Gloucester sea serpent

Legendary creature

The Gloucester sea serpent of 1817, drawing in 1994 book Monsters of the Sea

The Gloucester sea serpent is a legendary creature reportedly seen around and off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts and Cape Ann area in the United States. The heyday of sightings began in August 1817 and continued into 1818–1819. Described as a massive serpent-like creature with humps along its back, the Gloucester Sea Serpent has been the subject of numerous sightings and tales of encounters by fishermen and sailors. The earliest alleged sighting of such a creature off Cape Ann was recorded in 1638 by John Josselyn. Occasional sightings continue into the 21st century.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

## History

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Although the Indigenous People of Cape Ann had told the settlers about a sea serpent, the earliest recorded sighting of the Gloucester Sea Serpent was in 1817, when a group of fishermen reportedly saw a 60 ft (18 m) serpent-like creature with a head like a turtle swimming in the waters off the coast of Gloucester. The sightings continued sporadically throughout the 19th century, with many local fishermen claiming to have seen the creature while out at sea.

One of the most famous sightings of the Gloucester Sea Serpent occurred in August 1817, when a group of men aboard the schooner "Caravan" reported seeing a large creature with a head like a serpent and a hump-backed body swimming alongside their vessel. The crew fired a cannon at the creature, but it disappeared beneath the water and was not seen again.[11][12][13]

## Description

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Over the years, numerous other sightings of the Gloucester Sea Serpent have been reported, with descriptions of the creature varying widely. Some have described it as a long, snake-like creature, while others have reported seeing a hump-backed creature with a head like a horse, a seal or a dinosaur. Because hundreds, and possibly even thousands of people saw the creature, combined with the Linnaean Society's report, this serpent is one of the most well documented sea serpents ever.[14] Despite the numerous sightings and tales of encounters, the existence of the Gloucester Sea Serpent remains a subject of debate and skepticism. Some have speculated that the creature could be a large species of eel, while others have suggested that it may be a hoax or the result of misidentification of known marine animals.

The last sighting may have been when the crew of a Gloucester fishing vessel claimed to have had an up close encounter with a sea serpent matching that description circa 1980. The fishermen had initially pledged not to say a word to anyone about their experience, but the story got out. When questioned, as a group they said they were experienced fishermen and knew what they saw. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, and when it turned its head and stared straight at them, its serpentine eyes were pure evil. The men never spoke of it again.

Linnaean Society illustration

## Cryptozoology

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Such attention has drawn the notice of those within the Cryptozoology community, including the field's founder, Bernard Heuvelmans. Heuvelmans outlined sightings of the creature in his book, In the Wake of the Sea-Serpents, originally titled, Le Grand Serpent-de-Mer.[15]

Several witnesses had reported seeing a stinger or spear protruding from the head of the creature, which has led Joe Nickell to conclude that the creature is a narwhal.[15]

## In popular culture

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The creature has become a beloved symbol of the town of Gloucester, with many local businesses and organizations using its image in their logos and promotional materials. The Gloucester Sea Serpent continues to fascinate and intrigue both locals and visitors alike.

Charleston playwright William Crafts lampooned the reports of the serpent in his play The sea serpent; or, Gloucester hoax: A dramatic jeu d'esprit, in three acts, published in 1819.[2][4]

## See also

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* Thomas Handasyd Perkins § Gloucester Sea Serpent
* Linnaean Society of New England § Sea serpent

## References

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1. ^ Shattuck, Ben (10 August 2013). The monstrous serpent was real!, Salon
2. ^ a b Brown, Chandos Michael. A Natural History of the Gloucester Sea Serpent: Knowledge, Power, and the Culture of Science in Antebellum America, in American Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 3 (September 1990), pp. 402–436
3. ^ Brown, Joel (16 December 2010). Fresh look at vintage mystery, The Boston Globe
4. ^ a b O'Neill, J.P. The Great New England Sea Serpent: An Account of Unknown Creatures Sighted by Many Respectable Persons Between 1638 and the Present Day (2003)
5. ^ Soini, Wayne (15 October 2010). Gloucester's Sea Serpent. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61423-233-9.
6. ^ (23 August 1886). Again the Sea Serpent, The New York Times (1886 report of sighting in the New York Times)
7. ^ (2 September 1818). The Sea Serpent, The Adams Centinel (reports of August 1818 sightings reprinted in the Adams Centinel)
8. ^ Story, Alfred T. The Sea Serpent, The Strand Magazine (1895)
9. ^ Bigelow, Jacob. Documents and Remarks respecting the Sea Serpent, American Journal of Science, Vol. 2, pp. 147–49 (1820)
10. ^ (25 August 1818). The Sea Serpent, Milledgeville Reflector (sighting stories from the Salem Register and Boston Daily Advertiser)
11. ^ Drinnon, Dale (2013). "New England Sea Serpent". Frontiers of Zoology. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
12. ^ "The Great New England Sea Serpents". New England Historical Society. 2014-04-03. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
13. ^ Costantino, Grace (27 October 2014). Five “Real” Sea Monsters Brought to Life by Early Naturalists, Smithsonian
14. ^ France, Robert L. (2019-08-01). "Extreme Climatic Upheaval, Emergency Resource Adaptation, and the Emergence of Folkloric Belief: Geomythic Origin of Sea Serpents from Animals Becoming Entangled in Fishing Gear During New England's Nineteenth-Century Social-Ecological Crisis". Human Ecology. 47 (4): 500. Bibcode:2019HumEc..47..499F. doi:10.1007/s10745-019-00097-5. ISSN 1572-9915. S2CID 243113342.
15. ^ a b Nickell, Joe (2019). "Gloucester Sea-Serpent Mystery: Solved after Two Centuries". Skeptical Inquirer. 43 (5): 14–16. Retrieved 12 October 2019.

## External links

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* Report of a committee of the Linnaean Society of New England, relative to a large marine animal, supposed to be a serpent, seen near Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in August 1817, Linnaean Society of New England
* Lore (podcast), A Deep Fear – Episode 59 (May 1, 2017)
* Dunning, Brian (November 19, 2024). "Skeptoid #963: Hunting the Gloucester Sea Serpent". Skeptoid. Retrieved November 20, 2024.