Written By: Ken HulseyThe ocean is a vast realm that humans have only just begun to uncover, teeming with all sorts of peculiar creatures, including those that might trace their lineage back to prehistoric times.
Given the frequent activity on California’s beaches each year, it’s a bit surprising that sea monster sightings are not more common along the coast. People outside the state might also be taken aback to learn that our beaches aren't filled with bikini-clad starlets year-round. Sure, during the summer, finding room to lay down your towel can be a challenge, but in the fall, winter, and even spring months, California’s coastline can feel quite empty, despite the pleasant daytime temperatures lingering around 70 to 80 degrees throughout the year.
The first official report of a sea monster off the California coast dates back to 1909 in Long Beach. While a sighting was claimed in 1901 near Newport Beach, that turned out to be an Oarfish—definitely a recognized ocean creature—so we’ll skip counting that one.
Here’s how the intriguing story unfolded, as reported in the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Journal Gazette on February 21, 1909: Long Beach, California — A group of five men went fishing on the launch named Rita yesterday (February 19, 1909) and insisted they encountered a sea serpent at the Grouper banks, which are about eighteen miles offshore. Among the group were Guy Griffith and James Harvey.
“The monster was around forty feet long,” Griffith recounted, “and about fifteen feet back from its head, it had a large dorsal fin. The head was as big as a barrel, brown in color, with eyes the size of my fist, moving from side to side. We first spotted it when it was about 100 feet away.”
Griffith continued, “The head was out of the water, and I aimed to shoot at it but got worried it might retaliate and capsize our boat. So, I told one of the guys to start the engine, and we quietly drifted away. But the creature started following us! We pushed the engine to its limits and managed to escape.” So what was that creature? The mystery remains unsolved!
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