BILK

Magazine Overview

Title: BILK
Issue: 17
Date: September 1987
Publisher: Ulrich Magin, Stuttgart, West Germany
Price: DM 15 or €4 or $8

This issue of BILK, a publication focused on unexplained phenomena, delves into a variety of intriguing reports from around the globe. The cover story, "BEHEMOTH," highlights recent mentions and investigations into the Loch Ness Monster, alongside reports on other legendary creatures and cryptids.

Behemoth Reports

Loch Ness

The "Journal der Frau" and "Gong" magazines are noted for their reports on the Loch Ness Monster. "The Times" featured a story about a salmon farm at the Loch, while "The Observer" published a piece on the six Kellas alien big cats shot near the Loch. A photograph of a Nessie-like creature, claimed to be from Norway and taken in 1972, is identified as a basking shark, despite its appearance in a German magazine and "Gong."

Argentinian Cryptids

The Argentinisches Tageblatt published an article by Rodolfo Ostermann detailing legendary creatures from the provinces of Corrientes and Misiones. These include the Lobison (Argentinian werewolf), the Yasi-Yatere (a bearded goblin), the Pombero (a wild man), the Yaguarete-Aba (a weretiger), and the Teyú-Yagúe. The Teyú-Yagúe is described as a giant lizard with a dog-like head that sinks boats, has a loud roaring voice, and is said to have seven heads. It is noted for its hypnotic abilities and invincibility, living in deep water.

ISIS and Mermaids

Under the "ISIS" heading, a creature known as the "Blacks from the Water" is described as bald negroes with webbed fingers dwelling in rivers and lagoons in Argentina. They are said to come in groups to overthrow boats and drown children, particularly found at the shores of the Ivera Marshes. The article questions whether this is a mermaid myth, a genuine tradition, or a racist joke, drawing a parallel to a similar creature from North American Indian tradition.

Sea Serpents and Local Legends

Loren Coleman is credited with providing articles on local sea serpent reports. One from the Vineyard Gazette (August 1986) discusses a sea serpent off Gay Head, Massachusetts, described as approximately 60 ft long with a head like a cow or horse, first reported in 1700 and last seen in 1930. Another article from the Portland Evening Express (May 1987) covers the Casco Bay sea serpent in Maine, noting a lack of recent sightings and efforts to revive interest.

Dinosaurs and Expeditions

Kate Wykes of Devon planned a 1986 expedition to Venezuela to search for dinosaurs. Jim Culberson has returned from an expedition to Lake Tele/Congo, with his next trip planned for 1988.

Book Reviews and Publications

Fortean Tomes is announced to publish M. Meurger's "Lake Monster Traditions," a revised English edition of his French work on Quebec's lakes. JJ Barloy's "Survivants de l'Ombre" has been published in an Italian edition by Lucarini, Rome.

Kraken and Marine Phenomena

Kraken Reports

A plague of large jellyfish, identified as Rhizostoma and weighing up to 50 lbs, was reported on the south coast of England in July 1987. A similar invasion of small, poisonous jellyfish occurred in China at Beidaihe during July and August.

Whales and Dolphins

Since January 1987, there have been significant marine mammal strandings. 42 dead dolphins were reported off the South Adriatic Coast, along with over 500 dead turtles. A 7-meter sperm whale washed ashore in Messina, Sicily, and two more dead sperm whales were discovered the previous week. A rare Dall's porpoise, only a few days old, was found and brought to Marine World in California. The Yugoslav town of Kotor has legally protected a friendly dolphin named Joca. A mass death of approximately 100 dolphins occurred off New Jersey. Additionally, a prehistoric whale, estimated at 1.5 tons and 30 ft, was discovered at Seymour Island in Antarctica, and another prehistoric whale, 7 meters long, was found in Kevelaer.

USOs and UFOs

Swedish Submarine Searches (USOs)

In early July, the Swedish military conducted searches for Soviet submarines in the Bottnic Bay, near the Finnish border, using bombs and sonar, but found no results. It was later reported by Tero Harkonen, a Swedish zoologist, that the navy had actually been hunting seals, whose movements in the water resembled a submarine on sonar. The Swedish navy reportedly killed young seals, leading to a scaling down of the hunt, which was described as a tourist attraction.

UK UFO Sighting

Pursuit 77 describes a UFO sighting over South Devon in late February 1987, questioning if it had any connection to the Morgawr creature seen off North Cornwall around the same time.

Water Life and Mysteries

Animal Encounters

Two boys in Kenya reportedly battled a crocodile for 30 minutes in the Tana River. A fight between a catfish and an eagle was reported in the USSR. A picture of a 3-meter plesiosaur fossil discovered in South Australia is included. A seal was observed in the Rhine River near Ludwigshafen, Wörth, and Elchesheim, with its origin and destination unknown.

Missing Shipping

Several shipping incidents are noted: a Mexican container freighter was lost without trace east of Bermuda during a storm in February. In March, the German yacht "Rhea" was found adrift off Toulon, France, with no one aboard. A Danish trawler with a crew of 12 was lost without trace in a North Sea storm. A man disappeared from the QE 2 in the Bermuda Triangle. The issue also mentions "Treasure of Titanic."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of BILK continues its focus on the unexplained, presenting a diverse collection of reports on cryptids, sea monsters, UFOs, and unusual marine phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting information from various sources and often posing questions to the reader about the nature and interpretation of these events. There is a clear interest in folklore, eyewitness accounts, and the intersection of these with potential scientific or zoological explanations, as seen in the discussion of the Swedish USO searches and the identification of the Norwegian "Nessie" photo. The publication seems to encourage critical thinking while acknowledging the enduring fascination with mysteries of the natural and unnatural world.