Noah of Saskatchewan: The Tom Sukanen Saga

Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History

Curiouscast

True Crime, Society & Culture, History, Documentary

4.8 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Episode 384: Driving the prairie roads south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, your eyes adjust to an endless sea of grass and sky, where grain elevators rise like sentinels and ragged lines of poplar windbreaks whisper in the steady wind. It’s a landscape that makes you feel both small and free—until, in the middle of the wheat-coloured plains, you come upon a steel-hulled ship sitting high and dry on the grass. This is the Sontiainen, built by Finnish immigrant Tom Sukanen, who spent years constructing it here, hundreds of kilometres from salt water, in hopes of sailing it home to Finland. What sounds like the beginning of a folk tale is entirely true: the man, the ship, and his dream were real—and so was the heartbreak that followed. Sources: The Sad Story Behind the Prairie Ship of Tom SukanenThe Tragedy of Tom SukanenView of Little Steamship on the Prairie: Grass-Roots Preservation and Artistic Interpretation in the Construction of Ethnic, Local, and National Identities | Scandinavian-Canadian StudiesSukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum - A real location with a fictitious community.Dustship Glory - Athabasca University PressSukanen Ship Pioneer Village and MuseumDreams in the Dust: The Story of Tom SukanenThe tragic tale of Tom Sukanen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, Mike here. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Dark Poutine early and ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime.
0:09.0	This is a paid advertisement from BetterHelp. I've always believed in being open with you, so here goes.
0:15.3	After my marriage ended, I was in a tough spot. The emotional toll was heavier than I expected and I needed help navigating it.
0:23.6	That's when I turned to better help and honestly, it helped me start putting the pieces back together.
0:29.4	Now, after the recent loss of my father, I know I'll be using better help again.
0:34.7	Because healing isn't a straight line and sometimes you need someone to talk to
0:39.1	who isn't in your circle. With over 35,000 licensed therapists around the world, BetterHelp makes it
0:45.7	easier to get support from someone who understands your specific needs. You can connect from anywhere
0:51.2	and if it's not the right fit, you can switch therapists any time.
0:55.4	Don't keep it all bottled up.
0:57.3	Real strength is asking for help.
0:59.3	Talk it out with BetterHelp.
1:00.8	Visit BetterHelp.com slash darkputine today and get 10% off your first month.
1:06.4	That's BetterHelp, help.com slash dark putine.
1:11.8	DarkPoteen is sponsored by Vessi.
1:14.3	Let me tell you about my new go-to-adventure shoe, the Vessi Stormburst.
1:19.3	These aren't just waterproof sneakers.
1:21.5	They're built for anything October can throw at you.
1:24.5	Rain, mud, slick city streets, rocky trails, you name it. Stormburst has the
1:29.8	grip and comfort to keep up. I've taken them out on hikes through unexpected downpours and even
1:35.3	long days in the city. My feet are always dry, cool, and comfortable. The stormburst is tough enough
1:41.5	for misty coastlines and muddy trails, but versatile enough to
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Curiouscast, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Curiouscast and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.