The sand is coarse among the waves,
The foamy froth curls, rants and raves,
The grainy ground is wet and packed,
And seaweed from the ground is hacked.
Plucked from stormy shallows dark -
bold fish swims among the shark.
Twisting in the deeper pools,
Threads of green unfurl in spools.
Monster beyond comprehension,
Slim limbs hanging in suspension.
Serpent lurks in Blue Lagoon,
Carved in its scales a single rune.
The last sea serpent.
A Sea Serpent is a type of monster described in various mythologies. It has been described as a marine animal that traditionally resembles a body of a snake hence “serpent”. Ancient Folklores of sea navigation and voyages have been agog with tales of sea monsters stalking vessels and ships. For centuries, the unexplored depths of the oceans have been referred to as places where horrifying monsters calmly wait for their next prey. The belief in huge creatures that inhabited the deep was widespread throughout the ancient world. The tales of the sea serpent has continued to exist throughout the centuries and can be found worldwide. The most famous story you may have heard from northern Scotland and known as “The Loch Ness” serpent / monster aka Nessie. Loch Ness is a lake in Scotland with a depth of 788 feet and length of about 23 miles. Nessie has been described as large, long-neck serpent, with one or more humps protruding out of the water.
Widespread attention started in 1933 with supposedly evidence of its existence with a number of photographs and sonar readings. One of the earliest known sightings appeared in a writing Life of St. Columba written by Adomnán. He was a abbot (Abbot- is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions) He wrote about a man that was swimming in the river when he was attacked by a “water beast” that mauled him and dragged him underneath. There has also been a reference dating back to 500 AD when local Picts carved a strange aquatic creature into standing on stones near Loch Ness. The Loch Ness area attracted numerous monster hunters. Over the years, several sonar explorations (notably in 1987 and 2003) were undertaken to locate the creature, but none have been successful.
Sightings of other sea monsters have been reported for hundreds of years. Various accounts have appeared about the reptilian sea monsters seen by seamen on the high seas and by people near the coasts. While the descriptions of the sea serpent see vary to a certain extent, these descriptions are not without similarities. It has been documented in Scandinavian folklore of sea monsters swirling in the high seas. Sightings off the coast of New England near Cape Ann Massachusetts. Seafarers encountered as snake like serpent that was coiled up on a rock and another sighting of the creature measuring 27 meters in length. Another famous serpent sighting happened in August 1848. When the crew of the Royal Navy saw an 18-meter-long creature on the voyage to Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. The officers labeled it as a snakelike creature with its head above water.
The Oceans depths are home to mysterious creatures. With today’s technology and marine biologist we now have the ability to go below the surface and observe and have a better understanding of the mysteries of the deep and unique creatures. Today there is no currently known large sea serpent that have been discovered. However, they have discovered something know as the Oarfish. It is a large, long ribbon shaped fish. Very thin from side to side. It is shiny sliver in color with long red oar like pelvis fins and red dorsal fin that rises as a manlike crest on top of its head. They are not just unique because of their size but they are filter feeders and primarily eat krill, plankton, and other small crustaceans. They are rarely caught alive and not well regarded for eating due to their flesh being a gelatinous constancy. Which is translucent and has been said flavorless.
Oarfish are deep sea dwellers typically reaching lengths of up to 36 feet long and weighing around 600 pounds. Sightings are rare with only 250 found around the globe in: Spain, Netherlands, Japan, California and Australia. The oarfish is the world's largest bony fish and some people call them ribbon fish because of their body form. Unlike many bony fish, they lack scales. Although they are adapted to survive under high pressure, at the surface their skin is soft and easily damaged.
Their rarity and large size along with occasional beaching’s after storms and their habit of lingering at the surface when sick/ dying, make oarfish a probable source of many sea serpent tales. In ancient Japanese folklore the oar fish has been named the doomsday curse and is a precursor to natural disasters. Known as “Ryugu no Tuski” or messenger from the sea god’s palace. It has been long believed that these fish appear to the surface from it’s deep-sea habitat when human lives are in danger. It has been said they can predict earthquakes, and after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami which killed over 20,000 people, many pointed to the oarfish as a precursor. They have been said to be a bad omen a indicator for something worse yet to come. So if your ever out and run across an oarfish your better batten down the hatches. Rough weather is expected and vengeful