Lakuma the fuegian sea monster

It has been quite some time since my last post, and I sincerely apologize! I have been very busy, but nevertheless I have kept on researching.

I have found another reference regarding the Fuegian Lakooma, the only other one that I had found had been written by Lucas Bridges (the first "white" person born in Tierra del Fuego), and he did not say too much about it. This new reference was recorded by a Catholic priest, Martin Gusinde, who visited Tierra del Fuego in the early 1900s.
He wrote several books about his trips to Fuegia and in one of them [1] about the native "canoe" people, the Yamana, he writes about Lakuma (as he spells it):

It threatens evry canoe, lifts out the occupants, and sucks them down into the depths. Each Lakuma has the habit of flattening himself out on the surface of the water so that his back protrudes a little. He waits in this fashion until a canoe approaches. It is hard to recognize the Lakuma from a distance. People often say that outwardly he is like a whale; others compare him to the calamary hilka (Loligo subulata or squid) which is not which is not uncommon in those regions; still others to the ray. He is also said to be large and very strong, "a great monster like a huge worm" [cited in English]/, according to Spencer:80. If the occupants of a canoe have unwittingly come within reach of the monster, they rarely succeed in escaping disaster, and only if the Lakuma is sleeping or in a good mood.
... The people in the east eat the meat of the Lakuma, which is something we in the west would never do... Lakuma seriously harm everyone who comes within their reach

Spencer, quoted by Gusinde, said the following:[2]

Yaghan[i.e. Yamana] showed us special belt of kelp which natives are too frightened to cross because a great monster like a huge worm, called Wongara, drags them and their boats under water. Wongara is a general word for worm.

So it seems to be some Fuegian Kraken, which has some similarities with the Cuero creature which peoples the lakes and rivers of Northern Patagonia. But Spencer's deptiction: a worm, rings a bell! I have posted about maps published before Columbus discovered America which mentioned Giants fighting against Dragons:

The Nova Cosmographia per totum circulum map reconstructed by the scholar Dana Durand from a manuscript compiled by Brother Fredericus ca. 1450, has the legend “dy Risen vechten und streiten wider dy lint wurm”—Giants fighting and quarreling against the lindworm [*] ; once again a reference to giants and ‘dragons’. The
[*] Note on the Lindworm: A wingless dragon of Northern Europe, from Swedish ‘lind’ (flexible body) and ‘orm’ (serpent).

Could Lakooma and Wongara be the mythical lindworm?

Lucas Bridges father, Thomas, compiled a Yamana - English dictionary [3] in which he has one entry on "Wongara": "Wön-gara(nda) (A) spider(s), justt like a spider". So is it a worm or an aqutic spider?

Sources

[1] Gusinde, Martin, (1961). The Yamana: the life and thought of the water nomads of Cape Horn. pp. +1167
[2] Sir Baldwin Spencer, (1931). Spencer's last journey: being the journal of an expedition to Tierra del Fuego. Clarendon Press. pp 80.
[3] Bridghes, Thomas, (1933). Yamana-English: a dictionary of the speech of Tierra del Fuego. pp. 625.

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2011 International Year of Forests Copyright 2009-2011 by Austin Whittall © 

Tolten River creature

 

During the last week of January 2003, there were some strange sightings along the Toltén River in Chile. Today we will post about them, and also make Toltén our "Lake (actually River) of the Week".

The river

Toltén is a river, 230 km (143 mi.) long that flows into the Pacific Ocean in a east-west direction, cutting across Chile in the province of Cautín, IX^th Region, Araucania.

At one time it marked the border between the Mapuche (north) and Huilliche (south) people of Precolumbian Chile.

Its sources are at the western tip of Lake Villarica, at 230 m (754 ft.) above sea level.

The sightings

A family that was having a picnic by the side of the river in the Municipality (i.e. County or “comuna”) of Toltén, which is the last stretch of the river before it flows into the sea when:

from the waters a huge serpent emerged –apparently an anaconda- that stared at them from head to toes with the eyes of a murderer and a long fang[1]

This happened on January 26, and as told by one of the family members, Seferino Curihuanca (or Curihuinca), they were at “Toltén Chico” (according to [1]) or by the cemetery of “Toltén Viejo” (according to [2]), (39°11'S, 73°12'W), when they saw:

small waves in the river […] which was not normal and, surprising us, a serpent-like head popped out about forty centimeters [16 in.] out of the water […] it was about three meters long [9.8 ft.] and extremely thick like thirty centimeters diameter [1 ft.] [1]

They threw stones at it and forced it to get out of the river but lost its tracks on the shore after it slithered into the bushes.[1]

Seferino says that he had heard rumors that somebody living in the town of Villarrica (upstream along the Toltén) illegally introduced two anacondas from abroad and both of them escaped. Of course the owner did not tell the police to avoid being fined for his actions.

