Bilk - no 042 - 1991 07

Magazine Overview

This issue of BILK, number 42, published in July 1991, is a bi-monthly magazine produced by Ulrich Magin from Mutterstadt, Germany. Subscriptions cost DM 15 for 6 issues, and foreign currency cheques are not accepted. The editor expresses hope that the issue will be an inspiring read for summer vacations and encourages readers to share their news and views.

Behemoth

The magazine opens with a section on "Behemoth," which discusses unusual water life and the origin of the magazine's name, "Bilk," which means "to cheat" in a dictionary. The editor notes that "Bilk" is also the name of a part of Düsseldorf.

German Water Life

• Crocodile Escape: On June 6, a 3.6-meter crocodile named Ali escaped from the Renz Circus in Düsseldorf during a promotional walk on the Königsallee. The 60-year-old reptile jumped into a water-filled ditch and was caught by Renee Renz, the circus's junior chief. The crocodile weighed 200 kg.
• Historical Sightings: The article recalls a beluga whale in the Rhine 25 years prior that swam up to Coblentz and was mistaken for a monster. After two weeks, the animal returned to the North Sea. Rumors suggested it might have been washed from a ship. In 1987, a seal was seen repeatedly in the Rhine near Ludwigshafen, with its origin unknown. The editor mentions writing an article about this for "Le Clin d'Oeil." Seals have also been reported in Loch Ness and Lake Champlain.

Rock Lake, Wisconsin

An article in Fortean Times (Issue 57) reports on 19th-century sightings of a lake monster in Wisconsin's Rock Lake. This lake is also said to contain two sunken pyramids, referred to as an "inland Atlantis." Walter Langbein proposes these pyramids were built by Ancient Astronauts and discusses this in his booklet "Mythen und Wirklichkeiten." The editor also has an article on UFOs and sea monsters in this booklet, based on his series for the INFO Journal.

Bibliographies and Exhibitions

• Janet Bord's News: Janet Bord's news from Britain in Strange (Issue 7) mentions sightings of Nessie, sonar contacts, and the sale of Bolskeine House at Loch Ness. It also includes a cartoon by the editor on Meurger's ideas and a possible hump sighting from Fort Augustus in August 1990.
• Sheila O. Barrera Exhibition: Sheila O. Barrera is holding an exhibition of her artwork, featuring lake monsters, from June 30 to September 4 at Les Malamut Art Gallery, Union Public Library, in Union, New Jersey. Her work is described as "naive art," with colorful settings and fairy tale sea monsters.

Nicaragua Sighting

• El Palicio Pond: In August 1990, fishermen at El Palicio pond near Matagalpa, Nicaragua, saw a "large hairy agile humanoid" emerge from the water. Some witnesses reported horns, while others described a "snake with a very bread head."

Fortean Folklore and Interpretations

Aquatic Ape Hypothesis

The magazine questions whether the Nicaraguan humanoid could be an "aquatic, unidentified ape" as suggested by Loren Coleman, or an "aquatic Bigfoot," or even a lake monster or a vision of the devil. It also ponders the possibility of an alien origin. The text notes that Fortean folklore often merges motifs, such as the devil, merman, and lake monster, and that locals believed the creature was one of their goblins.

Bibliographies

• Orkney Merman: Meurger discusses modern reports of the Orkney merman (Fortean Times 57).
• Orinoco Merman: Reports on the Orinoco merman are mentioned (Strange 7).
• Opera: An opera based on the European Melusine tradition, composed by Aribert Reimann, was featured in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
• Pascagoula UFO: An interpretation of the Pascagoula UFO and its creatures as a "big fish with mermaids and the eye of God" is presented in Dennis Stillings' anthology "Cyberbiological Studies of the Imaginal Component in the UFO Contact Experience." The editor finds this book valuable for forteans and cryptozoologists, suggesting Jungian interpretation offers insights into the meaning of such experiences.

Leviathan

Turtle Rescues

Following up on a previous mention of a giant turtle rescuing a fisherman, BILK presents earlier variations of this tale. One was in Fortean Times (Issue 53), and another in BILK 30 (May 1989) from the Philippines. Older versions from Rickard/Michell's "Living Wonders" include one from June 1974 (also from the Philippines) and one from August 25, 1969, off Central America. The editor questions whether these are global occurrences or just marine folklore.

Strange Whales

An article by Michel Raynal and Jean-Pierre Sylvestre in "Aquatic Mammals" (17.1) discusses sightings and folktales of whales with two dorsal fins, drawing from Heuvelmans' sea serpent book. Reports from 1814, 1819, 1857, 1867, 1898, and the Mediterranean Sea are listed. The 1898 report is believed to refer to a basking shark, but Raynal and Sylvestre argue for the existence of real whales with two dorsal fins.

Fiji Islands Sea Monsters

The magazine revisits the case of three "prehistoroc animals" videotaped in an underwater cave in Fiji. Despite various reports, it remains difficult to evaluate the affair. The editor hopes an enterprising cryptozoologist will analyze the tape or retrieve the creatures. Clippings on the Fiji sea monsters are found in Strange (Issue 7) and Science Frontiers (May-June 1991).

