Aloha, Tide Riders, and welcome back to Strange Tides, where history gets weird and the past refuses to stay buried. In this third installment of our Castle-Mania saga—which is also a Short Board Session—we’re heading deep into the haunted heart of France at Château de Brissac.

Known as the tallest château in France, Brissac isn’t just stacked with royal history—it’s layered with betrayal, violence, and one of the country’s most infamous spirits: the Green Lady. Said to be the ghost of Charlotte de Brézé, her tragic murder in the 15th century still echoes through the halls, with countless reports of sightings, eerie sounds, and encounters that blur the line between legend and lived experience.

We’ll break down the real history, dig into the folklore that refuses to fade, and explore modern paranormal activity that keeps this place firmly on France’s haunted map. Then, as always, we’ll paddle out past the facts and into deeper waters—because you know what time it is. We’re crossing the borders into Speculation Nation, throwing out theories ranging from the usual suspects like the stone tape hypothesis to something far more...unexpected .

So wax up your board, keep your eyes on the shadows, and let’s ride the waves of the strange.

Sources:

Official Château de Brissac Website - https://brissac.net/en/

Wikipedia – Château de Brissac - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Brissac

Wikipedia – Charlotte de Brézé - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_de_Br%C3%A9z%C3%A9

Experience Loire – Château de Brissac - https://www.experienceloire.com/brissac.htm

Ancient Origins – Château de Brissac and the Ghost of the Green Lady - https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/ch-teau-de-brissac-and-ghost-green-lady-006045

The Little House of Horrors – Chateau de Brissac - https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/chateau-de-brissac/

Moon Mausoleum – The Lady in Green Haunting Château de Brissac - https://moonmausoleum.com/the-lady-in-green-haunting-chateau-de-brissac/

The Vintage News – The Ghost of the Green Lady Haunts this Spectacular French Chateau - https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/12/16/green-lady/

Great Castles – Green Lady of Château de Brissac - https://great-castles.com/brissacghost.html

History Witch – La Dame Verte - https://historywitch.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/la-dame-verte/

Seeks Ghosts – Chateau de Brissac: The Lady in Green - https://seeksghosts.blogspot.com/2013/01/chateau-de-brissac-lady-in-green.html

Anecdotrip – Brissac castle: a ghost, a marshal of France and a reconciliation by vinaigrette - https://en.anecdotrip.com/brissac-castle-a-ghost-a-marshal-of-france-and-a-reconciliation-by-vinaigrette

Mystic Pages – “The Haunted Château de Brissac: Unveiling the Tale of the ‘Green Lady’” - https://mysticpazes.medium.com/the-haunted-ch%C3%A2teau-de-brissac-unveiling-the-tale-of-the-green-lady-670bb83bdff4

Neziralp – “Château de Brissac: France’s Haunted Jewel” - https://medium.com/write-a-catalyst/ch%C3%A2teau-de-brissac-frances-haunted-jewel-8e4ed17d8ff7

TripAdvisor Reviews - https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1125985-d482555-r418238008-Chateau_de_Brissac-Brissac_Quince_Brissac_Loire_Aubance_Maine_et_Loire_Pays_de_l.html

D. Hardie – Haunted Castles: Ghosts from History (2015) - https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/ch-teau-de-brissac-and-ghost-green-lady-006045

A Ghost a Day: 365 True Tales of the Spectral, Supernatural, and… - https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Day-Tales-Spectral-Supernatural/dp/1440506086

YouTube – “The Green Lady of Château de Brissac – The Secrets Behind the Walls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzxTDRY0vjc

Aloha Tide Riders and welcome back to Strange Tides as we dive into the second installment of our “Castle-Mania” saga—this time heading deep into the shadowy halls of Chillingham Castle, often called Britain’s most haunted fortress.

From its brutal origins along the Anglo-Scottish border to its infamous dungeon—where echoes of torture, chains, and screams still seem to linger—we unpack the chilling history that may have left a permanent mark on the castle’s very walls. Meet the spirits said to roam its corridors: the radiant Blue Boy, whose ghostly glow and midnight cries still unsettle guests; the Grey Lady, forever searching for what she lost; and darker forces tied to the castle’s violent past.

But we don’t stop at the stories. We explore the theories—residual hauntings, ley lines, thin places, and even the idea that something far older than the castle itself may be at play. Are these ghosts… or something else entirely?

So dim the lights, maybe don’t listen alone, and step inside a place where history and the paranormal collide—and where the past might not be finished with us just yet.

