Newfoundland’s Viking Ghost Ship

At the furthest remote northern tip of Newfoundland 1000 years ago, Vikings once the nomads of the North Atlantic, established a settlement.

This area is called L’Anse aux Meadows meaning “Jellyfish Cove.”

A Norse sod longhouse recreated
at L'Anse aux Meadows

The local residents today make their living from fishing. They use small boats with hand lines to catch their fish. It is difficult backbreaking work.

In more recent years the area has also experienced an economic boom from summer tourism.

The Vikings

The Vikings were warriors just like their Gods. The term Viking is just a general name for Nordic speaking people who came from southern Scandinavia.

They were explorers that made their way west in the 11^th century first to Iceland then to Greenland and finally to Newfoundland.

Fierce Viking raiders

They had 3 goals. The first was to find new victims to raid-- they attacked, plundered and departed quickly. They were successful in this endeavor for the most part because of the efficiency and speed of their ships and in part because of the sharp-iron weapons they used.

Along with these raids they were also looking for new trade partners and new places to settle.

Strange Sights

A favorite legend that is told in L'Anse aux Meadows is about how a Viking ghost ship appears every 30 years. Sightings of this ship is considered to be a good omen or harbinger.

One mid August the local fishermen were celebrating for they had experienced a “good catch.” It was the best of the season. They had returned home with their boats full.

A lone fisherman stayed late into the evening gutting the fish he had caught. Suddenly outside his shack he heard a strange noise.

It sounded like paddles hitting the water in unison. These oars were making a loud splashing sound. At first, he didn’t see anything but he then heard the sound of a horn being blown.

He moved to the door and spotted a vessel moving toward the dock. It was odd in appearance--he had never seen anything like it before.

It was a long, narrow open boat with one central mast. It had a striped sail and on either side he saw oars dipping into the water quickly.

Viking Ship

He watched confused as it came closer and closer and then just vanished. Word spread about what he had seen but no one knew where this vessel came from or where it had gone.

Several months after, the man discovered a drawing in a book that looked very similar to what he had seen. It was a drawing of a boat that had been used by the Vikings 1000 years before.

Thirty years after this initial sighting, two lazy young teens learned where an old fisherman had hidden his whiskey. One night they broke into his shed.

Just as they found his bottle they heard a loud noise coming from the water outside. They hesitated worried they were about to be discovered.

They heard the water splashing forcefully--it sounded like a large group of oars dipping into the water. They looked out a side window and saw a ship approaching.

They left immediately but once outside they stood transfixed by a strange sight. Before them was a long ship, it turned and headed toward where they stood. It then vanished.

They were so frightened by this time they left the whiskey behind as they fled the dock.

These two teens did not tell anyone what they had seen for a long time but eventually word spread about the strange ship they had seen in the harbor.

The locals realized these two young men had seen the same Viking ship on the same day as the sighting from 30 years before--August 15^th. They felt the first time this ship had brought “good tidings.” Now they felt it had once more helped out--for it had saved the old fisherman’s whiskey.

This was not the last time this strange Viking ship was seen for 30 years later on August 15^th the local fisherman returned with another bountiful catch.

One fisherman among this group decided to stay out in his boat a little longer--he felt he could catch even more fish. But as the sky clouded and the weather turned he decided to head for the safety of the harbor.

But his motor would not turn on. He checked the fuel and all the engine connections but everything seemed to be in order. Suddenly he heard a loud noise in the water.

It sounded like oars dipping into the water every 5 seconds. He looked in the direction of the sound and spotted a huge Viking ship bearing down on him.

This ship was on a collision course with his smaller vessel. At the last moment just when it seemed the ship would ram his boat he heard the sound of a horn blowing, it sounded like a battle call.

The Viking ship then vanished right in front of him. He stated later a strong sense of wellbeing overtook him. He went back inside his wheelhouse and the motor started immediately.

It is still a mystery why this ship appears every 30 years and on the same day but the locals don’t mind.

Here is a video that demonstrates what multiple oars sound like when they hit the water.

I See Dead People…

This famous line from the 1999 film The Sixth Sense is a reality for the main character in Dwain Campbell’s book, Tales From the Frozen Ocean. Campbell shares the story of a teacher who sees dead people.

Colin Aintree born in Halifax, Canada in 1971 as a child 9 times out of 10 could predict whether a mare was going to have a colt or a filly just by looking at her.

His brothers were jealous of him because he always knew precisely were to cast his line to catch the largest trout. Neighbors came to Colin for he was especially good at dowsing for water.

Without a doubt Colin Aintree had a knack. But in his teens he starts to have experiences that literally terrify him. Later he comes to understand what is happening.

First Visions

At the age of 16, in 1988 Colin attends the funeral of his great aunt. As he listens to the graveside prayers in a cold rain he spies some children cavorting in a remote corner of the cemetery. He loses sight of them but their old-fashioned clothing pique his interest.

