Beyond the Beyond: The Hook Island Sea Monster

Beyond the Beyond: The Hook Island Sea Monster

There were always crypto and UFO photos that struck me when I was young:

the Deloys Ape…

the Billy Meier photos (which are, of course, fraudulent)…

the Solway Spaceman…

and the Hook Island Sea Monster.  

You see, I loved the water when I was young, and still do. The Eastern Sierra, where I live, is dotted with lakes and rivers and all sorts of areas where one can cool off if the mood strikes them. My kids and I are always discovering new spots. And as a teen, I was an avid scuba diver who spent a lot of time in the water. So you can imagine seeing a photo like this.

For months after, whenever I would swim, I would picture some long, tadpole shaped creature with rows of razor sharp teeth trailing just behind the tips of my feet.

On December 12, 1964, a group of tourists including a man named Robert Le Serrec were staying on Hook Island, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia. The group set out on a boat trip around the island, and soon after came across a mysterious creature sitting on the ocean floor.

Large, long, and in the shape of what appeared to be a tadpole, it appeared to be wounded, and at first the group thought it was dead. Robert and a friend put on diving equipment to go and get a better look. When they submerged themselves and got close to the creature, they could see that it had a large chunk taken out of the middle part of its body. They could also see rows of teeth in its mouth, and that it was finless like a tadpole.

During the encounter, Robert took a series of photographs of the creature which showed its large head and eyes, and long serpent-like body. It was at least thirty feet long, and its jaws were four feet wide. Its skin was smooth and wall a dull, brown color. As the men continued to examine the creature, it suddenly opened its eyes and lunged at them with its giant jaws. They escaped back to the boat, and the creature, evidently far from being dead, swam swiftly out into the open sea.

In March of 1965, Everyone published the story of the Hook Island Sea Monster with the photos that Robert took. There were many detractors, including famed biologist Ivan T. Sanderson, who claimed the “creature” was nothing more than a deflated sky hook held down by sand at its edges.

Various investigations were launched to try and get to the truth of what the photographs were showing. Some suggested that it was a giant eel, or sea slug. Cryptozoologists Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson spoke of alternative explanations, including plastic sheeting or a deflated balloon.

Others were convinced that the photos had been altered. Mind you, this was decades before Adobe Photoshop, however, the manipulation of photographs was indeed possible, just look here:

https://www.easternsierranow.com/beyond-the-beyond-gulf-breeze-ufo-photos/

While these photos have captured the imagination of both young and old over the course of the last sixty years, the true nature of what is being shown still remains shrouded in mystery. Whether an unknown sea creature or a clever hoax, the Hook Island Sea Monster continues to inspire wonder and remind that the ocean may indeed still hold things we have not yet discovered.

Have you had a sighting?  Message me @beyondthebeyond1 on Instagram.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Eastern Sierra Now. Readers are encouraged to conduct further research and consult with relevant experts or professionals before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this article.

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TM Rush