Fortean/Cryptozoological Museum Display

Seminole County just got weird
October 1, 2010 By Brittni Johnson Guest Reporter

The Museum of Seminole County History is exploring a side of history that doesn't usually get much attention. It involves flying toads, river monsters and skunk apes."This is a side of history that we never talk about," said Charlie Carlson, local historian and author of several weird Florida books."The Weird, Strange and Unexplained in Seminole County" exhibit, which is open through November, features strange animals, people and happenings found in Seminole County. They range from the Florida skunk ape to local late magician Harry Wise. About a year ago, the idea came to Paul Zuromski, on the Seminole County Historical Commission, and Kim Nelson, the museum's coordinator. : Old posters and magic contraptions from the late magician Harry Wise are on display for the exhibit at the Museum of Seminole County History."In a time of budget cuts, I thought, what can we do to get some interest here?" Zuromski said.And so they contacted local weird historians Carlson and Scott Marlowe, who pulled from their own strange collections and expertise to create the exhibit. Nelson said she hopes to spark some interest with the younger crowd."The problem with history is that young people don't seem to grab onto it," she said.But that is what makes this exhibit special — it is history with a twist that will capture any imagination, Nelson said."This is really opening their minds to the possibilities," Marlowe said.The possibility of ghosts and creatures right in their own backyard is something people can't help but be drawn to. It adds spice to history, which even Nelson admits can get dry.Folklore is part of the fabric of a culture," Carlson said. "It's those things that kind of hold us together. This is our escape.""It's fun, but still historically accurate," Nelson said.So let your mind wander, and escape into something a bit different, while learning a little about Seminole County's history.Here's some of the weird stuff you'll find at the exhibit:

There's the skunk ape, "Florida's Bigfoot," a creature that looks like a big ape that walks on two legs. It's named and known for its smell, which cryptozoologist Marlowe said is like a skunk and wet dog. While the creature is thought of as a myth, Marlowe said he's seen the ape three times, once in Winter Park.

Then there's the Longwood Toad Invasion of 1982. One morning that year, residents woke up to find loads of toads had found their way to their neighborhoods. After a few days of dealing with the critters, one day the people woke up and they were mysteriously gone again. Did they fall from the sky?

Maggie Bell's Spirit Table is another oddity you'll get to see in person. Florida weird expert Carlson loaned the museum the table, which Maggie levitated.

Carlson also loaned the Red Rocker, a tiny child's rocking chair that sometimes rocks on its own. The chair was his grandmother's, and Carlson grew up seeing the chair move for no reason. It might have been just a draft, but he likes to think there's a ghost rocking the chair.

One strange happening with a spot at the exhibit is the I-4 Dead Zone, said to be an area on Interstate 4 in Seminole County where there are graves beneath the road. In that spot, people have seen ghost hitchhikers and strange orbs of light, heard unknown voices while they're on their cell phones and clear radio signals change to static. There's also a claim of a high number of accidents and deaths in this stretch.You will also find a geode from outer space, mastodon teeth, ghosts, graveyards, a river monster and some very strange people. So take some time, "suspend your disbelief," and let yourself be drawn into the tales.

Source: http://seminolevoice.com/Seminole_Voice/article.asp?ID=4572

Abominable Snowmen, Legend Comes To Life: Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Oh-Mah, Grassman And Skunk Ape: 

The Story Of Sub-Humans On Five Continents From The Early Ice Age Until Today Illustrated 

Field Guide To Haunted Orlando 

Southern Fried Bigfoot 

chupacabra is back

Mission landowner claims to have killed a 'chupacabra'
by Ryan Wolf  9.23.2010 

A Mission area landowner claims to have killed a mysterious animal that may be the mythical 'chupacabra.' Frank Lozano said he shot and killed the animal on his land off Mayberry Road and U.S. Highway 107 around 3 p.m. Thursday.Lozano said he said talking to friend when he saw the animal walking through his property.The Mission landowner said the animal is very different from a coyote.Lozano said some of his livestock animals were killed last year but it's the first time he's seen the creature.The Mission man said he's saving the body and wants experts to take a look at to confirm what species it is. Source with photo here:
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=516075