Hoaxed Sea Serpent Sightings

Strange (Issue 7) reports that three sea serpent sightings by the Mauretania in 1934, during the height of the Loch Ness monster phenomenon, were actually press hoaxes. The editor notes that in 1933/34, 150 British sea serpent sightings were reported, averaging one every four days, and that most were likely sharks, whales, or even barnacles. Heuvelmans was able to identify one of these hoaxed creatures, highlighting that "scientific cryptozoology" cannot always be applied to folklore.

Kraken

Film: "Giant Squids"

A TV-magazine (Gong, Nr. 24, 1991) described a documentary "Abenteuer Forschung" that included a segment on "Giant squids." A camera crew reportedly found a giant squid with an arm span of nearly 7 meters. The documentary was scheduled for June 20 but was not shown due to a debate in the Federal Diet.

"First Jaws, now Beast"

A news story from the Saudi Gazette (June 3) discusses Peter Benchley's new novel "Beast," which features a fictional 100-foot-long squid. Squids live in deep water and can grow up to 50 feet. The novel raises environmental concerns about unbalanced oceans and the impact of commercial whaling on sperm whales, the giant squid's only predator. The editor hopes the novel will raise awareness about whale slaughter and potentially lead to more big squid reports.

English Channel Octopi Invasion

The Rheinpfalz (May 28) reported an invasion of dangerous octopi in the British Channel, referred to as "Kraken." This is described as the third population explosion of octopi. The editor recalls similar reports of monster octopuses from the previous year.

USOS (Unidentified Submerged Objects)

Ghost Ship: The Caleuche

A German TV program "Abenteuer und Legenden" featured Rolf Pflücke's journey through Patagonia. A ranchero told him the story of the Caleuche, an ancient sailing ship that appears brilliantly lit when the wind is still and the sea is calm. Those who see it are drawn into the sea and drown. The editor notes that this contradicts the idea of who reports sightings if those who see it drown. The Caleuche is compared to the Kraken, sea serpent, and merman myths. A similar ghost ship legend from Amazonia could transform into a sea serpent, unlike the Caleuche.

Light Wheel

A report in the Peiner Allgemeine Zeitung (January 26, 1979), reprinted in the CENAP Report (May 1991), describes the Soviet scientific vessel "Vladimir Vorobiov" encountering a circle of light in the Indian Ocean in October 1977. The object, 20 meters below the sea, had a diameter of 150-200 meters. The entire crew suffered from depression and anxieties. The report was submitted to the Institute of Oceanology. The editor notes this is another instance of an "underwater lightwheel," a rare phenomenon, and mentions collecting 20 such cases and a German scientist publishing 150 stories in the 1960s.

Bibliographies

• Meteor Falls: Meteor falls into the sea off Land's End, Cornwall, in February 1910 are mentioned (Fortean Times 57).
• UFOs, USOs, and Sea Serpents: The editor refers to his own work on UFOs, USOs, and sea serpents, suggesting they might be different interpretations of the same natural phenomena or brain processes.
• First World UFO Congress: CENAP Report (June 91) features a story on the First World UFO Congress in Tucson, Arizona, where a speaker named Helge claimed abduction to an alien submarine base off the Bahamas. The editor connects this to the Bermuda Triangle myth and the idea that UFOs abduct humans, noting the frog-like or webbed-finger appearance of humanoids in some accounts.

Cryptozoology

Yeti

According to a report in Gong (Nr. 22, 1991), Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner will accompany a female reporter from ZDE on an expedition to find and prove the yeti. The report suggests Messner will go to Bhutan to film a yeti on May 13 (1992?).

Tasman Tiger

A report in the Rheinpfalz (June 11) states that a taxi driver in Tasmania saw a thylacine, and police have initiated a search. The AP story concludes that the thylacine is not extinct, which the editor finds naive, hoping the animal remains safe from journalists and tourists.

Marine Life

Whale Collision

A French tanker collided with a whale in the Atlantic Ocean. The 20-tonne carcass was found unnoticed when the ship docked in Nantes harbor, highlighting modern shipping practices (Rheinpfalz, May 15).

New Magazine: Annals of the Enquiring

Gerry Lovell from Wells, England, exchanges "Annals of the Enquiring" with BILK. "Annals" is described as a 24-page magazine with brief notes on fortean happenings, often lacking sources. Volume 2, Issue 2 reportedly contains articles on the Valhalla sea serpent and the African dinosaur. The editor notes that if sources are provided and new material is presented instead of recycled stories, it could be a valuable addition to fortean literature.

Editorial Closing

The editor apologizes for potential typos, stating he writes quickly in his free time. He announces that BILK will return in September and advises readers to keep their scissors ready and enjoy the summer.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK are water monsters (lake and sea), UFOs, and other fortean phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained events, with a critical eye towards hoaxes and a reliance on various sources, including magazines, news reports, and personal accounts. The editor encourages reader participation and shares his own research and interpretations, often drawing connections between different types of phenomena and folklore.