Mrs. Yolanda Curihuinca (same surname as Seferino, perhaps his wife?) later phoned the Police and described the creature as: “A monster with a big head, whose eyes were prominent, its skin was dark brown and measured 6 meters [19.6 ft.].” [3]

Notice that in Yolanda's version, the snake is twice as long as in Seferino's version.

After the incident, the local police and firemen looked for the snake but did not find any traces of it. The police also admitted that they had heard about the rumor regarding escaped anacondas, but nobody has formally informed them of any incidents.[1]

Though they searched the area, they did not use boats so it was not a very thorough search [2] yet the police said that the whole incident “was a collective psicosis […] more ficticious than real [2].

More sightings

After the Curihuinca sighting, fifteen other witnesses came forward saying that they had seen it too: [2]

• At Frutillar, 2 km from Toltén they saw a giant creature on the river shore that later hid among the rushes close to the cemetery of Toltén Viejo
• At Tenencia, a neighbor told the Police about a snake and that several anglers who were fishing on the river bank ran away because they were afraid it would catch them

During the months of February and March 2003, more "snakes" were seen in the area, but further south, (132 km - 82mi.) from Toltén, on an independent river basin, at Lake Ranco.

Sources.

[1] La Cuarta. Santiago. Chile. 28.01.2003. Anaconda de tres metros dejó helada a familia que paseaba en el río Toltén.
[2] Escobar, P. Diario Austral. Valdivia. Chile. 15.06.2004. El día que Toltén enloqueció
[3] Hallazgos de la criptozoologia

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2010 International Year of Biodiversity Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall © 

Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs

 

A Maresaurus (pliosaur) attacking a Chacaicosaurus (ictiosaur) in Neuquen 170 million years ago.(Original painting by Agustín Viñas). From [2]

During the Upper or Later Cretaceous (roughly spanning the period from 100 to 65 Million years ago) most of what is now Patagonia was covered by a shallow sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean. Southern South America was a group of islands, which comprised the current Somuncurá plateau and the Puerto Deseado massif (see map below).
At this time, the Andean volcanic ring began forming along the western edge of this sea closing off its connection with the South Pacific Ocean.

Sea covering Northern Patagonia during the Upper Cretaceous. Adapted From [3]

In this sea, lived plesiosaurs such as the short-necked plesiosaur (Plesiosauroidea, Polycotylidae)[1], though most of the regional fossils belong to Elasmosauridae plesiosaurs, which were long-necked.

The difference is that short-necked Plesiosaurs had 13 vertebrae in their necks while the Elasmosaurs with their long necks had up to 76 vertebrae. However some believe that short-necked plesiosaurs should be classified as Pliosaurs.

These had a short neck with a long head and strong jaws (they were carnivorous) and could grow up to 15 m (45 ft.) long. They can be seen at the Olsacher Museum in Zapala, Neuquén province, Argentina, which holds the remains of several pliosaurs found in northern Patagonia.

Extant pliosaurs and plesiosaurs

If the alleged sightings of lake monsters are true, it is highly unlikely that they are one of these reptiles (pliosaurs or plesiosaurs). The reasons are quite simple:

- Time frame: they would have had to survive over 65 Million years. Outliving all other reptiles of their time.
- Adaptation: they would have had to mutate, adapting to a freshwater environment because they were sea creatures. This is not a simple feat and requires biochemical changes. Though, there is some evidence of freshwater plesiosaurs.
- Size: they were giants, and as such required a lot of food. Being carnivores they would quickly deplete the fish from Patagonian lakes. And for them to have survived for so long, a reasonable sized population in the same geographic region would be required. This would add strains to the food chain.

Patagonian lake mosnters are not reptiles that survived the massive extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous.

Further Reading
The Plesiosaur Directory

Sources.