Scientists in search for Siberian Bigfoot

A fourth science expedition has left for Mountain Shoria (a territory in Southern Siberia, east of the Altai Mountains) earlier on Wednesday in search of any traces of the abominable snowman. Taking part in the expedition will be the director of the International Center for Hominology, Igor Burtsev, deputy president of the public association Kosmopoisk, Vasily Dovgoshei, History Doctor Valery Kimeyev and other experts. As Igor Burtsev, a participant in several previous expeditions, has told Itar-Tass, the search will last for about ten days. The experts are determined to find irrefutable evidence the Bigfoot (also known by the names of Sasquatch and Yeti) does exist. “During the previous expedition a year ago I saw markers (half-broken branches) the creature uses to mark the controlled territory,” Burtsev said. “Mountain Shoria is a perfect place for yetis. It is a sparsely populated, mountainous area, where there are many caves, it is relatively warm and there are sources of pure fresh water. In the mountain rivers fish is in abundance and hunting in the forests must be really good. I reckon the Bigfoot likes to go fowling. In the woods I have found several artifacts to confirm my theory of mine. This time I plan to find the Bigfoot’s shelter and even try to contact the creature." The head of the Tashtagol District, Vladimir Makuta, says that the first mention of Bigfoot’s presence in Mountain Shoria dates back to 1980. The creatures seem to have gone especially active over the past three years.

Source:http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15519526&PageNum=0

22.09.10.

News on Cameron Lake creature and strangeness at Loch Ness

 Monster hunt yields clues

By Neil Horner - Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Published: September 15, 2010

The wind was calm and the water was smooth as John Kirk and Adam McGirr left the beach and headed out onto Cameron Lake Tuesday.The pair, members of the Scientific Cryptozoology Club, were on a return visit to the lake to search for clues into the nature of a mysterious creature sighted there over the past few years.While the pair found no smoking gun to prove there is a large, mysterious creature — called a cryptid — living in the lake, they were able to glean some valuable clues.“We had two contacts on the sonar within the first hour,” Kirk said. “We had two in the first contact and one in the second, so there were likely either two or three creatures. Whatever is down there, whether it is a fish or an unknown animal, we know there are at least two of them.The first on the fish finder, he said, was just off Angel Rock, where many of the sightings have been recorded, in one of the deeper parts of the lake.“This time the two of them were going after a school of fish,” Kirk said. “You could see the fish moving on the fish finder and these two things following behind. Then, a bit later, we saw a cylindrical object in the middle of the water column, by itself. We didn’t expect that at all.”Although Kirk said he is now convinced there is some sort of creature in the lake, he doubts it’s anything like Ogopogo.“I’m leaning towards a fish,” he said. “I have got to see it on the surface before I can make a real determination, but something like an Ogopogo living in this lake is really unlikely. It’s just too small. We’re thinking that maybe as a prank a while ago someone may have introduced some immature sturgeon and they have grown up in this area.”Whatever it is, McGirr added, is nothing like the reputed size of the Okanagan Lake creature.“We’re estimating it was about six or seven feet long,” he said. “We’re not talking about a huge sea serpent creature here. The lake couldn’t sustain something like that, which would have to eat all the time.”During a final tour of the lake, the fish finder recorded another large anomaly in the water column, this time not by Angel Rock. However, visual sightings, despite the smooth surface of the lake, continued to elude the pair.“It’s so disappointing to see nothing on the surface,” Kirk said. “That strikes me as odd. Why do other people see it and not us? Are we making too much of a racket in the water? I don’t know. Maybe it just doesn’t like us.”Overall however, he said the expedition was a success and provided enough clues to make a third trip worthwhile.“We feel like it has been a very positive event,” he said. “To be honest, we didn’t expect to get a single hit and that last year was an anomaly. When we had the luck first thing in the morning, that augured well. Two subsequent hits take us beyond the realm of joy. It’s an absolute delight.”Kirk said he would like to use some form of submersible to probe the lake in future, or failing that, an underwater robot camera with a long tether or a side-scan sonar.“For now, Cameron Lake’s mystery continues,” he said.

source:http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/102974629.html

 

