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Mystery Sea...
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Time stands still in the depths of the sea, where unknown forms dwell in the darkness. In these deeper waters live the giant squid, immortalized as the fearsome Kraken of Norse mythology. Mariner's tales describe ships attacked by sea monsters with tentacles over a hundred feet long, and recent incidentshave corroborated the existence of squid and octopus on massive scale.
The nemesis of the giant squid, the sperm whale, has been seen with suction cup scars as big as truck tires from past battles. Other creatures previously thought extinct, such as the primitive coelacanth, have been documented by science. Oregon has its share of mysteries from the sea. Native coastal inhabitants incorporated the sea serpent into their artwork, and passed on legends of malevolent creatures such as the Devil's Lake monster.
Author Stan Allyn of Tradewinds Sportfishing fame was a witness to a sight so unusual it was four years before he related it to anyone. Gazing out to sea from his beachside home he noticed something at the water's edge. As he watched, several yellow tentacles came out of the surf and groped around on the beach. The tentacles were fourteen feet long and "thick as a man's thigh" where they disappeared in the water. Although the body of the creature was never visible, it eventually moved off creating a large disturbance on the surface. It was never seen again.
Other sightings on Oregon's coast tend to be in the form of huge eels or plesiosaur-like creatures. Author Marge Davenport noted several sightings from the Columbia River to Bandon. One of the first sightings was nicknamed Claude, who in 1934 was sighted near the mouth of the Columbia River. The crew of the Columbia River Lightship and fishermen frequently saw him for the next 20years. Described as: "about 40 feet long. It had a neck some eight feet long, a big round body, a mean looking tail and an evil, snaky look to its head".
The popular Lincoln City area has been the stage for at least two sightings. According to over 30 witnesses, a 30 foot creature with "a slender neck, a snake-like head, and a fan-shaped tail" made quite a show just off-shore at Nelscott several times.
In 1950 a strange animal washed up at Delake that was never identified. It was described variously as being from 1000-3000 pounds in weight, covered with hair and feathers. It came to be known as Old Hairy to the locals.
In 1963 divers working for the Shell Oil Company videotaped a fifteen-foot serpentine creature off of Oregon's coast. Nicknamed Martin, it swam with a spiral motion. Marine biologists disagree about what type of animal it is; some say it is a remnant of a prehistoric era. At the least, Martin is an uncataloged denizen of the deep.
A fifty-foot creature resembling a Plesiosaur was observed by a couple in 1937 at Devil's Churn, near the town of Yachats. It had a neck approximately fifteen feet long and a head like a horse. The body was six feet in diameter, with a long tail. It was seen approaching the Churn, and then it veered southward along the coast, eventually disappearing out to sea. Some say this was actually "Caddy", the name given to a creature usually seen around Vancouver Island.
Near Bandon a sea monster washed up that garnered headlines. Over 12 feet in length, it had a hairy, cow-like body. It remains unexplained to this day.
Perhaps the most notorious incident on Oregon's coast was the blowing up of a 45-foot whale that washed up near Florence in 1970. The Oregon Highway Division was given the task of disposing of the carcass, deciding to use dynamite. The event was covered by Paul Linnman of Portland's Channel Two News, who's comments added greatly to the humor of the situation as pieces of whale blubber fell upon the crowd and traveled as far as a mile away. Paul still receives a lot of kidding about the event, surely a conspicuous first in his career.
All countries that border the sea share its mysterious legacy. Of late Oregon's shoreline has been relatively uneventful, although decades ago sightings were fairly numerous. As Oregonians, we take pride in our beaches and return to them regularly, finding peace and inspiration. Let the sunset find you a forgotten dream in the surf. Swim the sea at night, but know that you are not alone.
Stan Allyn, Top Deck Twenty!: Best west coast sea stories!Portland Or.: Binford & Mort, 1989
Marge Davenport, "Caddy, northwest sea serpent and other fishy stories." Afloatand Awash in the Old Northwest. Tigard, Oregon: Paddlewheel Press, 1988.
J.D. Adams: j1mcm0s@earthlink.net
FROM the Editor: You can contact J.D. Adams regarding The Mystery Sea and other articles he has written through his email address posted above.
The sea is a facinating environment and the Mystery Sea opens up the doorway into time past.
