Sea Serpents of Casco Bay

Ihave posted earlier on the possibility of sea serpents and noted several raresightings from scattered sources.  Now Ihave come across this piece in which the creature is localized and we have manysightings of several likely specimens.

As stated before, the likelycreature is able to absorb oxygen through external gills and likely spends mostof its time in deep waters with little reason to surface.  This bay and environs may actually be a breeding ground towhich they concentrate periodically.

I have also conjectured that thefemales return to specific deep fresh water lakes in order to produce a clutchof eggs.

All of which covers off the knownreports

During the past century, sea trafficbecame a noisy enterprise effectively warning of larger marine life.  Most reports are about vessels runningsilently that are suddenly confronted by the creature.  Even with future battery systems, props arenoisy.  The advent of the prop madesightings rarer and difficult.

The dates coincide with theheyday of working sailing ships on the East coast in particular when they werethe dominant sailors on earth.

Cassie: The Casco Bay Sea Serpent

Saturday, August 2, 2008

http://mainemysteries.blogspot.com/2008/08/cassie-casco-bay-sea-serpent.html

Casco Bay is a deep inlet off the Atlantic Ocean in southwest Maine. Its wooded hillyislands are a popular vacation area and its icy waters are reportedly the homeof a giant sea serpent like creature. Reports of this creature, named Cassie bythe locals, can be traced as far back as the 18th century, with, as BernardHeuvelmans points out, most of the sightings occurring between 1777 and 1877 inNew England. Two thirds of these sightingswere off Maine, though it would appear the Massachusetts reportsattracted the most attention.

In 1751, in Broad Bay and in 1779, in Penobscot Bay,men fishing the Atlantic coastal shelf often reported the sightings of seaserpents. One of the earliest documented sightings that could be found,reported by noted cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, occurred in 1779, when EdwardPreble, an 18 year old ensign, who would later become a commodore, had anencounter with a serpent like creature while aboard a ship called theProtector. On a clear and calm day Preble discovered a large serpent lyingmotionless near the ship. After inspecting it for some time, Preble was orderedby his captain to man and arm a large boat, Preble shoved off and headed forthe creature. As he neared the serpent, it raised it’s head about ten feetabove the surface of the water, looked at Preble, and began to move slowlyaway. Preble fired a round at the beast which caused the creature to swim offfaster and disappear.

Another early account of Cassie occurred in May of 1780, when Captain GeorgeLittle of Boston saw a 45 foot long serpentinecreature in Broad Bay, Maine. Captain Little said the man sizedhead was carried about 5 feet out of the water. During June and July of 1818others claimed to have seen a sea serpent in Portland Bay.In the 1900’s many sightings were reported off Woods Island, Maine,including a sighting by Mrs. F.W. Saunderson in 1912. Mrs. Saunderson, alongwith two dozen passengers aboard a steamer traveling from New York to Portland,Maine, witnessed an enormous head, long neck and barrel sized body appearingoff the starboard side.

Saunderson’s reported that the creature rose about 20 feet above the water,remained erect for half a minute or so, its head turning slowly as it if totake a good look at its surroundings, and then slipped back into the water. Inthe late 1930’s and 1940’s encounters with the Cassie were also reported in Eastport, Maine.

Loren Coleman also interviewed several Maineresidents who reported seeing Cassie as late as the 1950’s. In 1986 Colemanwrote the first published article in regards to Cassie, which appeared in the Portland Monthly. Hisarticle outlined several sightings and first hand encounters with the creatureincluding an interview with an 81 year old man named Ole Mikkelsen, whoreportedly had an encounter with Cassie on the 5th day of June, 1958.

Mikkelsen stated that his day started like any other, he woke up early andheaded out to sea with his fishing partner. Around 6 am the men saw an objectheading directly for them coming out of the haze, at first they thought it wasa submarine, but as it came closer they discovered what ever it was to bealive. What ever the creature was came in and out of the water about 4 times asit continued to head for the two men’s boat, eventually coming up about 125feet away and stopping, as if to look at them. The two thought of cutting theirboats nets and making a run for shore, but lucky the creature made a sharp turnand disappeared into the haze, heading southeast.

Mikkelsen described the beast he saw as being light brown with a lighterunderside and neck. He stated that the tail of the creature was like that of amackerel’s and its body was well over 100 feet in length. The head of the beaststuck out of the water and was broader than its long neck; he could not see anydiscernible eyes or ears but was certain it could hear and see, stating thatevery time the Portland Lightship blew its foghorn the creature turned its headin its direction, inspecting the sound.

In recent years sightings of Cassie have been few and far between, researchershave suggested that noisy sea traffic may have caused the creatures responsiblefor early Cassie sightings to move to a more quiet location. This theory isbacked up by the fact that other known marine animals, like seals and dolphins,have since moved on from the areas closer to the Maine shore and Casco Bayseemingly due to the area’s abundant sea traffic.


The Evidence

There is currently no physical evidence to support the existence of a creaturelike Cassie living in the waters off Maine.

The Sightings

In 1751, in Broad Bay and in 1779, in Penobscot Bay,men fishing the Atlantic coastal shelf often reported the sightings of seaserpents.

In 1779, Edward Preble, an 18 year old ensign, who would later become acommodore, had an encounter with a serpent like creature while aboard a shipcalled the Protector.

In May of 1780, when Captain George Little of Bostonsaw a 45 foot long serpentine creature in Broad Bay, Maine.

In 1912, Mrs. Saunderson, along with two dozen passengers aboard a steamertraveling from New York to Portland, Maine,witnessed an enormous head, long neck and barrel sized body appearing off thestarboard side.

On the 5th day of June, 1958, Ole Mikkelsen saw an object heading directly forhim and his friend while out in their fishing boat, at first they thought itwas a submarine, but as it came closer they discovered what ever it was to bealive. What ever the creature was came in and out of the water about 4 times asit continued to head for the two men’s boat, eventually coming up about 125feet away and stopping, as if to look at them.

The Stats– (Where applicable)

• Classification: Sea Monster

• Size: 10 to 100 feet long

• Weight: Unknown

• Diet: Unknown

• Location: Casco Bay and surrounding areas, Maine,United States of America

• Movement: Swimming

• Environment: Coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean