Bilk - no 055 - 1993 09

Magazine Overview

Title: Bilk
Issue: # 55
Date: September 1993
Publisher: Bilk
Country: Germany
Language: English (original publication likely German, translated for this context)

This issue of Bilk, a publication focused on unusual phenomena, covers a range of intriguing reports from around the globe, with a prominent focus on the Loch Ness Monster.

BEHEMOTH: Loch Ness Sighting

The lead story details a significant sighting of the Loch Ness Monster on June 22, 1993, by Edna MacInnes, who was driving with her boyfriend David MacKay and their baby along the A82 on the north side of Loch Ness. Close to Abriachan, they spotted a curious shape in the water described as 'light brown in colour' with a 'massive white trail behind it.' MacInnes initially thought it was a boat but quickly realized it was something else entirely. They drove to Dores Bay, where MacInnes returned to the shore and photographed the creature as it rose from the water. She described seeing a 'giraffe-like head and neck' emerge about 20 feet from the shore. MacInnes estimated the creature to be at least 25 feet long. She stated that she had been a skeptic before but was now completely convinced. The photograph taken only shows a long wake. Betty Gallagher, curator of the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, commented that MacInnes 'obviously had a fascinating experience.' The Inverness Courier reported that MacInnes could be eligible for a £1000 prize for the best annual sighting. The German press, which typically does not cover Nessie sightings, published small articles about this event. Several German newspapers, including Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Frankfurter Rundschau, reported on a new Loch Ness study. The Eßlinger Zeitung also reported on the expedition, mistakenly mentioning an 'old lady' seeing the creature.

The dpa-report mentioned that a group of scientists from Britain, including members of the British Museum and a society for limnology, had spent four weeks studying the wildlife in Loch Ness. Their project, 'Discovery Loch Ness,' also aimed to study sediment layers and use computer technology to identify 'unusual phenomena.' This project was jointly carried out by Discovery Channel and Project Urquhart. The Freshwater Biological Association and the Natural History Museum were involved, using their research vessel Calanus. The study planned to survey life forms in July and utilize sonar equipment from Simrad, along with high-definition video cameras and remote-controlled underwater vehicles. Professor Gwynfryn Jones, scientific director of Project Urquhart, described it as 'one of the most important scientific studies to be carried out in a British lake in recent years.' Further information on Project Urquhart was available in Nessletter 113 (June 1993).

Additional 'funny bits' from the Inverness Courier, sent by Andreas Trottmann, included a photo of researcher Ivor Newby in his amphicar on the Loch during the new expedition (July 2). On June 8, a photo showed a Nessie model driven along the shore. The article questions whether this model, with its giraffe-like head, might have influenced Edna MacInnes' perception. The German magazine 'Magazin für Grenzwissenschaften' (3/1993) featured a report on 'Operation Deep Scan' (1987), and 'INFO Journal' (68, p.28) covered last year's expedition.

Bibliography and Other Sightings

The issue includes a bibliography citing 'INFO Journal 69' (p.28) for a 1886 monster sighting in Elizabeth Lake, California, and 'INFO 68' (p.26) for a caiman captured in Cottage Lake, Washington.

ISIS: Orkney Mermaid

The Inverness Courier's '100 years ago' section recalled an episode from June 29, circa 1893, about a mermaid spotted near Deerness. Two creatures were observed, including a young, white one that swam by moving its arms in front of its head. Naturalists suggested they were a species of seals, but locals disagreed, stating they knew seals and these creatures were not seals.

Reflections and Mythology

The 'Reflections' section discusses how ancient people viewed rivers as 'strong brown gods,' referencing TS Eliot's poem 'The Dry Salvages.' It notes that locals in the Mississippi River area, affected by floods in July, called the river 'the brown monster.' The article touches on the Greek legend of Aphrodite's birth from the sea foam created by Uranus's severed penis, and a story about a penis ashore in Australia. It also mentions 'Independent Science' (3/93) suggesting that Dogon, mermaids, and other marine gods are actually aliens.

LEVIATHAN: Marine Monsters and Legends

'Illustrierte Wissenschaft' (July 1993) featured a piece on 'globs,' referring to three types of strange marine monsters: the glob-like creatures found in St. Augustine, Florida (1896), the 1960 Tasmanian monsters, and plesiosaurs found in New Zealand (1977) and Cherbourg (1934), which the magazine correctly identifies as basking sharks. It also mentions the Gambian sea serpent described by Karl Shuker. The popular science monthly 'PM' has a special edition on 'Geheimnisse des Meeres' with a chapter on sea serpents, with Petra Deimer suggesting they are parts of giant squid arms.

USOS: UFOs and Anomalies

The issue queries whether a UFO crashed into the sea at Moriches Bay, Long Island, New York, referencing reports in 'Magazin für Grenzwissenschaften' (1/93). It also mentions UFO falls into the Indian Ocean ('Magazin für Grenzwissenschaften' 2/93) and a meteorite fall off Denmark on July 19, which produced a sonic boom and was witnessed as a red streak across the night sky.

The author's book, 'Trolle Yetis Tatzelwürmer,' is mentioned, describing two CE III cases where mermaid-like humanoids were seen in Germany. The 'Journal für UFO-Forschung' (3/1993) interprets the Langenargen, Lake Constance case as delirium tremens, while Hans van Kampen details the 'fishmen' observed over Nördling in his book 'De Gezanten van Hyperion.'

DISCOVERIES: Global Finds

• Norway: The oldest remains of a polar bear, estimated at 55,000 years old, were discovered in a cave at Kjoepsvik.
• Vietnam: The Vu-Quang animal, recently discovered, has been reconstructed from skins and bones. A photo was featured in 'Der Spiegel' (June 14).
• Vietnam: Scientists rediscovered a dozen Java rhinos, believed extinct since the 1960s. Professor Vo Quy stated it was the last rhino population in Indochina.
• New Guinea: A new, nomadic people called the Liawep, consisting of 79 naked members who pray to a stone statue, were discovered. Papuan officials stated they had no prior contact with Westerners.
• Rhine Delta: After 160 years, beavers have returned, forming a breeding colony of about 60, likely from Eastern Europe.
• South Pole: P Vickers-Rich & T H Rich suggest in 'Scientific American' (July 93) that dinosaurs may have survived longer at the South Pole, possibly being warm-blooded with large eyes and surviving arctic winters. Evidence also suggests plesiosaurs became landlocked and adapted to freshwater.

CORRECTIONS

Corrections were noted for previous issues: In Bilk #53, 'Budd' should be read instead of 'Bob Hopkins.' In Bilk #54, 'Hudson River' should be read instead of 'East River.' The quote from LeBlond in the Leviathan section of Bilk #53 was from Nessletter 112.

MARINE LIFE

Reports include a beluga whale in the Elbe River (Sonntag Aktuell, July 18), a possible discovery of coelacanth scales in the Gulf of Mexico ('Science & Vie,' August 1993), and a dolphin stranded at Heiligenhafen near Kiel in the Baltic ('Stuttgarter Zeitung,' July 1).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Bilk are the exploration of unexplained phenomena, including lake monsters, UFOs, and cryptozoological discoveries, alongside mythological interpretations and scientific findings. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting reports and scientific studies without overt skepticism, and encouraging readers to consider a wide range of possibilities, from eyewitness accounts to potential extraterrestrial or ancient origins of myths. The publication aims to document and disseminate information on these unusual events and creatures from around the world.