Sources:

Official Chillingham Castle website - https://chillingham-castle.com/

The Little House of Horrors – Chillingham Castle - https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/chillingham-castle/

Real British Ghosts – Chillingham Castle Ghosts - http://www.real-british-ghosts.com/chillingham-castle-ghosts.html

Icy Sedgwick - https://www.icysedgwick.com/chillingham-castle/

Northeast By Lines – https://northeastbylines.co.uk/region/north-east/the-ghosts-of-chillingham-castle/

Kat Devitt – “Chillingham Castle: England’s Most Haunted Castle?” - https://katdevitt.com/2024/10/15/chillingham-castle-englands-most-haunted-castle/

Most Haunted TV series episodes (2005–2006) - Check Local Listings

Aloha Tide Riders. Welcome to a new month and a new saga - Castle-Mania. All month long, we'll be dive into the haunted histories of creepy castles all over the world. To kick things off, we step into the shadowy halls of Leap Castle — a place often called the most haunted castle in Ireland, and for good reason. In this episode, we dig into centuries of blood-soaked history, from brutal clan rivalries and betrayals to the infamous “Bloody Chapel” where a priest met a violent end mid-mass. But the real question is: did all that darkness leave something behind?

We explore the castle’s most chilling paranormal encounters, including sightings of the Red Lady, eerie child spirits, and the unsettling presence of the Elemental — a non-human entity so disturbing that even seasoned visitors have fled in terror. Along the way, we break down firsthand accounts, historical records, and the psychological factors that might blur the line between legend and lived experience.

Is Leap Castle truly a hotspot of supernatural activity, or is its reputation the result of centuries of trauma echoing through stone walls? Plug in, turn down the lights, and decide for yourself.

Sources:

Official Leap Castle Website - https://leapcastle.net/

Irish Central – “Leap Castle ghost story” - https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/leap-castle-ghost-story

The Little House of Horrors – Leap Castle - https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/leap-castle/

Offaly History – “The most haunted castle in Ireland: the story of novelist Andrew Merry (aka Mrs Mildred Darby)” - https://www.offalyhistory.com/uncategorized/the-most-haunted-castle-in-ireland-the-story-of-novelist-andrew-merry-aka-mrs-mildred-darby-of-leap-castle-co-offaly-by-noel-guerin

Celtic Elegance – “Exploring the Paranormal at Leap Castle” - https://celticelegance.com/exploring-the-paranormal-at-leap-castle/

European Waterways – “Leap Castle: Ireland’s Most Haunted” - https://www.europeanwaterways.com/blog/shannon-princess-leap-castle/

Ireland.com – “Getting spooked at Leap Castle” - https://www.ireland.com/en-us/magazine/built-heritage/getting-spooked-at-leap-castle/

State of the Unknown – “Leap Castle: Ireland’s Haunted Fortress and the Elemental” - https://stateoftheunknown.com/blog/leap-castle-irelands-most-haunted-fortress-and-the-elemental-that-lurks-within

Haunted Rooms UK – Leap Castle - https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/haunted-places/ireland/leap-castle

Moon Mausoleum – “The Ghost Crowds of Leap Castle” - https://moonmausoleum.com/the-ghost-crowds-of-leap-castle/

EsoterX – “Leap Castle and the Fear of Ubiquitous Ghosts” - https://esoterx.com/2021/04/15/leap-castle-and-the-fear-of-ubiquitous-ghosts/

Carpe Diem Eire – “Visiting The World’s Most Haunted Castle” - https://carpediemeire.com/2020/10/12/leap-castle/

Aloha, Tide Riders! March is coming to a close, and with it, our March Miniatures saga—but we’re ending on a high-strangeness note with one of Iberia’s most iconic and elusive entities: the duende. This week on Strange Tides, we’re diving into the history behind these mischievous spirits, tracing their roots through centuries of Spanish and Portuguese folklore where they’ve haunted homes, forests, and mountain paths alike.

We’ll break down the many regional variants—from the chaotic trasgos of Asturias to the industrious minairons of the Pyrenees and the red-clad tricksters of the Basque Country—each one reflecting the landscape and culture it comes from. These aren’t just random creatures; they’re part of a deeply woven mythological system that’s evolved over generations.

From there, we move into the sightings section, exploring modern encounters that feel like echoes of the past—small figures darting through the woods, strange sounds in the night, and those blink-and-you-miss-it moments that keep the legend alive.

And of course, we close things out in the Tinfoil Teepee, where we dig into the theories: are duendes nature spirits, thought-forms, hidden species, interdimensional tricksters, or something far older and darker? However you slice it, this episode brings the whole saga together—because in the world of duendes, history, mystery, and the unknown are all part of the same wave.

