps? Couldn't just be that, she said. The wood was all ragged and covered in moss and had some sort of form to it.

"I went to social media looking for insight or opinion, either people say they're absolutely sure it's a wharf or they're absolutely sure it's a ship," MacLeod said.

Drawn by the mystery

She's not the first one to come across the mysterious wood.

Truth is, no one knows what it is — at least not yet — but there's plenty of debate online.

"I'm leaning more towards it being a ship because that part has a little bit more mystery to it," MacLeod said.

"My first impression was of course it had to be a ship. That was the exciting part and we were hoping it was. I asked a local, he said it could have possibly been there since the 1870s."

MacLeod thinks the wood could be part of an old ship. (Submitted by Ellen MacLeod)

She says when she returned home Sunday night, she couldn't stop thinking about what it could be.

So she went back the next day with her daughter and some others.

"Curiosity got the best of me"

Went back with a shovel

The mysterious wood is partially buried at the edge of the water line and can only be seen on low tide, MacLeod said.

"We went back again, took a shovel and tried to dig but the water was rushing in."

The wood has sparked an interesting debate online. (Submitted by Ellen MacLeod)

She said they found what looked like wooden pegs.

"We also found it looked like planking, which was running horizontal on the outside of the post and the inside of the post."

Looking for answers

MacLeod has contacted the Alberton Museum and a couple of historians to try to find an answer.

The thought of it possibly being an old ship excites her.

"It would be awesome — If it worked out to be that."