Ocean monster seen by Chch couple

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 19

Ocean monster seen by Chch couple

A Christchurch couple say that they saw in a remote South Island bay the decomposing remains of a creature that resembled descriptions of the “sea monster” picked up by Japanese fishermen in April.

The couple, Mr and Mrs L. O. Hulbert, are anxious to avoid publicity. They describe themselves as down-to-earth p&ple, not prone to flights of- fancy, and not interested in'perpetrating a hoax. jhey say that they saw the creature about 38 years ago at Totaranui, a small bay naar Takaka in the Nelson province. At that time the bay was isolated, except for a newly made track from Takaka. >lrs Hulbert said that the tipper half was skeleton; the lower half was still rotting, and the stench was “terrific.” The creature did not have scales; the skin was more likfc an eel’s, and gun-grey irf colour. The tail was “certainly” that of a fish, but it

developed from a distinct rib cage.

It had a head that looked like the enlarged skeleton of a cow’s head. It was not a fish head, and the teeth, set in the jaws, were not fish’s teeth. The eye sockets could have accommodated tennis balls, and there appeared to be protuberances that could have been horns. Mrs Hulbert said that her husband was an experienced angler, and had become well known among anglers. He had not known then what the creature was, and still did not know.

He had paced it out, and had estimated its length at about 16ft, she said. (The alleged sea monster was about 32ft.) “We saw it with our owneyes.” Mrs Hulbert said. Academics were too quick to discount the possibility that members of plesiosaur family were not yet extinct.

“It is one of our biggest regrets that we did not make it public,” said Mrs Hulbert.