55: Cursed Island: The Manitous of Lake Nipissing

Thu Jul 16 2026 Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts

Ten kilometres off the shore of North Bay, Ontario, five islands float on Lake Nipissing — sometimes literally. The locals call them the Manitous. Older names tell you more: Ghost Island.Devil’s Island. Paddle too close, they say, and the biggest island will speak to you — and it is not inviting you in. Tonight: a curse that begins with a fish, a haunting born of war and winter, two lovers who chose the same fire, and a voice that’s still talking. No one has ever been able to live on the Manitou Islands. This episode is about everyone who tried.

Acknowledgment:The Manitou Islands and Lake Nipissing lie in the traditional territory of the Nipissing First Nation (Nbisiing Anishinaabeg). The oldest stories in this episode belong to their oral tradition, and we tell them with respect and with the distinction — noted throughout the episode — between documented history, recorded legend, and local retelling.Sources & Further Reading:

Islands in the Sky (W. Bliss/P. McLeod, 1991), hostedby Nipissing First Nation — https://nfn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Islands-In-The-Sky.pdf
North Bay heritage marker, “Manitou Islands” (fulltext) — https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=215993
Northern Ontario Travel, “Lake Nipissing’s MysteriousManitou Islands” — https://northernontario.travel/northeastern-ontario/manitou-islands-lake-nipissing
Northern Ontario Travel, “An Insider’s Guide toOntario’s Manitou Islands” — https://northernontario.travel/northeastern-ontario/manitou-islands-lake-nipissing-day-trip
The Gateway (North Bay), “The Wreck of the John B.Fraser” — https://gatewaynorthbay.ca/2020/04/05/the-wreck-of-the-john-b-fraser/
Northern Ontario Travel, “Is Downtown North BayHaunted?” — https://northernontario.travel/northeastern-ontario/downtown-north-bay-haunted-find-out-if-you-dare
BaladoDiscovery, “North Bay Waterfront” heritage tour(the Star-Crossed Lovers legend) — https://baladodiscovery.com/circuits/1110/poi/12526/north-bay-waterfront
Ontario Parks, Manitou Islands Provincial Park — https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/manitouislands

You can see the Manitous from the North Bay waterfront, or cruise past them on the Chief Commanda II. The beach on Great Manitou is open to day visitors. There are no amenities on the islands, and overnight camping is not permitted. Come for the day. Leave before dark.

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Got a personal paranormal encounter, a piece of local folklore, or a Midsummer tradition from your own family? Send it our way — real listener submissions may be featured in a future episode.

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