(opens the full-size plate in a new tab) Colossal Claude
Sea Serpent
Reported by professional mariners, which is why it is still on the register.
A bold, forty-foot marine serpent with a horse-like head that exhibits kleptoparasitic behavior by stealing heavy catches directly from commercial fishing lines.
Etymology. Given the whimsical moniker 'Colossal Claude' by the sailors and local fishermen who frequently spotted him.
Anatomy. It is 40 feet long with a big round body covered in tan hair, leading down to a mean-looking tail. It features an 8-foot-long neck, an evil, snaky facial expression, and a head resembling an overgrown horse.
Ecology. Patrols the turbulent open ocean waters off the Columbia River Bar in Oregon. Marine biologists suggest sightings were actually encounters with massive whale sharks or a species of elasmobranch.
Behavior. It acts as a brazen aquatic scavenger, fearlessly approaching fishing vessels. Its intimidating presence successfully deterred brave sailors from attempting to capture it in small boats.
Mythology. First spotted by the crew of the Lightship Columbia in 1934, it achieved legendary status among local fisheries. After rivaling the Loch Ness Monster in popularity for decades, the beast mysteriously vanished, with no reported sightings since the mid-1950s.