NELSON SEA SERPENT REAPPEARS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 167, 18 July 1939, Page 8

NELSON SEA SERPENT REAPPEARS

NEITHER LARGE NOR FEARSOME STRANGE MARINE BEAST OFF - PEPIN ISLAND ! NELSON, July 111. ( Again a sea serpent is reported to . have been seen oft Pepin Island. On ( this occasion it was no fearsome mon- | step, but comparatively small, littie more than eignt feet long, and about j lhe same size round as a large conger j eel. j The creature was seen by Mrs. E. ] E. Kawnaru, D’Urville Island, ana j other members of a launch partv j When first seen it was some distance- , from the launch, and about a chain j and a-half from lhe shore, basking n« the sunshine. It was thought to be a ( piece of driftwood, but as the launch 1 came near it was seen that this wcu. x not the case. A small head with tiny . ears could be seen perched on a long ( neck, about two feet out of tnc 5 water. The head appeared to be cov- ' cred with a growtn of hair. Curled t over its back was a tail about lour ‘ feet long, fish-tail shaped at the tip. } The launch approached within io yards of it when the creature dived { and disappeared. Mrs. Kawharu said ■ that she nad never seen anything at ; all like it before, j Previous Appearance. About a month ago, Mr. H. C. Christian, Te Rawa, Pelorus Sound, reported that while passing ucpin Island in u launch with nis sister-in-law and a. ’ young native workman, they saw wnat ' appeared to be the branch of a tree ' slicking out of the water. 11 had a somewnat swan-like shape, ana appeared to be Bft. or 9fl. long. As iney ( drew closer to lhe object tney found ! it was alive, and it turned its head ! towards the launch. "We noticed that its tail, whicii “ protruded about 3ft., curved back toward the centre of lhe fish, and was split or comb-shaped at the edges," . said Mr. Christian. "The head wtu somewhat like that of an eel, but rather of the appearance of a dog s head, with hair on top, and was bit. ’ out of the water. e came within 40ft. of it, when it submerged. 1 have been 35 years in this territory, and • have seen nothing like it before." Opinion of Museum Director. ! Asked last night for an opinion as to the nature oi th-’ strange sea < creature now twice ruported to hawbeen seen off the Marlborough Sounds, i the Director of the Dominion Mu- .< scum, Dr. W. R. diver, said that he ; had read reports of its previous appearance, and had formed the conclu- ’ sion that the creature was probably a , seal. Seals are common on the south-ii wot coast of lhe South Island, ana . occasionally make their appearance on > other parts of the coast. About two years ago a Weddel seal entered Weliington harbour, and spent lhe greater « part of a day reclining qn the Star Boating Clubs slipway. It appeared to be injured and in distress and piano were being made to add it to lhe museum’s collection when it pulled itself together and took its depart tire. Captain Cook recorded in his journal that when he tir.g entered Queen Charlotte Sound and anchored in Ship Cove, a seal or sea-lion was observed swimming across the bows of t he Endeavour. Sealing parties were lhe first settlers on the southern coasts, ana took heavy toll of valuable fur-seals before strict protection was placed on these animals.