Bilk - no 053 - 1993 05

Magazine Overview

BILK #53, published in May 1993 and edited by Ulrich Magin from Denkendorf, Germany, offers a diverse range of reports on cryptozoology and anomalous phenomena. Subscriptions are priced at DM 15 for Germany and Europe, and DM 20 for the rest of the world.

Behemoth

This section covers lake monsters and related topics. It highlights "Nessletter" (issue #112) from Scotland, which features new sightings of the Loch Ness Monster and a report on a monster in Loch Lomond. Earlier sightings are referenced in Dinsdale's "Leviathans" and Campbell's "Search for Morag." A bibliography notes the Seljord Lake monster in Norway, also covered in "Nessletter." The article mentions Billy Wilder's "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes," which featured the Loch Ness monster, and its broadcast on Austrian TV. "Fortean Times" issue 67 is cited for a monster sturgeon hoax in China and Bill Gibbon's hunt for surviving dinosaurs in the Congo. Andreas Trottmann contributed a cutting from "Sunday Magazine" introducing Nessie-hunters Rip Hepple, Alistair Boyd, Andreas Trottmann, Angela Trottmann, and Steve Feltham, along with their sightings. The article notes the use of the notorious fake photo by Frank Searle, showing a dinosaur postcard surfacing in Loch Ness. Sheila Barrera's exhibition of lake monster paintings in Michigan is also mentioned.

Isis

This section touches upon various unusual topics. "Splash," starring Daryl Hannah as a mermaid, was shown on German TV. An Eßlingen plumber is noted for having ads featuring a mermaid. Black Francis, former singer of the Pixies, has released a new LP, "Frank Black," which includes songs about "black holes, mysterious UFO-sightings and hominoid marine creatures who want to live in space."

Leviathan

This part delves deeper into sea serpents and other aquatic mysteries. It references "Fortean Times" issue 67 for a report on a Gambian sea serpent and an article by Karl Shuker on sea serpents in general. A new analysis by LeBlond and Bousfield of "Caddy" sightings in British Columbia suggests that Caddy's mane might be a breathing apparatus. They propose that "Caddy" is related to sea mammals, and while usually seen only occasionally, they suggest that any caught specimen would be a known, rare ocean animal, departing from the idea that "Caddy" is an unknown species.

Johannes Fiebag's book "Die Anderen" suggests that monsters are products of a cyberspace universe created by UFOs. As evidence, he cites stories of Nessie, Caddy, and other lake monsters, including the "penguin episode" off Florida in 1948. The article also mentions stone-age cave paintings of "three penguins" discovered in the Mediterranean off France, which an archaeologist friend identified as "snow chickens."

MOA

This section reports on the discovery of a giant egg on Cervantes Beach, Australia, on February 23. Several newspapers covered the find, which had a circumference of 80.5 cm. Ken McNamara, a palaeontologist from the West Australian Museum, stated the find was significant for studying ancient ocean streams, suggesting it came from an Aeptyornis, a giant bird from Madagascar extinct 2000 years ago. The egg is thought to have been washed into the Indian Ocean and then carried to Australia. A second theory suggests the egg could be from an emu species extinct 15,000 years ago. The article notes a similar egg found south of Perth in 1930, possibly mentioned in Tim Dinsdale's "Leviathans." The author questions the certainty that eggs come from Madagascar when found in Perth and asks for more information about this case.

In May 1992, two German tourists allegedly saw a surviving Moa, a 2.5-meter bird from New Zealand, thought to be extinct for 500 years. The tourists, identified as Franz Christianssen and Holger or Helga Umbreit, left an entry in a cabin's logbook. Dave Wilson, a journalist for "The Press," is investigating the sighting. He found another report of a moa sighting on the Southern Island by hotelier Paddy Franey and two friends, who took a fuzzy photo. Experts from Canterbury University believe the photo shows a "very large bird of unknown species," while New Zealand's environmental organisation DOC considers it a hoax. Dr. Ken Hughey stated there is only a "million-to-one chance" of surviving moas. The article questions the circumstances of the German sighting and whether it was a hoax.

USOS

This section focuses on Unidentified Submerged Objects (USOs). In February, Swedish papers reported that Russians admitted to having submarines operating in Swedish waters. The Swedish navy allegedly managed to tape record submarine sounds, which Commander-in-chief Gustafsson claimed could be distinguished from biological sounds. Gustafsson now hints at a "secret agency" within the CIS running the submarines. More on recent Swedish USOs can be found in "Fortean Times" 67.

The article also details the Linda Cortile case from New York, October 30, 1989, where she was allegedly abducted by aliens and taken into a UFO that submerged in the Hudson River. This case, similar to the Ed Walters case, has USO connotations and reportedly involved Perez de Cuellar as a witness. Bob Hopkins discovered the story. Serious flaws in the case are noted in the CENAP Report #200, and Andy Roberts suggests American ufology will not withstand the shock when the Cortile case collapses, comparing it to MJ-12 and Ed Walters' faked UFO photos. USOs are presented as an enigma with connections to sea serpents, and the abduction hysteria is seen as entering this field.

Next BILK

The next issue of BILK will feature a "marine life" section with giant crabs and leatherback turtles, along with regular features. The Moa section in the current issue is explained as being included because giant eggs on beaches are a topic relevant to BILK.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK are cryptozoology (lake monsters, sea serpents, giant birds), unexplained aerial and submerged phenomena (UFOs, USOs), and the reporting of unusual discoveries and alleged encounters. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various reports and analyses while also acknowledging skepticism and potential hoaxes, as seen in the discussions of the Frank Searle photo, the New Zealand moa sightings, and the Linda Cortile case. The magazine aims to cover a wide spectrum of anomalous events, even those that might seem tangential, like the giant egg discovery, if they relate to unusual natural history or mysteries.