The Unexplained 7 - sea monsters, hypnosis, ESP, Count St Germain

 

Two sea monsters are the cover star of issue seven which marks the final article by Janet and Colin Bord about the topic. 

One of the photographs by Mary F. apparently showing the Cornish sea monster Morgawr.

The article covers the Cornish sea monster Morgawr which was sighted several times during 1975 and 1976. Since publication of this issue it is now believed that the creature was in fact invented by the Cornish artist and writer Tony 'Doc' Shiels. He sent photographs to the Falmouth Packet newspaper which were credited to the an anonymous person known as 'Mary F.' This seems to have led to more sightings, which still sporadically continue to this day. An academic article by Ronald M. James  published in 2022 forensically details the hoax and how it has now been absorbed into local folklore. Morgawr and the Folkloresque can be read here.

The photograph below attracted world-wide attention and is also spotlighted in the article. In 1977 the Japanese trawler Zuiyo Maru hauled the carcass aboard in their fishing nets. Concerned that the thing might contaminate his catch the captain of the ship had it photographed before throwing it back into the sea. It is believed the carcass belongs to a decomposed shark and not a sea monster. 

A decomposed shark carcase that made the news in 1977 as a possible deceased sea monster.

The Bords conclude their article in a speculative and optimistic tone. "The world beneath the sea has still not been fully explored and, despite the sceptics, there appears to be abundant evidence for the existence of large, unknown sea creatures. Scientists believe that before long they will have much more detailed knowledge of life in the ocean depths - indeed new species are being discovered every year, so perhaps we will soon find the answer to the mystery of the underwater monster." (From the Sea Serpent to the Super-Otter by Janet and Colin Bord, The Unexplained 7, 1980, p.125.). Forty-five years later and counting we are still waiting for evidence to come to the surface. 

David Christie-Murray's article on hypnosis ponders how blind since birth subjects describe how they can see in past lives whilst other subjects speak in a foreign language that they have never heard or read. The phenomena of a hypnotised individual being able to speak in a language the subject is completely ignorant of when conscious is called xenoglossy or xenolalia and the article cites several cases. 

The obligatory UFO feature for the issue discussed UFO identification. Some of the things often mistaken for alien craft included a flight of helicopters, lenticular clouds and research / weather balloons. 

A lenticular cloud in disguise as a UFO.

The series of texts covers aspects of extra sensory perception concludes with a look at how ESP could be practically put to use. Making money or committing crime immediately spring to my mind but writer Roy Stemman avoids these obvious suggestions and instead he mentions Francis Kingsman who, in 1979, interviewed leading clairvoyants and asked them what role would Britain play in the world context in the 1980s. The result are amusing from a perspective of over forty years. According to the psychics the world economic system would collapse, there would major earthquakes and floods, a war in the Middle East and the Queen would abdicate. The seers also claimed that Russia would begin using psychic warfare and this would lead Western powers to develop latent ESP abilities in the public to help counteract this new front of the Cold War. 

A subject in a Ganzfeld state (deprived of sensory input) during an ESP experiment.

The final feature for the issue is on an individual who I had not heard of before and have heard little about since. The Man from Nowhere details the mysterious Count St Germain who is a legendary figure who rose to prominence among European high society during the middle of the 18th century. He once claimed he was five hundred years old and was immortal though records show he died in February 1784. Several claims were made in the years after his demise that he was still alive. This opening essay on St Germain details his exploits which mainly consisted of trying to get rich backers to finance his lifestyle and making outrageous claims. 

The only known portrait of Count St Germain, an engraving dating from 1783.

The seventh image featured in the World's Mysterious Places series is for Loch Ness, the supposed home of the Loch Ness Monster AKA Nessie. The photo used to represent the famous body of water is abstract,  mysterious and yet nondescript as it could be any lake.

A mystery filled image of Loch Ness.