[1] Salgado Leonardo, Parras Ana, Gasparini Zulma. Un plesiosaurio de cuello corto (Plesiosauroidea, Polycotylidae) del Cretácico Superior del norte de Patagonia. Ameghiniana [revista en la Internet]. 2007 Jun [citado 2010 Sep 21] ; 44(2): 349-358.
[2] Fernández, Marta, (2002). En los Mares de la Araucania Ciencia Hoy, vol. 12,Oct.-Nov. 2002 No.71 pp.22-29.
[3] Aguirre-Urreta M. Beatriz, Casadío Silvio, Cichowolski Marcela, Lazo Darío G., Rodríguez Débora L.. (2008)Afinidades paleobiogeográficas de los invertebrados cretácicos de la Cuenca Neuquina. Ameghiniana [revista en la Internet]. 2008 Sep [citado 2010 Sep 21] ; 45(3): 591-611.

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2010 International Year of Biodiversity Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall © 

More lake creatures at Lake Carrera (Buenos Aires)

 
Regarding Lake Buenos Aires (as it is known in Argentina) or Lake General Carrera (its Chilean name), I have come across some sightings besides the one already mentioned in my post on Lake Carrera creature.

One, by Walter Wellmann who says that is father, who navigated the lake most of his life daily, said that "he had never seen anything [...] except a kind of serpent that appeared on the surface and then was lost from sight".[1]

He too had an experience many years later: "at the Las Llaves sector, something about 5 to 6 meters [long] [15 to 18 ft.] that moved along the surface and was black; it looked like an overturned boat, with the hull upwards. Perhaps the same lake monster. If one tells others about this, they don't believe you".[1]

At a small lake close to Puerto Ibañez, by the lake, known as laguna Sepúlveda, is said to be home to a creature. According to Marisol Obrador, "there was a monster [..] very large and ugly".[1]

Panoramio photograph and map of Sepúlveda lagoon.

Bibliography.

[1] Irles, L. El Faro del Fin del Mundo. El monstruo del Lago General Carrera. 24.08.2009. Comments.

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2010 International Year of Biodiversity Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall © 

The Royal Navy does not believe in sea monsters

 
Another blow for those (like me) who would like cryptozoology to become a "real" scientific discipline; according to an article in the Telegraph [1] It seems that the British Royal Navy does not keep any centralized files on "sea monsters". It appears that they do not consider it worth while.

A marine biologist inquired whether the Ministry of Defence held records about "abnormally large or dangerous sea monsters hundreds of metres under the sea" that had not been revealed to the public.

In reply an official wrote: "The RN (Royal Navy), and MoD in general, does not maintain any form of central repository of information purely devoted to sea monsters...[1]

There are records of course, but they are kept at different locations. This is in sharp contrast with what the MoD did regarding UFOs, where they did have a central repository with all the sightings.

Strange criteria, filing the UFO stuff but not the cryptozoological ones.

Anyway, the article mentions some sightings close to Saint Helen's Island in the South Atlantic, which may be of interest. Alas, no hope for us in Argentina to check a centralized archive on strange sightings along our Patagonian shores.

Bibliography.

[1] Royal Navy 'does not keep sea monster sighting archive. Telegraph. 16.05.2010.

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2010 International Year of Biodiversity Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall © 

"Sea Serpent" caught on Video

 

Sea Serpent-like Oarfish, caught on Video.
Click Here to see the article and the video.
Copyright © 2010 by BBC. From [1]

This post is dedicated to all those who believe in sea serpents!
Yes, today I read an article online at the BBC's website, in which they report that a giant deep sea fish was caught on video by scientists. They filmed an Orfish (Regalecus glesne), which can measure up to 17 m (56 ft.) long.

Oarfish are not seen very often on the surface, and if so, it is in their death throes or dead and washed up on the shore.

Sea Serpent: oarfish may be the clue to the myth

Profesor Mark Benfield from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA, using a remotely operated vehicle caught a glimpse of a “Sea Serpent” (coincidentially, the research project was named Serpent< Project) in deep waters.

I quote the article below:

Their strange appearance may have provided the basis for the sea serpent myths told by early ocean travellers.
Not only are they elongated, they also have a prominent dorsal fin which gives it an unusual "serpent" appearance. […]
"What was interesting about the fish was its swimming behaviour," said Professor Benfield.
"It moved by undulating its dorsal fin in waves that propelled it backwards at quite a good speed."
Early estimates measure the fish at between 5 m and 10 m in length. [1]

Oarfish that washed ashore on a Bermuda beach in 1860.

I am skeptical about sea serpents and have posted three times about them, once regarding one seen in the River Plate and another time regarding Joselito, a sea serpent at Necochea. Neither of them in Patagonia.

My third post was about a sea serpent in the Strait of Magellan, in Patagonia and in very cold waters.

