Posted by: John Kirk on August 31st, 2006
While the Kelowna detachment has had to deal with people attempting to harm an aquatic cryptid, the RCMP detachment near Peter Pond Lake in Saskatchewan has had to deal with a ‘lake monster’ which could prove harmful to humans. “Puff,” as the creature is known, has had a habit of tearing up the nets of local fishermen, so much so that they reported these occurrences to the RCMP. In addition to the fishermen who are on that lake, it is also used recreationally, so if there is something that poses a danger to persons and property, the police are obliged to check it out.
Although the damaged nets are there for all to see, things have been peaceful on Peter Pond Lake and it seems “Puff” has taken on the characteristics of the dragon Peter, Paul and Mary sang about in the 60’s.
The RCMP in Newfoundland have also been involved indirectly in a monster riddle that has long baffled the inhabitants of the hamlet of Roberts Arm. This delightful little town sits just to the west of the scenically beautiful Crescent Lake, reported home of an underwater cryptid named Cressie. A number of local people have seen the creature and some like Fred Parsons have spotted the beast more than once.
Although the locals believe that there may be a lake monster in their local body of water, there may be a more plausible explanation for what they have seen. A number of years ago, the RCMP was called in to deal with a tragic death involving a boating accident. Divers from the RCMP were called in to assist with retrieval duties. While underwater the divers from the force were amazed to see enormous ‘eels’ in the lake. Some of these eels were very thick in size, a few of them as large around as a man’s thigh. It is very possible that these large eels are what the locals are taking for a lake monster.
I have asked my friends on the force to keep me updated on anything cryptozoologically newsworthy so watch out for more on the Crypto-Police on Cryptomundo.
One of the founders of the BCSCC, John Kirk has enjoyed a varied and exciting career path. Both a print and broadcast journalist, John Kirk has in recent years been at the forefront of much of the BCSCC’s expeditions, investigations and publishing. John has been particularly interested in the phenomenon of unknown aquatic cryptids around the world and is the author of In the Domain of the Lake Monsters (Key Porter Books, 1998). In addition to his interest in freshwater cryptids, John has been keenly interested in investigating the possible existence of sasquatch and other bipedal hominids of the world, and in particular, the Yeren of China. John is also chairman of the Crypto Safari organization, which specializes in sending teams of investigators to remote parts of the world to search for animals as yet unidentified by science. John travelled with a Crypto Safari team to Cameroon and northern Republic of Congo to interview witnesses among the Baka pygmies and Bantu bushmen who have sighted a large unknown animal that bears more than a superficial resemblance to a dinosaur. Since 1996, John Kirk has been editor and publisher of the BCSCC Quarterly which is the flagship publication of the BCSCC. In demand at conferences, seminars, lectures and on television and radio programs, John has spoken all over North America and has appeared in programs on NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, TLC, Discovery, CBC, CTV and the BBC. In his personal life John spends much time studying the histories of Scottish Clans and is himself the president of the Clan Kirk Society. John is also an avid soccer enthusiast and player.