Rock Ness Monster! By Jenna MacCulloch Published:  16 September, 2010

THE high priest of UK white witches plans to high-jack the radio air waves and blast out monster music songs on the banks of Loch Ness in a bizarre bid to summon Nessie. Paranormal researcher Kevin Carlyon, who is the self-styled protector of the Loch Ness Monster, will be creating his own "pirate radio" to transmit 10 music hits which he believes will get the spirit of the monster "in the mood" to make an appearance.It has been a quiet year so far for sightings for the elusive Nessie, but the white witch's stunt could cause a ripple at the end of the tourist season.He plans to play the hits to the monster in an illegal FM broadcast and also strategically place half a dozen radios around the banks of Loch Ness which he believes the spirit of the monster will hear.The date - probably within the next few weeks - is being kept secret because of the illegal nature of the broadcast. The songs haven't yet been chosen but will all have a monster theme tune - and he wants suggestions.Mr Carylon has been involved in a series of strange events on the loch over the years.He told the Highland News: "I believe the monster is a spirit that lives in the loch. By transmitting the songs via the pirate radio transmission, the spirit, which I believe is telepathic, will pick up on it and hopefully stir him into life."Mr Carlyon hopes to broadcast the pirate radio with help from Loch Ness webcam operator Mikko Takala at the end of the month.He said: "It will be broadcast on 106.8FM and the range of the broadcast will be 20 miles in each direction. We won't be asking people to come along to the broadcast, for obvious reasons, but we also hope to broadcast it over the internet."I've got over 30 years experience in pirate radio, and I'm confident we'll be able to do this without many problems."Mr Carlyon explained a ritual to actually summon the spirit of the Loch Ness Monster to the surface will be carried out after the broadcast.He said: "The radio broadcast will hopefully stir the monster into awakening but the ritual will be done on the beach later that evening, or the next morning."He said he had lots of interest from people who would like to come along to the ritual."Don't worry, when I put an actual date in place, I will inform the HN readers so they can come along and see the ritual for themselves, but I'm hoping it will be some time at the end of this month."And the white witch acknowledged there had been no stir from the monster throughout the summer months, which are traditionally jam-packed with tourists from all over the world hoping for a glimpse of the elusive monster. He said: "Hopefully with the pirate radio broadcast and the ritual to summon up the spirit, she'll be awakened back to life."  

 Source: http://www.highland-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8093/Rock_Ness_Monster!.html

Posted by J. Sorry if I am slow posting comments etc. I promised Tabs(Lindsay) I would keep the blog running but am new to this. I will not post any nasty comments. To pick on a woman who is seriously ill is appalling and to be anonymous is also below the belt. You know who you are .To  everyone else Tabs says thank you for continuing to read and follow the blog. She will post when she can. (I have not shown her the nasty posts)

The Loch Ness Monster: The Evidence 

The Loch Ness Monster (The Unexplained) 

The Loch Ness Monster (Pitkin Guides) 

Nessie: The Legend of the Loch Ness Monster 

Pinatubo Monsters- serpent or fish?

What were the Pinatubo Monsters that appeared in 2002?

Villagers appeal for scientists to explain 'monsters'

Filipino villagers are appealing for scientists to explain large unidentified creatures seen in the Tikis river. Five of the mysterious black creatures have been spotted in the river in Bhawen since November. They have baffled the Aeta tribe who live there. There is no account of such creatures in their oral history. Dubbed the Pinatubo Monsters, they are believed to be 7ft long and 3ft wide. Children have been ordered not to bathe in the river and fishing has also been banned in case the creatures are dangerous. They have never been seen in full form, but the elongated outlines can be seen when the wind blows over the river and ripples are made in the water. They have not produced any sound at daytime or night. Joel Serrano, a village councilman, told The Philippine Daily Inquirer: "We don't know if they are fishes or snakes or eels because they never show their heads or tails."He is also worried what effect the ban on fishing will have on the village, adding: "Frogs are our only source of protein."Villager Alfredo Banos said: "The children are afraid. When they come here to view those creatures, they wonder what those things really are. We don't have answers to their questions." Source:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050422192422/www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_494687.html

The story was reported from the Zambales region of the Philippine Island of Luzon.The  large creatures were said to be swimming in the Tikis River, near the former mining village of Buhawen. The first reported incident was on November 5, 2002,  an Aleta( local ) boy thought he saw  a floating log, when it moved, he was terrified and fled. The description he gave was that it looked like a cross between a catfish and a shark.  Then  on January 12, 2003, a group of  eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a 7 foot (just over 2 metres)long black creature approximately  3 feet(approx 1 metre)  wide, undulating silently down the river.
The local people , The Aetas, say that these creatures are unlike any eel, fish or snake that they are familiar with and unlike other rivers with monster sightings, there are no folklore tales locally of monsters in the river. However it upset the locals enough to almost force them into starvation as they would not fish in the river anymore.The fish being a staple diet.
The call for investigation persuaded  the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources to send  Nelson Bien .According to reports he looked through a pair of binoculars at the river and saw nothing. Based on the descriptions provide by the local people he concluded that it  was most likely a school of the relatively common fish known as tilapia, that had gathered in a large group.
It seems unlikely that the locals would not recognise the local fish, nor know their habits. One of the more bizarre theories  that the creatures may be a mutation caused by the mercury  said to have been in the river from the gold mining. However if the mercury levels were that high local people who ate fish from the river would be ill ,but I couldn’t find any reports.
I wonder if it could be a species of Gnooch, a giant catfish, which has been known to eat humans. It would fit the description and it is a freshwater fish. Perhaps someone knows if they are found in the area, if so please post a comment.