They seemed to play in an eerie silence. Curious, Colin after the service heads to the area where he saw these children. He discovers no trace of them. The soil in the area dampened by the rain has no prints.

He does spot the faded markers of four brothers and sisters that all died in a 1893 house fire. Realizing he has seen a family of ghosts a sickening fear overtakes him.

This experience proves to be the first of many visions--they on average occur once a month.

A year later, Colin now a freshman in college goes to Point Pleasant Park with a large group of students. He wonders along a path that runs parallel to the harbor. Glancing down this lane he sees something that shocks him so much he faints.

There, dangling from the branches of a pine tree swaying in the breeze are 3 rotting corpses. When he comes to an old lady standing over him, quizzes him as to whether he is diabetic or epileptic.

The dead men are gone and Colin leaves the park quickly.

Psychics

Colin confused about what is happening to him falls into a depression. His life changes when a female roommate brings a box of yard sale books home. In this collection he finds a book about the famous Dutch clairvoyant, Gerald Croiset.

After reading several library books about Edgar Cayce, Peter Hurkos and Ingo Swann, Colin realizes there are others that have experienced what plagues him.

Edgar Cayce

Nova Scotia

After graduating from college in 1994 Colin is offered a teaching position in Central Newfoundland.

Photo Spencer Dove

Little does he know that he is about to travel to one of the most haunted and foggy “isles in the fabled Seven Seas.” He finds his talents challenged by dark forces in this land surrounded by a frozen ocean.

If there is a Richter scale for psychics Colin Aintree would be a 10.

Dwain Campbell a college professor shares in his book several tales that happen to Colin--warning they are dark in nature.

His main character finds he must choose between suicide or a mentorship with an ancient Irish nun who is far more than she seems.

Here is a link to where Dwain Campbell's fantasy fiction book-- Tales From theFrozen Ocean-- can be purchased.

Newfoundland: A Wedding Pact

One classic Newfoundland ghost story is often told in Casey’s Lane in downtown St. Johns. It is about an unusual Wedding Pact.

St. Johns 1800s

Matt Trilligan like many young boys from St. John’s went to sea as a sailor in order to see the world. One winter, home on leave he was smitten with a local beauty named Kathleen. Kathleen returned his affection and the two became engaged.

At the couple’s wedding, as was the custom Matt drank rum with the men in one room as Kathleen stayed in another with the women. They too were drinking but not as heavily as the men.

As the liquor flowed so did the talk. The matrons in the room felt it was their duty to warn Kathleen-- for a life married to a sailor was not easy. They told her she would have to become used to being alone and always worried whether her husband would return.

Matt who had entered the room to check on his bride overheard this conversation. Either the rum or the Devil’s mischief got into him for he crossed the room and took a crucifix off the wall.

He then stated this oath to his new wife.

“If death should come to me--you my loving wife will be the first to know. Whether I am in heaven or hell I will come for you Kathleen and take you with me. This I swear.”

The ladies in the room listened in shock--for one should never mock the crucifix.

Kathleen noticing their sanctimonious reaction joined her husband in his mischief. She also placed her hands on the cross and announced to all:

“I will go freely with you my dearest whether it be to heaven or hell.”

Word spread quickly throughout the lane about this disrespectful wedding pact. Many felt terrible things would befall the newlyweds.

As for Matt and Kathleen who were very much in love they just ignored this local gossip.

The following spring Matt went to sea once more as Kathleen fondly watched his ship as it left the Narrows of St. Johns.

Narrows, St. Johns

Kathleen adjusted to being alone but worry set in when all the ships that had left in the spring returned--all except the ship Matt was on.

She spent many days down at the docks waiting for her husband’s return. Word came that his ship had delivered its goods to Portugal but had not been seen since.

Autumn passed and there was still no word of Matt’s ship. One dark foggy night in early winter several of Kathleen’s neighbors spotted Matt walking down the lane.

As he drew closer they noticed something odd about him. His eyes were lifeless and he stared forward unwaveringly. Several people tried to greet him but he passed without acknowledging them.

These neighbors gathered at Kathleen’s door as they watched Matt enter the home. They then heard a deathly cry--it sounded like Kathleen. Moments later Matt exited the house carrying Kathleen in his arms.

The neighbors saw she had the same “lifeless look” as Matt but she laughed as he carried her out of sight.

Several of the group entered the home and went upstairs to Kathleen’s bedroom. Stunned they found her lying in her bed--dead. She smelled of the sea and her hair was wet.

It almost looked as if she had joined Matt at the bottom of the sea.

Afterwards, many in the lane prayed for the couple. Their hope was that these two were in heaven.

The storyteller in the following video shares a shorter version of this story. The storyteller does a good job--but the camera angles are a distraction.