Friday, 26 April 2024

Some Scottish Sea Serpents

 

The Sea Serpent on the Firth of Clyde

Where the Western Ferries Terminal is in modern times is said to be  where The Gourock Sea Serpent was seen.

In 1942 and Council worker, Charles Rankin spotted something washed up on the beach at McInroy’s Point. It was like nothing he recognisesd.He described it as about 30feet long ( 10 metres) with a long neck .It had a seal like head with large eyes and  pointed teeth in both jaws.The tail was rectangular and it had two pairs of flippers. The skin was covered in rough hairs.

Mr Rankin said it resembled a huge lizard.  ‘The Gourock Times’, reported the sighting. However it was wartime and there was a navy base in the Clyde so it was hushed up. It was thought the body was dissected and either incinerated or buried on Municipal grounds.

Was it a prehistoric creature or an unknown sea serpent or just a basking shark ? Maybe a relative of Nessie who got stranded.

The Firth of Forth Monster.

In September 1903 the crew of the Fraserburgh fishing steamer Glen Grant saw something strange about  80 miles off the coast.

They thought they saw a whale but a huge dark body arose and made for the boat. The men froze  with fear as the huge creature approached them while making an intimidating swaying motion.

It got within 20 feet ( 6 or 7 metres), of the boat then it rose to a great height, hissed and plunged back into the sea. The beast plunging caused the bow of the boat to dip and the engine room filled with water.

It then reappeared and came racing back at them.One of the crew shot it and it sunk below the waves.They said it was 200 feet long (66 metres) and a head like a horse.

In 1903.a few weeks before this , the men of Montrose trawler, Rose, were off Arbroath when they saw a monster  for approximately 15 minutes. They described it as being like a huge snake.

Two fishermen William Christie and George Salmond, claimed to have come  face-to-face with a beast in the Firth of Forth in July 1939.

Described as having  a horse shaped head with a long neck and protruding eyes.They  circled the beast in their boat and it kept staring at them .If they got too close it would submerge.It was about an hour before it departed.

.Dolphins seals and other marine mammals are  often seen in the area. On 16 Apr 2021 a  46 foot (15 metres) whale was spotted .

“Incredible moment giant rare Sei Whale seen splashing around in Firth of Forth at South Queensferry” https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6975655/sei-whale-firth-forth-south-queensferry/

However one would presume fishermen would recognize these creatures are familiar. So what did they encounter ?

More on Scottish sea serpents:

https://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.com/2009/04/saturday-sea-serpent-from-scotlnand.html

 

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