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PODCAST

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland

Robert (@productofnfld)

We tell all kinds of stories from Newfoundland, Canada but the ‘strange and unusual’ is our sweet-spot. You’ll hear true-life accounts of death-defying courage, tales of horrible sea monsters and stories of murderous mummers. Alongside the history and folklore, we chat with modern-day storytellers who stop by to talk about their work. It’s a bit like ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ meets ‘Entertainment Tonight.’ Strange bedfellows? Definitely. It’s fun though. So, spend some time with us

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All Episodes

00:16:53

Death Omens of Newfoundland (Halloween Episode)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/10/28

In this haunting Halloween episode, Robert digs into Newfoundland’s eerie world of death omens — the strange signs and superstitions that once foretold disaster, sickness… and death.From flickering corpse candles and spectral fetches to howling dogs and loaves of bread that spelled doom, these stories offer a chilling glimpse into how Newfoundlanders once understood death — and how they tried to see it coming.The episode begins with an original retelling of an old Burin Peninsula legend — The Tale

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00:09:12

The Ghostly Fishermen: The Story of the Charles Haskell

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/10/22

Some stories rise from the sea and never quite settle again.The Charles Haskell was a New England schooner, built to survive the brutal waters of the North Atlantic. But after a terrible storm on George’s Bank in 1869, she gained a reputation no ship would ever want.Sailors claimed that in the years that followed, the dead returned — climbing from the sea to finish the work they’d started in life. More than a century later, her story is still told along our coastlines — from Massachusetts to Nova

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00:11:24

A Haunted Hotel in St. John’s

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/10/13

This Halloween, we’re unlocking the doors of one of St. John’s most infamous ghost stories — the haunting of J.W. Foran’s Atlantic Hotel. A mysterious knocking echoed through its halls in the 1880s, leading to whispers of restless spirits… and one unexplained death. Then, we turn from ghostly fiction to real-life horror — the true tragedy of William Shea, a porter whose final night at the hotel ended in heartbreak.

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00:42:19

The Sinking of the SS Caribou (feat. Tyler Humby)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/03/27

Part One: The Sinking of the SS CaribouA ferry packed with families, soldiers, and crew. A midnight crossing through enemy waters. And a German U-boat waiting in the darkness.On October 14, 1942, the SS Caribou was torpedoed in the North Atlantic, sinking in just minutes. What followed was a desperate fight for survival in freezing waters—and an unforgettable story of bravery, tragedy, and resilience.Join us as we uncover the night the Caribou went down.Part Two: A Chat With Tyler HumbyTyler Humby

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00:17:45

Mar Falten, Fanny Goff!

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/02/11

Newfoundland’s Valentine’s traditions range from playful greetings to daring card deliveries, but love on the island isn’t always lighthearted.The story of Fanny Goff, said to be the most beautiful woman in Newfoundland, is one of romance and tragedy, proving that love can be as fleeting as winter frost.And sometimes, love isn’t just for people but for place—like the deep connection Newfoundlanders have to the sea. But that love comes with loss, as seen in the Ocean Ranger disaster, a tragedy

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00:13:18

The Candlemas Bear

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2025/02/02

In this episode I’ve got all kinds of Candlemas lore from Newfoundland -- everything from weather predictions to bear stories and card games it’s pleasant distraction from the winter weather. (PS... I'm not old enough to have read a newspaper in 1902, no matter what I say.)I also share the story of The Little Candlemas Bear. On Candlemas Day, Little Bear wakes to find his shadow missing. His search leads to a warm home, a wise Grandmother, and a wintery secret. Read: ⁠The Little Candlemas

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00:20:30

Tibb's Eve in Trinity

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/12/18

If you’re from Newfoundland, you probably already know that Tibb’s Eve means December 23rd. It’s the unofficial start of Christmas—when the holiday buzz really kicks in and everyone’s back home, ready to reconnect with old friends. But Tibb’s Eve didn’t always mean celebration. Once upon a time, it was actually known as a day that would never come—a day ‘neither before nor after Christmas,’ in other words, it was never supposed to happen at all.Now, how did it land on December 23rd? Well, that’s a

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00:54:05

Mummers, Music & Hors d’Oeuvres (with Kitchinparti)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/12/10

Part One: Jailhouse JanniesIn this episode, we’re diving into the spirit — and mischief — of Christmas in Newfoundland. First, I’ve got an old story from Trinity, where one group of mummers wound up in jail… but that was far from the worst thing to happen to them. I call the story Jannies in the Jailhouse. I’ve come across this tale a number of times in my travels but I based my retelling on a version shared in the Daily News’ ‘Trinity Notes’ section on January 3, 1955. Part Two: Tyler Humber of

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01:01:04

Newfoundland Confederation and CODCO (feat. Greg Malone)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/11/18

Part One: Newfoundland Adopts Right-Hand DriveOn January 2, 1947, Newfoundland made a switch that had everyone—drivers, pedestrians, and even horses—feeling a bit jittery. Just past midnight, the colony's roads transformed as Newfoundlanders were suddenly required to drive on the right side of the road, leaving behind decades of left-side driving. The change symbolized a shift away from British ties and toward a North American alignment. In retrospect, it was the harbinger of a bigger changes to

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00:23:45

Restless Corpses (Halloween Special Pt. 3)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/10/30