Sources:

W. Y. Evans Wentz - The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/34853/34853-h/34853-h.htm

Katherine Mary Briggs - An Encyclopedia of Fairies - https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaoffa00brig

Julio Caro Baroja - Brujas y Su Mundo - https://www.scribd.com/document/712541840/Julio-Caro-Baroja-Las-Brujas-y-Su-Mundo

Israel J. Espino - Extremadura secreta: brujas, sabias y hechiceras - https://www.amazon.com/Extremadura-secreta-brujas-sabias-hechiceras/dp/8417797246

Joan Amades - Costumari Català Vol 1 - https://www.scribd.com/document/403395608/Joan-Amades-Costumari-Catala-Vol-1-pdf

Various Authors - Mitologas, Legendsy Cuentos del Pirineo - https://ebuah.uah.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/10017/59667/mitologias_lopez_literatura_2022.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Federico García Lorca - Theory and Play of the Duende - https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Spanish/LorcaDuende.php

Stith Thompson - Motif-Index of Folk-Literature - https://ia800301.us.archive.org/18/items/Thompson2016MotifIndex/Thompson_2016_Motif-Index.pdf

Xosé Lluis García Arias - La mitología asturiana - https://www.academia.edu/36581276/La_mitoloxía_clásica_nos_anicios_de_la_Lliteratura_Asturiana

José Leite de Vasconcelos - Etnografia Portuguesa - https://loja.incm.pt/products/livros-etnografia-portuguesa-vol-iv-1013668

Los Duendes del Extremadura - YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC47HJe4CBw

Monstopedia - https://monstropedia.fandom.com/wiki/Duende

Milenio 3 Archives - https://www.ikerjimenez.com/milenio-3

David Tebras - Fantasía Celta - https://www.davidtebras.com/FantasiaCelta/

Aloha Tide Riders and happy post St. Patrick's day!

The little folk aren’t always lucky… and they’re definitely not friendly.

In the third installment of our March Miniatures saga, Strange Tides dives deep into two of the most infamous pint-sized entities in folklore: the gold-hoarding Leprechaun and the blood-soaked Redcap. One’s a sharp-witted trickster, guarding hidden treasure and bending reality with riddles, bargains, and sleight of hand. The other? A brutal, castle-haunting predator said to soak its cap in fresh human blood to survive—no tricks, just terror.

We trace their roots through windswept Irish landscapes and the haunted borderlands of England and Scotland, unpacking old legends, reported encounters, and the cultural fears that may have shaped these eerie figures. Along the way, we explore how these entities evolved from mischievous fae into something far more unsettling—and why stories about them refuse to fade.

Then, in Speculation Nation, we go full Strange Tides—diving into the theories behind what these beings really are. Are Leprechauns and Redcaps remnants of ancient pygmy races? Alien refugees from another time and place? Interdimensional tricksters and predators playing by rules we barely understand? Or something even stranger?

They may be small—but in this episode, the danger (and the mystery) looms large.

Sources:

Echtra Fergus mac Léti** (The Adventure of Fergus mac Léti) - https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810104911304

Thomas Crofton Croker — Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39752

IrishMyths.com article “The Etymology of Leprechaun” (March 4, 2024) — https://irishmyths.com/2024/03/04/leprechaun-etymology

Jacopo Bisagni - Leprechaun: A New Etymology - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289720627_Leprechaun_A_New_Etymology

World History Encyclopedia — “Leprechaun” (Feb 4, 2021) - https://www.worldhistory.org/Leprechaun

The Elusive Elf: Some Thoughts on the Nature and Origin of the Irish Leprechaun - https://www.jstor.org/stable/1259500

Pitt.edu Folklore Collection — “The Leprechaun: Ireland's Fairy Shoemaker” - https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/leprechaun.html

The Last Leprechauns of Ireland — https://www.thelastleprechaunsofireland.com/

“Crichton leprechaun revisited” (Mar 9, 2015) — https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2015/03/crichton_leprechaun_revisited.html

Mythos Anthology — “Leprechaun” - https://mythosanthology.com/leprechaun

History.com — “The Jolly Leprechaun’s Sinister Origins” (Mar 11, 2025) — https://www.history.com/articles/leprechauns-history-lucky-irish-gold

Sir Walter Scott — Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45778/45778-h/45778-h.htm

William Henderson — Notes on the Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders - https://archive.org/details/cu31924006726552

