Los Angeles Herald

September 2, 1907

SEA SERPENT NEARS SHORE

DISPORTS IN SURF AT OCEAN

PARK STAYS BEYOND RANGE OF RIFLE

SHOTS

Discovered by Angeleno and Old-Time

Beach Resident, It Is Watched

by Big Crowd from Pier

OCEAN PARK, Sept. 1. – The dread sea serpent which has visited this beach at
odd times during the last five years has again been seen.

This year he was rather late arriving, as usually he makes his appearance
during the early summer months and shows up once or twice during the season.

Until yesterday he was not seen during the present season by any of the old
inhabitants, who have learned to watch for his appearance, and it was
thought he had hied himself to new shores and had tired of the pasture
grounds off the shores of California.

Early yesterday morning, however, he was spied a short distance off the
horseshoe pier by Ed Mathews, a local resident, and George Franklyn, a
visitor from Los Angeles who had come to Ocean Park for an early morning
fishing.

News that the giant serpent was off shore sped rapidly and soon the rail of
the pier was lined with a curious throng who watched the antics of the huge
creature as it swam back and forth on top of the waves.

At no time did it come near enough to the pier for any of the spectators to
get a shot at it with a file, despite the fact that one was brought for the
purpose.

Watch All Day

For nearly twenty minutes the creature disported itself before the eyes of
the spectators, and then swam away seaward. All during the day curious
persons who had missed seeing the creature in the morning passed the beach
in the hope that it would return, but they were disappointed.

“The first thing which attracted my attention was when a huge head bobbed up
above the surface of the water,” said Mr. Franklyn last night.

“This head was about the size of a keg. A great mouth was cut across the
lower part of it and gleaming teeth could be seen.

“I had with me a powerful pair of spyglasses and I turned them toward the
creature. From where I was standing the eyes appeared to be as large as
base balls and to protrude from the head.

“The creature was about thirty feet long and was striped.

“Running along its spine was a great fin, while two other fins protruded
from the sides. With these fins the serpent lashed the water about it to a
foam as it swam back and forth.

“I could not at first believe that I was seeing anything real and I rubbed
the lenses of my glasses in astonishment. At last I handed them to Mathews
and for several minutes he stood gazing at the creature.

Secure Weapon

“We then called to other persons who were some distance away and several of
them ran up. They, too, were astonished at the appearance of the strange
serpent. At last one man said it was possible the creature might swim near
the pier in time and a youth who was present ran to his home a short
distance away and secured a rifle.

“For ten minutes longer we stood watching the serpent hoping it would come
close enough to give us a shot at it, but it did not do so and at last it
turned and swam rapidly away, its head rising several feet above the surface
of the ocean as it went.

“I have never believed in sea serpents before this time and have always
thought that they were the product of some fanciful person’s imagination.

“I know different now and believe that the ocean is inhabited by many
strange creatures about which our most noted scientists and students know
nothing.”