Oarfish are found in temperate waters around the world, do they frequent Argentina's Patagonian coast or the Strait of Magellan? If they did, they could account for these sighting.

To find some clues, I did some googling, and came up with the following paper [2]:

Oarfish in Patagonia?

It provides new information on oarfish from the Argentina Trench (Southwestern Atlantic), below I quote from the abstract:

This study considered [...] characteristics of the distribution of three rare fish species [...] recently discovered in the southwestern Atlantic: [...] tropical Regalecus glesne [Oarfish][...], known by rare catches in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere. [...] R. glesne [i.e. Oarfish] penetrate to the south with the vortices of the warm Brazilian current down to 48° S[...] [2]

If so, then they are tropical fish that are dragged south by the Brazilian sea current and it could be possible for someone to sight them along Argentina's Patagonian coast (and also its Buenos Aires coastline -where Necochea and the River Plate are).

Further reading on this strange fish:

- NOAA (photo and a Palau stamp).
- Australian Museum.

Video:

- Oarfish-Sea Sepent, on YouTube:



Bibliography.

[1] Bourton, Jody. BBC. Giant bizarre deep sea fish filmed in Gulf of Mexico. Online. 08.02.2010.
[2] Trunov, I., Kukuev, E., (2005). New Data on Fish of the Family Trachipteridae and Regalecidae (Trachipteroidei) from the Argentina Trench (Southwestern Atlantic). Journal of Ichtyology. V. 45. NO. 3. 03-04/2005. pp. 223-228

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Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia

2010 International Year of Biodiversity
 
Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall ©
 

More information on "Joselito"

 

More information on Joselito.

I posted on this sea monster Here.

I have some additional information on sea turtles on the southern Buenos Aires sea shore. Yesterday I received my June issue of Aves Argentinas (the journal of the Asociación Ornitológica del Plata), and I was surprised to read an interesting article on sea fauna conservation in which it mentions sightings of dead sea turtles on Buenos Aires' beaches.[1]

The ECOFAM project (Coastal Team of Sea Fauna and Environment Observers) identifies and records the bodies of dead sea animals along the coast in an effort to get a better understanding of the ecosystem. In the area close to Necochea (where Joselito was sighted), between Miramar and Reta, they have identified 3 dead turtles in 2007 and 6 in 2008.

These have been the following:

'07  '08
2     3   Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
1     2   Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
-     1   Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

This indicates that these creatures could be mistakenly identified as a "sea serpent" by observers on the beach, who are not used to seeing such animals.

Bibliography.

[1] Tamini, L. and Dellacasa, R., (2008). Conservación de la fauna marina. Un trabajo Conjunto entre cientificos y pobladores. Aves Argentinas. Año XI. 25 - 06-2009. pp. 24.



Copyright 2009 by Austin Whittall ©

Patagonian Monsters

“Joselito”, the Necochea sea serpent

 

A Map of Southern Buenos Aires Province, showing Necochea. Based on: Instituto Geográfico Nacional de la República Argentina.[9]

This is not technically a Patagonian being. It was not sighted within Patagonia, it was seen a few hundred miles north of Patagonia, on the southern sea shore of Buenos Aires Province in the South Atlantic Ocean’s Argentine Sea (see the map above).

However, since I have mentioned a Sea Monster in the Strait of Magellan and another in the River Plate, maybe "Joselito" can throw some light on these sightings.

It was reported at Necochea in 1993 and 1994. I will summarize below what has been written about it. The main online source is an Investigative Report by Guillermo Daniel Giménez.[1]

There was a sighting of a “sea monster” on the 18-19^th of March, 1994, about 6 miles (11 km) from the port of Necochea, Quequén by the “Arenas Verdes” area. It was seen by some fishermen on board the “Paco Ventura” owned by Mr. Carlos Miño.

The creature was of a dark brown - black color “with an enromous head, very big eyes and its neck and back with a serrated edge”
The creature had been seen about six months earlier in the same place according to Fernando Bertoia, who in turn reported that the creature was 10 to 12 meters long (32 – 39 ft.).
This, first sighting involved the crews of the fishing ships “Macho” and “Deleite C”.

Luis Ramón Menna, of the “Paco Ventura” said that in his 25 years as a fisherman, he had the chance to see whales, killer whales but never something like the creature that he had seen: “I did not see it all, it had like ‘saws’ on its back, it was dark”. He could not define its size, but believed that it was big due to the waves it made.

