Bilk - no 009-010 - 1986 07

Magazine Overview

Title: BILK
Issue: NINE AND TEN
Date: July 1986
Publisher: Ulrich Magin

This issue of BILK, a newsletter by Ulrich Magin focusing on water monsters and marine forteana, presents a collection of intriguing reports from around the globe.

Behemoth Reports

Lake Hanas, China An article from 'China im Aufbau' (April 1986) details the 'China's Loch Ness Monster' in Lake Hanas, located 500 km north of Ürümqi in Xinjiang province. The lake is approximately 25 km long and up to 170 m deep. Local belief attributes it to a sheep-devouring monster. In July 1985, 24 students and Professor Xiang Lihao of the University of Xinjiang observed what they described as giant red fish. Professor Lihao later took photographs showing about 60 monsters with heads above the surface. A later analysis of these pictures revealed the creatures to be about 10 meters (33 ft) long, contradicting earlier Western press reports that suggested they were only 2 meters long. An expedition in late July 1985 failed to capture any specimens, despite attempts with bait and a giant net, though a monster was seen creating a large wave. The expedition plans to return to solve the mystery.

Lake Tianchi, China Another report from 'China im Aufbau' (April 1986) discusses a monster sighted in Lake Tianchi, also known as Heaven's Lake, near the border with Corea. A monster reportedly surfaced in 1980, and subsequent sightings and photos have emerged. Descriptions include a serpent-like head, a goose-like neck, and a back as long as two trucks. While Manni suggests it could be an otter or hallucinations, the description bears resemblance to a dinosaur.

Venezuela 'GEO' magazine (August 1984) reported on an expedition to rock towers in Venezuela, where a mixed team from the USA and Venezuela discovered new plants and animals, including a 'bearded fish'. The towers are vaguely mentioned as being home to monsters.

Loch Ness 'The Scotsman' (June 4, 1986) featured an article about inventors Adrian Shine and Tony Harmsworth developing a game about the Loch Ness Monster. The game aims to educate players about the geography of the Great Glen, aquatic life, and research techniques related to the search for Nessie.

ISIS: Black Sea Mermaid

The newsletter revisits the suggestion that a 'Black Sea mermaid' mummy might be an ancient religious artifact. It confirms that such fake mummies were part of ancient cults, citing W.H. Roscher's 'Lexicon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie' and Pliny, who mention tritons exhibited in temples. The possibility of a similar exhibit in ancient Sochi is raised.

Leviathan: Sea Serpents and Monsters

Ionian Sea In June 1982, Mr Peratinos reported seeing a sea serpent between Calabria, Italy, and Zante, Greece. The animal was described as 5-6 meters long and undulating laterally.

Naples, Italy A 'leatherback turtle' caught off Naples in May 1985 measured three meters, which is significantly larger than the maximum known size for Atlantic leatherback turtles (around 2.4m). This is speculated to be one of Heuvelman's 'Father of the Turtles'. A larger monster, about 4 meters, was reportedly seen off Colombia in 1955.

Casco Bay, Maine, USA On June 5, 1958, Ole Mikkelsen observed a marine monster in Casco Bay, Maine. It was described as submarine-like, light brown with a lighter underside, a mackerel-like tail, over 100 ft long, and held its head high above the water. It reacted to a foghorn blow.

Crypto-Oldies

Cornish 'Owlman' This section provides a detailed account of the first report of the Cornish 'owlman' from the 'Cornish Echo' (June 4, 1926). Two boys were attacked by a large bird, measuring 6 ft 3 in, with a powerful beak and duck-shaped body. The bird was cream-colored with brown tinges and black wing tips. It had a wound under its right wing, which may have infuriated it. The creature was in poor condition due to rapid decay. The report notes that while the original headline mentioned 'birds', the text only describes one bird, and questions whether it was a mothman-like monster or a human-owl hybrid.

Scottish Puma The issue references Bede and Keith Thomas's 'Man and the Natural World' regarding the 'Scottish puma'. It mentions that lions were believed to have once stalked Scotland, a belief that Bede warned English shepherds about.

Strange Fish

Paris, France An amateur fisherman in Paris nearly lost a finger while identifying a 6-inch fish with sharp teeth, later identified by experts as a man-eating Amazonian piranha.

Sauselito, California, USA The houseboat community in Sauselito has been disturbed by a mysterious 40-decibel hum, likened to a bomber. Experts ruled out military, sanitation, extraterrestrial, nuclear, or Russian submarine sources, suggesting it might be male toadfish singing for mates.

UFOs and the Sea & USOs

Cook Islands New Zealand's Prime Minister Lange suggested that an unidentified submarine seen off the Cook Islands was likely a whale with digestion problems, a statement made after discussions with the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.

Sweden Reports indicate the return of Russian submarines after a nearly two-year break. In late May and early June 1986, the Swedish navy conducted anti-submarine bombarding operations in the Norrtälje and Naatfjärden areas, though no submarines surfaced.

Irish Sea On February 23, 1986, Prince Charles and four other planes witnessed a red glowing UFO over the Irish Sea. UFO 'expert' Tim Good suggested that advanced extraterrestrial creatures might be aware of the significance of the Royal flight.

Other UFO/USO Reports Several other UFO-related incidents connected to the sea are mentioned: a 6m piece of metal falling off the coast of North Carolina on January 28, 1986; UFOs appearing over São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on May 20, 1986; a saucer observed over the sea off Florida on June 1st, identified as a Russian missile; a mock sun spotted in the Mediterranean on April 30, 1984; and strange lights, possibly from a USO, observed in the Equatorial Eastern Atlantic on May 6, 1985.

Missing Shipping

Missing Yacht A German yacht with four Germans aboard disappeared on its way from West-France to the Pacific Ocean on February 6. Only one crew member had sailing experience.

Sinking Ship The German press reported the mysterious sinking of the ship 'Snekkar Arctic' 630 nautical miles west of Lewis, Scotland, with no further details provided.

Looking for Information

Mr M Lewis is seeking information about multi-headed monsters.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of BILK continues its focus on unexplained phenomena, particularly concerning aquatic mysteries and aerial anomalies. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various reports and witness accounts without definitive conclusions, often citing multiple sources and acknowledging skepticism (e.g., Manni's explanation for the Lake Tianchi creature). The newsletter aims to document these occurrences and encourage further investigation, as evidenced by the planned return to Lake Hanas and the call for information on multi-headed monsters. There's a clear interest in distinguishing between misinterpretations and genuine unexplained events, as seen in the detailed debunking of the 'owlman' association with a giant bird incident.