The Lusca of the Blue Holes
In the Bahamas, fishermen say a giant creature, half shark and half octopus, lurks in the deep blue holes and pulls things down.
What was reported
Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas, is dotted with blue holes: deep, round, water-filled sinkholes in the sea and on land. Bahamian folklore says some are home to the lusca, a huge creature often described as part octopus and part shark, which can drag boats and swimmers down.
Divers and fishermen have long reported strong pulls and whirlpools at the mouths of the holes.
Explanations offered
The whirlpools are real: as the tide rises and falls, water rushes in and out of the blue holes with great force, which can suck down objects at the surface. Some researchers also suggest that sightings of large octopuses or squid may have added to the legend.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Andros Island, Bahamas
- Witnesses
- Bahamian fishermen and divers
- Status
- Legend
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.