Menna also recalled that in 1993, a person who had been camping on the shore close to “Medano Blanco” had seen, with his binoculars, two “gigantic marine creatures that seemed to be playing banging their long necks together”

Local fisherman, Salvador Lucero Melluzo drew a creature that he had seen about two months earlier, and it appeared to be similar to what the crew of the “Paco Ventura” had seen. He said that “it was dark, very big… its legs were like very big paddles, like elephant ears”

During this period, fish were scarce and though some blamed this to the jelly-fish, others blamed the sea monster.

It was named Joselito because it was officially sighted on March 19^th which is the day of “Saint Joseph” (in Spanish: San José) hence the diminutive: “Joselito”.

According to Carlos and Fabián Miño, owners of the boat, the creature was not agressive and “ignored” them. There “were sea gulls around it... a while later it submerged… and then it stayed there floating.

It had “fins … [like] the dinosaurs that we see in books or magazines… its head was white, rounded, like a duck’s head”. Its neck was “long… like that of a swan, but much bigger”.

Fabián Miño added that its "back had the shape of a crocodile and was about 4 meters long and over 2 wide (13 ft and 6.5 ft. respectively).

On May 3^rd (year not stated, 1993? 1994?) María Susana Monterosa and Osvaldo Gutiérrez who look after several homes at Bahía de los Vientos, saw a strange sea creature close to the shore. It had: “A big head and a dark back, like a saw, it had big eyes… it was 3 or 4 meters long (9 to 12 ft.)”.

Up to here what Giménez has written about this creature.[1]

There is a photograph of it on the web, that actually looks like a reef:[2]

A tortoise or “Joselito” on the Quequén coast. The specimen, over 2 meters long was seen by Bahía de los Vientos. From [2].

Rational explanations.

1. A Sea turtle.

The creature may be a Leather Back sea turtle. The local museum (Museo De ciencias Naturales Dr. José Escuadrone) in its website, says one was caught by some fishermen in 1995 [3]. It has a photograph, which we show below:[4]

This is a very rare animal, and quite uncommon in the South Atlantic. Furthermore, they are quite scarce in Argentina's sea coast, the water is temperate to cold, not quite their habitat.

However, there have been sightings along the Buenos Aires sea cost, including Necochea.[5], one was washed up on the shore at Miramar close to Necochea in 2005 and another in 2006. [6]

New. December 10^th, 2009: I found some fresh information on turtles, and posted it Here.

2. A giant squid.

As the fishermen who saw "Joselito" said they had seen turtles, killer whales, whales and other fish, the creature they saw must be something extremely rare, perhaps a giant squid.

These mysterious beings of the deep have been caught in the Argentine sea before: but not close to Necochea (one was caught by Isla de los Estados near Tierra del Fuego Island), it was 3 meters (9 ft.) long and weighed 150 kg (over 300 lbs) this happened in 1999, and there are only two previous records of this kind of catch in these waters, in 1998 and 1995 [7]

A Giant squid also appeared on the Southern Patagonian sea coast in 2008 there is a photograph of it lying on the beach, which I reproduce below [8]:

So, there are several plausible and rational explanations for "Joselito". Personally I don't think that it is a sea serpent.

Another alternative is that Joselito may be an Oarfish a "sea serpent" (actually a fish that looks like one).

Bibliography.

[1] Giménez, G., D. Extrañas criaturas marinas en Necochea y Quequen. Online Here.
[2] Ecos Diarios. 09.Aug.2007. Online Here.
[3] Museo de Ciencias Naturales Dr. José Escuadrone. Online Here.
[4] Same Source, Here.
[5] Martínez, D. E.,(1984).The Loggerhead Turtle in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, Chelonidae. Historia Natural. Vol 4. No. 21. Online Here.
[6] Online Here.
[7] La Nación, Buenos Aires (23.03.1999). Capturaron un calamar gigante.
[8] Estancias de Santa Cruz. Online Here. (Image is Here.)
[9] Instituto Geográfico Nacional de la República Argentina. Mapas Escolares. Online Here.

Copyright 2009 by Austin Whittall ©

Patagonian Monsters

River Plate sea serpent (ca. 1830s)

 

Text quoted below. Page 242 of [1]

Two North American Protestant ministers were sent by the ABCFM (American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions) in 1833 to Patagonia.

They were to stay among the native Patagonians and study the feasibility of setting up a mission there.

Their original plan was to land on the Chilean coast south of Chiloé, but lack of transportation made them change their plans and land at the Strait of Magellan, at Gregory Bay. There they stayed with a group of Southern Tehuelche natives.