Icy Sedgwick — “What Are Redcaps And Why Should You Avoid Their Lair?” (June 24, 2023) - https://www.icysedgwick.com/redcaps

Hidden Scotland — “The Redcap of Hermitage Castle” - https://hiddenscotland.com/journal/the-redcap-of-hermitage-castle

Beasts of Legend — “Redcap Goblin” (December 28, 2025 update) - https://beastsoflegend.com/bestiary/europe/redcap-goblin

Mythical Creatures & Beasts — “Redcap” - https://mythicalcreaturesandbeasts.com/redcap

A Clan A Day (Substack) — “Haunted Castles of the Red Cap” - https://aclanaday.substack.com/p/haunted-castles-of-the-red-cap

Historic Environment Scotland — Hermitage Castle - https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/hermitage-castle/

Grey Dog Tales — “Redcap, Coffman, and the Doom of Lord Soulis” (November 16, 2018) - http://greydogtales.com/blog/redcap-coffman-doom-lord-soulis

Medieval Death Trip — “Concerning Redcaps" - https://www.medievaldeathtrip.com/concerning-redcaps

Myth and Folklore Wiki (Fandom) — “Redcap” - https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Redcap

Aloha and welcome to the second installment of our March Miniatures sage her on Strange Tides. In this episode, we’re digging into the tiny but surprisingly mysterious world of gnomes and nisser—two small folk from European folklore who might look cute on a garden statue but have a reputation that’s a lot more complicated. From the underground earth-spirits of old European legends to the mischievous farm guardians of Scandinavian tradition, these little beings have been popping up in stories for centuries, sometimes helping humans… and sometimes seriously messing with them if they don’t get the respect (or the bowl of porridge) they think they deserve.

We’ll explore where these legends come from, how gnomes and nisser evolved through folklore and literature, and why cultures across Europe believed small hidden people were living just out of sight. Along the way we’ll check out historical accounts, weird modern sightings, and the ways pop culture—from fantasy novels to Christmas traditions—has kept these tiny tricksters alive in our imaginations. So grab your lantern, watch your step around that old barn, and maybe leave a snack out… because if the stories are true, the little neighbors might be listening.

Sources and Links:

Paracelsus (Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim) – Liber de Nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus (posthumous, 1566) - https://books.google.com/books?id=8Z5EAAAAcAAJ

Georgius Agricola – De Re Metallica (1556) - https://archive.org/details/dereincarnation00agra/page/n5/mode/2up

Jacob Grimm – Teutonic Mythology (Deutsche Mythologie, 1835; English trans. 1880–1888) - https://archive.org/details/teutonicmytholo01grimgoog

William Henderson – Notes on the Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders (1866) - https://archive.org/details/notesonfolkloreo00hend/page/326/mode/2up

Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum (German Mining Museum) - https://www.bergbaumuseum.de/en/exhibitions/mining-folklore

Rammelsberg Mine (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Goslar, Germany) - https://www.rammelsberg.de/en/museum/folklore

Hallstatt Salt Mine (Austria) - https://www.salzwelten.at/en/hallstatt/legends

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen & Jørgen Moe, *Norske Folkeeventyr* (Norwegian Folk Tales, 1841–1844) - https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008043004018

Astrid Lindgren, Tomten (1960) & Tomten and the Fox (1984) - https://www.astridlindgren.com/en/books/tomten

Arla Foods annual Christmas tradition surveys (Denmark, 2020s) - https://www.arla.dk/om-arla/nyheder/

Nordiska Museet (Swedish National Museum of Cultural History) - https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/

Reddit r/Danmark, r/Norway, r/Sverige (2015–2023 threads) - https://www.reddit.com/r/Danmark/search/?q=nisse

https://www.reddit.com/r/Norway/search/?q=nisse

VisitDenmark - https://www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/things-do/christmas-denmark/julegroed

Swedish folklore & Christmas - https://www.swedishchristmas.se/tomten

Aloha Tide Riders. It's a new month, which means a new saga, and on today's episode, we'll be kicking off our series on March Miniatures. We'll be exploring the legends, the lore, the origins - and the modern-day sightings - of diminutive dudes all across Europe.

On today's episode of Strange Tides, we'll paddle out to Poland first, then head a bit farther east to talk about a couple of legendary little guys. From the shadowy depths of Silesian coal mines to the cozy glow of Slavic hearths, mysterious little guardians have been watching over humans for centuries. This episode dives into the worlds of the Skarbnik — the elusive miner spirit who knocks warnings, guides the lost, and protects rich veins of ore — and the Domovoi, the household spirit of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian lore who keeps homes, livestock, and families safe.

