The Sea Serpent off Greenland
A missionary sailing to Greenland saw a monstrous creature rise from the sea, taller than the ship's mast, and drew what he saw.
What was reported
In 1734, the Norwegian missionary Hans Egede was sailing off the coast of Greenland when, he wrote, a 'most terrible creature' rose from the sea. Its head reached as high as the masthead, it had a long, pointed snout, broad flippers, and a body covered with scales, and it blew water like a whale. As it sank back, it raised a tail longer than the ship.
His account and drawing were published and became one of the classic sea serpent reports.
Explanations offered
Modern suggestions include a giant squid, whose long arms or body seen at the surface could look serpentine, a whale, or a male whale showing itself during mating. The drawing doesn't clearly match any known animal, which has kept the case debated.
- When
- 6 July 1734
- Where
- Off Nuuk, Greenland
- Witnesses
- The missionary Hans Egede and the ship's crew
- Status
- Disputed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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