These two brave (and I would add, reckless) men were William Arms and Titus Coan.

Both managed to survive where others had been taken captive and after three very difficult months, they reembarked back to the U.S.

The ABCFM after receiving their report decided not to establish any missions in Patagonia.

Neither of them reported any strange beings or cryptids during their stay in Patagonia, however, Arms' diary has a strange remark which I quote below.

It happened in the Atlantic Ocean, close to the coast of Buenos Aires, north of Patagonia, some parts of the text are, regrettably illegible but they seem to indicate some kind of "sea monster".

I have translated it from Spanish into English:

That afternoon [Captain Benjamin Pendleton of the "Hamilton"] described an [illegible] that he saw in the waters off the River Plate, saying that in total it was ten meters [33 ft.] above the water, nearly round and some twenty meters [66 ft.] from its tail to its head; it had long arms like fins with spines 50 cm [20 in.] all above its back. Algae had grown on it up to a great height.[1]

Could it have been an Oarfish a "sea serpent" (actually a fish that looks like one)?

Bibliography.

[1] Titus Coan (2006). Aventuras en Patagonia. Un viaje de exploración de dos misioneros norteamericanos. Noviembre 1833 - Marzo 1834. B. Aires: Zagier & Urruty Publ. pp. 242



Copyright 2009 by Austin Whittall ©

Patagonian Monsters

Strait of Magellan Sea Monster

 

Sea Monster.
By Michael Nicoll (1905).[2]

In the midst of the "plesiosaur furore", an article was published stating that Lieutenant-commander O. Bavilaqua had seen a strange creature one afternoon in 1906 while sailing 500 meters (1,600 ft.) off the coast, along the Strait on the USS Kaweah:

I heard a splash and saw a huge ice-covered boulder splash into the sea from the high, rocky shore. A moment later a large animal appeared at the point from which the boulder had dropped and looked out toward me. The head was shaped like that of a horse and the neck was fully thirty feet long [10 meters].[1]

Note that the long neck is definitively plesiosaur-like and may have been added to embellish the story.

At about that same time frame, a very similar sea monster was reported off the coast of Brazil (very far from Patagonia).[2] Below is the eyewitness (Mr. Michael Nicoll) account:

On the 7th December, 1905, when in latitude 7° 14' S., longitude 34° 25' W., and about fourteen miles from the coast of Brazil near Para, a creature of most extraordinary form and proportions was sighted by two of us. At the time we were under
sail only, and were slowly making our way to Bahia. It was at about 10 o'clock in the morning, and I was leaning on the rail of the poop deck, when a large fin suddenly appeared close to the ship at a distance of about fifty yards. This fin resembled that of no fish I had previously seen, and I pointed it out immediately to Mr. E. G. B.
Meade- Waldo, who was on deck with me at the time, and we watched it together for several minutes. As we passed slowly by, a long eel-like neck surmounted by a head, shaped somewhat like that of a turtle, rose out of the water in front of the fin. This creature remained in sight for a few minutes, but we soon drew ahead of it, and it
became lost to view, owing to the ripple of the water. Owing to the fact that we were under sail at the time, it was not possible to go about and make a closer inspection, and with great regret we had to be content with the view we had had of this remarkable monster.
[...]
This creature was an example, I consider, of what has been so often reported, for want of a better name, as the " great sea-serpent." I feel sure, however, that it was not a reptile that we saw, but a mammal. It is, of course, impossible to be certain of this, but the general appearance of the creature, especially the soft, almost rubber-like fin, gave one this impression.[2]

The full account of the sighthing was published printed in the " Proceedings " of the Zoological Society of London (10th October, 1906, p. 721).

So perhaps, there is a slim chance that Commander Bevilaqua read this report in 1906 or (and the chances of this are really slim) saw the same creature a few months later in the Strait.

Could it be some kind of cryptid? a long-necked seal? (notice that it is described as mammalian not reptilian by Nicoll).

Or was it an Oarfish a "sea serpent" (actually a fish that looks like one)?

Bibliography.

[1] The New York Times (1922). Says he has seen Patagonia monster. N. York, U.S., 12.03.1922.
[2] Nicoll, M., (1908). Three voyages of a naturalist, being an account of many little- known islands in three oceans visited by the "Valhalla," R.Y.S.. London: Witherby & Co. pp. 22+

Copyright 2009 by Austin Whittall ©

Patagonian Monsters