Bilk - no 004 - 1985 09

Magazine Overview

Title: BILK
Issue: 4
Date: September 1985
Subtitle: A NEWSLETTER FOR WATER-MONSTER-SIGHTINGS
Frequency: Bi-monthly
Subscription: 3 for Europe and 5 5 for the USA.

This issue of BILK, edited by Ulrich Magin, marks an improvement in layout and printing quality compared to previous editions. The editor announces that the sea-serpent and the goblin will be the new symbols of BILK, and he intends to focus on recent reports, with older ones included only if of high interest.

Content Highlights

Behemoth

This section begins with an old report from The Inverness Courier dated July 1, 1852, concerning an occurrence at Lochend. Many people witnessed two giant creatures swimming in the loch. While some thought it was a seaserpent coiling, others identified it as the kelpie. Men attempted to shoot at the creatures but realized they were two ponies that had swum across the loch. Despite this, it is noted as the first mention of a seaserpent in connection with the loch, indicating a local association.

The next report addresses claims that lake monsters are not physical. In Lake Hanas, Sinkiang province, China, lake monsters were repeatedly seen. Local folklore described them as looking like an upturned boat. A Chinese professor and his students observed red, boat-like objects from a mountain, which upon closer examination, were identified as a school of about 100 giant fish swimming in a row. These fish were described as belonging to the salmon kind, with heads measuring one metre (30 feet) in breadth and weighing several tons. Sources cited are The London STANDARD (August 16, 1985) and SONNTAG AKTUELL (August 18, 1985).

'Champ', promoted as America's Loch Ness Monster, has reportedly been seen six times in the current year, according to Champ Channels. The editor, Joseph Zarzynski, has authored a book titled 'Champ: beyond the legend', available from M-Z Information. While the book may not offer new information to regular readers of such newsletters, it is praised for its comprehensive index of Champ sightings.

Isis

This section references a previous report in BILK (May 1985) about the mermaid of Macapa, stating it is not an isolated occurrence. A recent German television program on 'Hessen 3' (July 26, 1985) featured Jacques Cousteau reporting on superstitions surrounding dolphins in the Amazonas region of Peru. Cousteau recounted a story from an old man in Pucallpa, Peru, about a dolphin that disguised itself as a beautiful woman but was recognized as a dolphin. He also reported that male dolphins sometimes allegedly rape human girls, resulting in pregnancies with fish-like embryos. Another man from Bria Grande, Rio Negro, Brazil, told a similar story of a child born resembling a human girl with a dolphin's head and blowing holes. The legend also includes female dolphins changing into beautiful girls and male dolphins disguising themselves with hats to hide their blowing holes. The editor suggests that the April 1984 encounter should be viewed in this folkloric context.

Leviathan

This year has seen three seaserpent sightings, raising hopes for more. On February 5, Robert and William Clark observed a 60-foot seaserpent off the marina green in San Francisco, California, USA. It was described as blackish-green and appeared to be chasing seals. This sighting is noted as the most recent in a series of observations along the Californian coast, prompting speculation about a new local seamonster.

'Chessie', mentioned previously, was sighted twice this year. The first sighting was on Good Friday at the mouth of Back River by Nancy Gabriszeski, who described it as resembling a giant snake 20-30 feet long. The second report, retold from CHAMP CHANNELS 2/1985, comes from a couple in a boat on the Wye River, who described a 'thing' as 30-35 feet long and 75 feet from their boat.

Kraken

A new report details the death of a British diver, Mr. Mark Caney, off Kata Paphos in Cyprus, reportedly killed by a giant octopus. The octopus had a tentacle span of about 6 feet, with tentacles described as being as large as an upper arm, and possessed egg-sized suction cups. It gripped Mr. Caney's back and head, tearing off his mask. Mr. Caney managed to reach shallow water before the creature disentangled itself and retreated.

Additionally, a giant squid was caught off the southwest coast of Japan in January 1985. It measured three metres and weighed 112 pounds. The previous giant squid recorded in the editor's files was a 20-foot creature caught in May 1983. This information is sourced from FORTEAN TIMES, issue 44, page 26.

Conclusion and Call for Contributions

The newsletter concludes with an invitation for readers to share their opinions or new sightings with Ulrich Magin at his address in Mutterstadt, West Germany. The next issue of BILK is expected in November.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are diverse reports of aquatic cryptids, ranging from the well-known Loch Ness Monster and its alleged American counterpart 'Champ', to less common sightings of seaserpents, giant octopuses, and even folkloric creatures like mermaids and shapeshifting dolphins. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation into these phenomena, presenting various accounts and folklore without immediate dismissal, while also acknowledging the need for critical evaluation and the potential for hoaxes or misidentifications, as seen in the 1852 Lochend report. The editor's commitment to improving the publication and focusing on recent, high-interest reports indicates a desire to provide a credible and engaging resource for enthusiasts of water monster sightings.