Illustration by Bill Herd.

Kingsport Times
Kingsport, Tennessee

December 31, 1947

Three Mates Watch Stricken Sea Monster

Thrash In Agony, Captain Of Ship Relates

(Editor’s Note: The following story was written by the captain of the S.S.
Santa Clara, Grace Line vessel, at the request of the Associated Press and
radioed to New York following the ship’s report to the Coast Guard that it
had struck a “sea monster” in the Atlantic off the North Carolina coast.)

By J. Fordan

Master of the S.S. Santa Clara

Aboard the S.S. Santa Clara – (AP) – (By Radio) – On Dec. 30, 1947, the Grace Line steamer, Santa Clara, was cleaving though sunlit, calm, blue seas due east of Cape Lookout, on route from New York to Cartagena.

The Santa Clara had just crossed the Gulf Stream when William Humphreys,
chief mate, John Rigney, navigating officer, and John Axelson, third mate,
assembled on the starboard wing of the bridge to take the noon sight at
11:55 a.m.

Suddenly John Axelson saw a snake-like head rear out of the sea about 30
feet off the starboard bow of the vessel. His exclamation of amazement
directed the attention of the two other mates to the sea monster, and the
three watched it unbelievingly as, in a moment’s time, it came abeam of the
bridge where they stood, and was then left astern.

The creature’s head appeared to be about two and one-half feet across, two
feet thick, and five feet long. The cylindrically-shaped body was about
three feet thick, and the neck about one and one-half feet in diameter.

As the monster came abeam of the bridge it was observed that the water
around the monster, over an area of 30 or 40 square feet, was stained red.
The visible part of the body was about 35 feet long.

It was assumed that the color of the water was due to the creature’s blood
and that the stem of the ship had cut the monster in two, but as there was
no observer on the other side of the vessel there was no way of estimating
what length of body might have been left on the other side.

From the time the monster was first sighted until it disappeared in the
distance astern, it was thrashing as though in agony. The monster’s skin
was dark brown, slick and smooth. There were no fins, hair, or
protuberances on the head, neck, or visible parts of the body.

See also Matt Bille’s article, here.

Thanks to Jerome Clark.