Deharo Sea Serpent
Posted by: Loren Coleman on January 26th, 2009
Helena Independent, Helena, Montana
September 24, 1880
Strange Sea Serpent.
San Francisco, September 22. – A Victoria dispatch says: A genuine sea serpent six feet in length with an orthodox mane, head shaped like a panther and the tail whittled down to a sharp point, was brought in by the Indians who caught it in deep water in the Straits of Deharo.
Its appearance creates intense interest amongst the savants and old fishermen who can not place the monster. The serpent has been photographed and the body will be preserved in spirits and sent to Ottawa for classification.
What do you think ever happened to the photo of this catch? What a great research project for a British Columbian researcher.
Thanks to Jerome Clark for this archival report.
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Loren Coleman no longer writes for Cryptomundo. His archived posts remain here at Cryptomundo.
All I can say is that a photograph in the dusty attic of some greedy collector is better than no photograph. At least it has a chance of turning up on eBay. I can guess the names of the top bidders.
I’m curious as to just what an ‘orthodox mane’ looks like. Does that mean one like a male African lion? I just find the turn of phrase intriguing.
Sounds like an oarfish
I agree with the oarfish proposal.
well do you know who has it?
I live in Sidney, BC, located about 5 kms from a body of water called “Haro Strait”. Back in 1880 it was referred as the Straits of Deharo. Haro Strait, as we know it today, was named in 1790 by Manuel Quimper, commander of the Princesa Real, in honor of his pilot, Gonzalo López de Haro. I suspect that the creature that was found may have been a young “Cadborosaurus”, a sea serpent type animal that has been observed and recorded in the waters around here many, many times in the last 100 years. Some people even claim to have seen it coming ashore in Saanich Inlet, presumably to bear it’s young. In 1968 or so, a man on a day sail found a very young “Caddy” in distress on the surface and netted it. He described it as being about 2 feet long with a horse’s mane. The famous 1938 Naden Harbour photos of a Caddy carcass found in a whales stomach are intriguing as well. I guess this archival report just adds to the story.
Hopefully, with some diligent research, that photograph might be found. Looking forward to it.
I tend to agree with what F15Pilot says. Could be a Caddy.
Just google caddy or cadborosaurus.
I found one.
Maybe this is it.
When I first read the description I thought oarfish, too.