Sea Monster
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Umibozu
The Umibozu is a Japanese Yōkai whose true form is unknown. They appear human in shape with inky black skin, large round eyes and bald heads. They are only seen from the shoulders up probably because they are just that big. They are easily the size of a ship if not much larger. They appear on calm nights and cause bad weather and rocky seas to pop up suddenly and without warning. Some say they are somewhat ghostly. They are sometimes believed to be the souls of drowned priests that were thrown overboard. It was thought they would demand a barrel so they could scoop water into a ship to…
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Tizheruk
The Tizheruk is an ocean-dwelling monster from Inuit mythology. They are similar to Pal-Rai-Yuk and sometimes seen as a variation of it from King Island. They have 7-foot-long heads on 15-foot-long serpentine bodies with flippers on both ends. They are known to grab people from docks and piers. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002. Gerhard, Ken. A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid Creatures. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2016. McElroy, D.R.. Superstitions: A Handbook of Folklore, Myths, and Legends from Around the World. United States, Wellfleet Press, 2020.
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Steipereidur
The Steipereidur is a form of sea monster from medieval times. They’re described as a gentle and tame form of whale, that fought other sea monsters who endangered fishermen. They measure at least 100 cubits (roughly 147 feet) in length and have the scientific name “Balænopetra sibbaldi.” It was forbidden to hunt this creature, but it was thought their meat tastes like beef. Citations: Carpenter, Alfred, and Wilson-Barker, David. Nature Notes for Ocean Voyagers: Being Personal Observations Upon Life in “the Vasty Deep” and Fishes, Birds, and Beasts Seen from a Ship’s Deck; with Popular Chapters on Weather, Waves, and Legendary Lore. United Kingdom, C. Griffin, limited, 1915. Jenkins, James…
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Rostunger/Rosmar
The Rostunger is a sea monster known from Medieval times. They walk along the ocean floor on four short legs. They’re described as similar to the sea-calfe and sleep twelve hours a day. Their skin is too difficult to pierce with any weapon and they hang from rocks by their two long teeth. These teeth measure 3.75 feet in length and their bodies measure around 52.5 feet long. Citations: Topsell, Edward. The Elizabethan Zoo: A Book of Beasts Both Fabulous and Authentic. United Kingdom, F. Etchells & H. Macdonald, 1926.
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Lucy And Nancy Creature
The Lucy And Nancy Creature is a cryptid sighted in Florida in 1849. Its name comes from the fact it was sighted by people aboard the ship Lucy And Nancy. It was described as a sea serpent measuring ninety feel long, and seven feet across. It had a dirty brown back, a large serpentine head, and clawed fins that were several feet in length. Renowned Cryptozoology Bernard Heuvelmans suggested it could either be a long necked aquatic mammal, or a giant eel. Citations: Newton, Michael. Florida’s Unexpected Wildlife: Exotic Species, Living Fossils, and Mythical Beasts in the Sunshine State. United States, University Press of Florida, 2007.
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Hedammu
Hedammu was a giant sea serpent from Mesopotamian myth. It was thought to remain in deep waters and could drag down entire ships and consume its crew. It would attack ships non-stop as it was constantly hungry. Hedammu was thought to be the child of a man named Kumarbi and a daughter of the sea god. It was also seen as a challenger to the storm gods. To deal with the Hedammu, the gods sent Ishtar to seduce it. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006. Wandering Myths: Transcultural Uses of…
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Cetus
The Cetus is an enormous sea monster from Greek myth. It was thought to be owned by Posiedon and possibly created by Zeus. It was made to kill princess Andromeda. She was chained to a rock to be fed to the Cetus because her mother bragged about her beauty and insulted the goddesses and nymphs. It ended up being turned to stone by Perseus by use of the head of Medusa. It had a giant body like a bloated whale or dolphin, with a tail divided into two fan-like sections. It was colored brownish-yellow and turquoise with no limbs other than vestigial membranous flippers on its torso. It had a…
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Bucca
Bucca is a sea monster from England. It was once believed to be a god of the sea, but is now known as a lesser mythical creature. It is thought to resemble a dark brown conger eel with hair made from tangled seaweed, and it is thought that it can change form or become invisible. If sacrifices of fish and bread are given to Bucca, then it leads fishermen to fish and pushes their boats away from rocks. If any fish are caught with the assistance of Bucca though, one must be thrown back as thanks. It is thought to be more aggressive near the Orkney Islands where it was…
