Lake Monsters

Monster Attack: 1892

The Daily Picayune of New Orleans, Louisiana, for December 4, 1892, published the following story, perhaps mistitled, “An Amphibious Monster.” A most extraordinary story comes from Boise City, Idaho, which is said to be well authenticated. It says that while three travelers were at the upper end of Lake Chelan recently one of them went into the water to bathe. He was seized by the foot by a marine [sic] monster and was being pulled into deep water, when his screams attracted the attention of his companions, who came to his rescue. They pulled him ashore, the monster hanging to [...]

Champ Video

Two years ago, in 2006, ABC-TV obtained for screening a video of a large object in Lake Champlain that was said to be Champ, originally taken in August 2005. (Please read more here, here, and here.) Now the entire video has become available, via YouTube. What do you Cryptomundians see in the video? (Please, for those that don’t yet understand all the otter jokes, do seriously share your sense of what this might be without a major side trek into otter-this-world humor.)

Beyond Loch Ness And Beyond

When Beyond Loch Ness was first broadcast on Sci Fi Channel on January 5, 2008, I didn’t get a chance to watch it. Tonight, from 7-9 PM Eastern, I viewed the film. It was my first chance to see this one. But then, I had to. After all, I am a cryptozoologist. The body count was ten people, one coyote, and several so-called “Nessies.” The experience was your typical cable B-movie sci-fi fare. The plot wasn’t too bad for a revenge film, the acting was first rate, and the special effects were mostly good. The creatures (a “60-foot plesiosaur mother” [...]

Pinky Expedition: Monster Considerations

A major conclusion from my “Pinky Expedition” is the same one that I have found over and over again. There are no simple answers to the mysteries of monsters in our midst. Looking at other “cryptids,” additionally, we have to consider the other pieces of the puzzle. The long-term sightings of strange creatures from the St. Johns River, Lake Monroe, and surrounding areas, from the 19th century, during the mid-20th century, and at other times, appear to involve many varied cryptids. Bipedal dinosaurs, sauropods, traditional long-necks, and big blobs in the water have all been descriptions for the St. Johns [...]

Pinky Expedition: Manatee Musings

Various interviews I’ve had with St. Johns River and Lake Monroe area residents who remember the news reports from the 1950s still do feel that the reports were merely “Northern” tourists who saw unusual (but known) animals in the local waters. The number one candidate: manatee. Manatees generally do stay below the surface, but have to come up for air, of course. Reflective of the lower population density in the 1950s, they may have been a rather surprising sight. Some manatees do, also, have light gray to pinkish looking skin, in various light or water conditions. There are five species [...]

Pinky Expedition: Investigative Breakthrough

Sometimes when investigating cryptids, it’s not how you ask but who and what you are asking about that gets some more insightful answers. It was a good day in the Pinky expedition journey. On Thursday, March 13, 2008, besides checking out more wildlife along the St. Johns River and at the Zoological Park of Sanford, I had a major investigative breakthrough. I decided to stop by the Historical Society of Sanford, to ask about sightings of “Pinky,” the alleged dinosaur of Florida. I was interested to find out if any old news archives might exist. What I stumbled into was [...]

Sea Serpent Immune To Bullets

New Castle [Pennsylvania] News ~ August 30, 1919 Sea Serpent Is Immune To Bullets Reno, Nev., Aug. 30. (International News Service) ~ Doubt not the authenticity of this, for the nation went dry long since. Four hunters report a Sea Serpent 35 feet long in Pyramid Lake, largest fresh water body west of the Great Lakes. It has huge fins and a serpent’s tail, comes to the surface of the water and lives, and its hide is impregnable to bullets. The hunters who shot the animal but who report it dived after being hit unhurt, are J. S. Neff, Mike [...]