Sea Serpent Sighting: October 1913

Here’s an oldie but goodie. The tone is rather typical of some October articles. ~ Loren

Since the town of Clayton went for [liquor] license, and red-eye once more became the favorite beverage in the village, it is not to be wondered at if strange things should be seen. The latest is the sea serpent, and it was seen, or said to have been seen, not long ago from the deck of the steamer America and at the head of Grindstone Island [New York]. It was first noticed, as is claimed, by a great commotion in the water directly ahead of the steamer, and the captain called the other officers to view the sight. By that time the passengers had all noticed the commotion and all on board watched.

The creature, according to the description furnished, was anywhere from 20 to 30 feet in length and resembled a huge garter snake. When the America neared the spot where it was sporting itself, it dived and did not reappear. As it lay on the water it might easily have been taken for a floating barber pole, it is said. When the steamer reached Kingston the story of the “sea serpent” was told to numerous naturally incredulous listeners, who thought that the story was an old bald headed fake, but upon finding the relaters of the yarn in earnest, they wondered if the bar on the steamer had been doing an exceptional business on that day. The captain of the boat and all who claim to have seen the strange creature are still positive that it was no ordinary fish, but was a real sea serpent.

Nearly every summer there are one or more reports of this kind regarding big reptiles which are seen at the sea shore. It is the general opinion around the river resorts that these monsters are merely large muskellunge or sturgeon, which are surprised when sporting themselves at the surface, and the imagination of the onlookers make [sic] up the rest.

Loren Coleman About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015. Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.

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