When nights grow long and familiar paths suddenly lead you astray; when fog shrouds the coast in deathly gloom and strange lights flicker in empty bogs, that’s the time when ghosts and ghouls explore this new found land.Welcome to part three of the Strange Truths & Tall Tales Halloween Special. The Restless Corpse of La Poile This episode features an old story concerning a corpse in La Poile that seemed to have trouble realizing it was dead. It’s a strange that makes my blood run cold… and

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00:14:57

The Black Stag (Halloween Special Pt. 2)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/10/21

Halloween is getting closer and Newfoundland has no shortage of seasonally appropriate stories. This instalment features an old folktale set near St. Bride’s, NL. It concerns a strange black Stag seen on the roadside and a series of unexplained deaths that plagues a family soon afterward. Continuing on with the theme, I share some legends of other ghostly creatures from Newfoundland, starting with the headless ghost dog of Elliston. You can the background info and sources on the episode page at

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00:12:20

The Thunder Growl (Halloween Special Pt. 1)

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/10/17

It’s October and the nights are getting noticeably longer. As darkness takes a hold. I’ve decided to embrace the ‘spooky season’ for some short Halloween episodes drawn fromNewfoundland history and folklore. This instalment is a true story from the small town of Elliston (once known as Bird Island Cove). It’s the story of an unwelcome visitor who turned up some 200 years ago. Get the full story (and sources) at Night of the Thunder Growl on productofnewfoundland.ca

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01:08:12

The Tale of Mildred Baxter

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2024/03/19

Part One: Mildred BaxterLegend has it that folk-hero Mildred Baxter came to Harbour Breton in the mid-1840s to settle a score with her cheating fiance. In order to make the trip from her home in England, she adopted a secret identity. She disguised herself as a man and took up life in Harbour Breton alongside her fiance and his new bride. It’s a fascinating tale of love, lies and revenge that stretches the limits of credibility. Read: ⁠The Love and Lies of Mildred Baxter and Paul Langstone⁠ Part

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00:47:00

Mummers and Music feat. Carolina East

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/12/17

Part One: Mummers & MurderNewfoundland has a lot of interesting traditions but few are as celebrated as mummering. Mummering is a Christmas tradition that dates back hundreds of years. It came to Newfoundland from England and Ireland with the first settlers. In it’s best known form, it involves costumed people visiting house-to-house during the 12 days of Christmas. Once invited inside, the host tries to guess the mummer's identity. Refreshments are served and fun is had by all. This sort

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00:51:41

Tibb's Eve and Newfoundland Christmas Slush

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/12/06

Part One: What is Tibb’s Eve? For me, and a lot of other Newfoundlanders, the 23rd of December is Tibb’s Eve. It is Christmas Eve Eve and the unofficial start of the holiday season. For some people, Tibb’s Eve has become synonymous with a good time, full of partying and alcohol. The connection with drinking is so strong that, for some people the day is known as Tipsy (Tip’s) Eve. In this episode we did into it a little and chat about Tibb’s Eve customs. To help me out, The Duds (Melanie O’Brien

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00:41:45

Pull The Sky Down//With Violet

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/10/22

Part One: It Came From Outer Space There's no shortage of Newfoundland and Labrador stories connected to outer space. There are Martian craters named for Gander, Nain and Nutak, local airports were alternate space shuttle landing sites for NASA, and there are plenty of unidentified flying object reports in the province including the much discussed 'Gander Incident' and the Random Island sighting that inspired a stamp from Canada Post. My favourite Newfoundland space-ish story isn’t any

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00:41:41

The Devil and The Duds

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/09/27

Part One: Newfoundland Devils If you believe the tall tales, the devil has left his mark all over Newfoundland. There are hoof prints in the resettled community of Flat Islands, Bonavista Bay and more in Keels on the Bonavista Peninsula but, perhaps, his most celebrated scar is in Fortune Harbour where a rock supposedly bears his handprint. Visit Product of Newfoundland to see pictures. This episode presents the story ‘Mr. Kinchler and the Devil,’ a folktale that describes the night the Devil

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00:27:08

Bell Island & History's Most Haunted

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/09/04

Bell Island, in Newfoundland’s Conception Bay, is full of mystery. Once home to an immense iron ore mine, the community drew people from all over the world. Over the years its been home to many strange sightings, happenings and unexplained events. It has even been called one of the most haunted islands in North America. This episode scratches the surface of some of Bell Island’s lore starting with a giant squid attack off the island’s coast, then a conversation with some paranormal investigators —

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00:11:19

Lightning Over Lumsden

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/07/07

The story of a horrific lightning and hail storm over Lumsden (and the entire east coast of Newfoundland) in 1930. It resulted in smashed windows, the destruction of property and the death of several people. Read the blog post here: Frightening Lightning & Horrific Hail in Lumsden --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/productofnfld/message

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00:08:52

Black Bart in Newfoundland

Strange Truths and Tall Tales: Product of Newfoundland ·

2023/06/04

It was June 21st, 1720 and the sun was just rising over Trepassey, Newfoundland. The fishermen listened to the songbirds and gentle surf on the rocks as they readied their boats. Everything indicated a beautiful day ahead. Then the birds stopped singing. In the distance, there was a rumble of canon fire. On the breeze came the sound of trumpets and drums. Everthing was about to change… Black Bart, the dreaded pirate, had come to town. This episode explores the strange truth and tall tales of

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