(WWJ) Just a tad early for Halloween, a spooky photo is drawing wide eyes online.

The striking shot -- snapped from the balcony of the Chippewa Hotel on Mackinac Island on Tuesday -- shows a freighter on the horizon. While that's not at all an unusual site for Michiganders, a misty layer of fog over Lake Huron at the time created an eerie atmosphere.

The photo was taken by Teri Cregger of Mt. Pleasant on her cell phone, and posted by her sister in "Mackinac Island News and Views" -- a Facebook group in which residents and visitors share pictures and updates from the island. By Wednesday morning, the pic had garnered over 1,500 wows, loves and likes, along with dozens of shares and comments.

Cindy Hedstrom Krepp wrote: "Ghost ship!!! Cool shot, creepy!!", while Karen Vivian added, "Captain Jack Sparrow at the helm! No worries!"

An optical illusion or mirage that makes a ship seem to float mid-air or fly over water is nothing new, either on the internet or in folklore. One of the most famous legends is that of the Flying Dutchman (depicted in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, captained by Sparrow) is said to be a spectral ship that can never go home, and is doomed to sail the oceans forever.