We explore centuries of folklore, eyewitness accounts, rituals, and modern-day encounters, tracing how these small, bearded figures can be both benevolent helpers and mischievous tricksters. From knocks in the mine to milk left on the stove, discover how humans and spirits have coexisted in stories, superstition, and cultural memory — and why these guardians continue to captivate our imaginations today.

Sources:

Oskar Kolberg – Lud. Jego zwyczaje, sposób życia, mowa, podania, przysłowia, obrzędy, gusła, zabawy, pieśni, muzyka i tańce (various volumes, 1857–1890) - https://polona.pl/item-view/ (search “Kolberg Skarbnik” or volume titles)

Józef Lompa – Lud śląski (1860s collections, republished 1970s) - https://sbc.org.pl/Content/88158/ii499767-13.pdf

Barbara Fatyga – Folklor Górniczy (Mining Folklore, 2005) - https://bip.amu.edu.pl/ (Search Barbara Fatyga or Skarbnik)

Guido Mine & Coal Museum (Zabrze) - https://guido.pl/en/ (English) – see “Legends” and “History” sections.

Nowa Ruda Mining Museum - https://muzeumgornictwa.pl/ (Polish; use browser translate)

Eksploratorzy.com.pl - https://eksploratorzy.com.pl/ (search “Skarbnik” or “Nowa Ruda”)

Ivan Khudyakov – Velikorusskie skazki (Great Russian Tales, 1860) - https://rusneb.ru/catalog/000199_000009_003567123/

VK (Russian social network) – Folklore groups (2020–2023) - https://vk.com/search?c[q]=домовой&c[section]=posts

Pikabu.ru - https://pikabu.ru/search?query=домовой

Reddit r/russia and r/Ukraine (2021–2023) - https://www.reddit.com/r/russia/search/?q=domovoi

Folkways.today - https://folkways.today/slavic-household-spirits/

Donna K. Nagata – Perspectives on Psychological Science (2019) - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691619862304

Aloha, Tide Riders. As our saga on February Freakiness reaches its chilling finale, Strange Tides closes the book on one of the most haunting mysteries ever frozen in time — the Dyatlov Pass Incident.

In February 1959, nine experienced hikers led by Igor Dyatlov vanished deep in the northern Ural Mountains under circumstances so strange they still defy easy explanation. A tent cut open from the inside. Footprints leading barefoot into sub-zero darkness. Bodies scattered across the snow — some showing injuries investigators couldn’t fully explain.

Avalanche? Military testing? Infrasound panic? Something stranger?

In this final chapter, we pull together the theories, the evidence, and the lingering questions that have kept the Dyatlov Pass mystery alive for more than six decades. We separate folklore from forensic science, rumor from reality, and explore why this case continues to grip the imagination like a cold wind that never quite dies down.

Was it a perfect storm of natural forces… or a moment where the unknown brushed too close to human reality? We'll discuss all that and more in the Tinfoil Teepee.

So grab a warm drink, turn down the lights, and join us as we wrap up February Freakiness with a story where the answers may never fully thaw.

The tide goes out… but some mysteries stay buried beneath the snow.

Sources:

Dyatlov Group Diaries & Photos (1959) & Soviet Criminal Investigation Files (1959–1960) - https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files

Mansi Witness Statements (1959) - https://dyatlovpass.com/witnesses

Donnie Eichar – Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident (2013) - https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mountain-Untold-Dyatlov-Incident/dp/1452112746

Teodora Hadjiyska – Dyatlov Pass: The Files (2019) - https://www.amazon.com/Dyatlov-Pass-Files-Teodora-Hadjiyska/dp/1793360960

Aleksey Rakitin – Dyatlov Pass (2008–2013, Russian) Partial English excerpts - https://dyatlovpass.com/rakitin

Johan Gaume & Alexander Puzrin – “Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959 - Communications Earth & Environment (Nature), January 28, 2021 - https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00081-8

Russian Prosecutor’s Office Reopening (2019) & Conclusion (July 2020) - https://dyatlovpass.com/2019-prosecutor-investigation

Discovery Channel – Russian Yeti: The Killer Lives (2014) - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=russian+yeti+the+killer+lives

BBC – “The Dyatlov Pass Incident: What Really Happened?” (2019 interview with Mikhail Sharavin) - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50962727

Ural’skiy Sledopyt Magazine - Lev Ivanov interview (1990) - https://dyatlovpass.com/ivanov-interview

Dyatlov Foundation - https://dyatlovfoundation.ru