# Sea serpent attacks swimmers outside Pensacola Pass in 1962



## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

A few years ago, watching television, a story was presented about a lone survivor of a sea serpent attack near the USS Massachusetts. After doing a search on the internet, here is one detailed account of what supposedly happened. Being the attack occurred during a thick fog at night, by the survivor's history, I do believe they were attacked. Yet, I think it was a Giant Squid by the description the boy gave authorities.










In May 1965, readers of Fate magazine were treated to a remarkable tale penned by then-19-year-old Edward Brian McCleary. Titled “My Escape from a Sea Monster,” the story has achieved near-legendary status in cryptozoological circles and inspired a bizarre Internet parody forty years after the fact.

The facts of the case—if points they are—may be summarized. On Saturday, 24 March 1962, McCleary and four young companions left their homes in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, for a diving expedition offshore from Pensacola. Their target was the USS Massachusetts, a decommissioned battleship deliberately sunk by naval gunfire in January 1921, still famous today with scuba divers who enjoy exploring wrecks. Joining McCleary on that fateful day were 17-year-old Warren Salley Jr., 16-year-old Eric Ruyle, 15-year-old Larry Bill, and 14-year-old Bradford Rice.

Aboard a rubber raft, the five companions paddled toward Massachusetts, but they ran afoul of unexpected currents, gale-force winds, and fog that left them stranded on a buoy anchored to the sunken hulk. At nightfall, according to McCleary, a long-necked and foul-smelling sea monster approached the buoy, prompting all five boys to swim in panic through the fog. McCleary saw the beast grab Eric Ruyle and drag him underwater, followed shortly by Salley shouting, “It’s got, Brad!” A scream signalled Salley’s fate moments later, while McCleary lost sight of Larry Bill in the mist. McCleary alone reached the shore, spending the night in World War II-era gun emplacement near Fort McRae, where a helicopter crew from Pensacola’s Naval Air Station found him at 7:45 A.M. on Sunday.

Writing three years after the supposed event, McCleary claimed that he immediately shared his monster tale with personnel at Pensacola’s naval hospital, where he was treated for shock and exposure to the elements. E. E. McGovern, a verified member of the Escambia County Search and Rescue Unit, allegedly listened in awe, then said, “The sea has a lot of secrets. I believe you, but there’s not much else I can do.”........

Cryptomundo » What’s Eating You? Florida’s Hungry Sea Serpent Revisited


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

Hmmmm???? Pretty cool tale!


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

Just a tale of a young man scared by the sea. Anyone that has been at the Mass at nightime while the current was crashing over each end of it would I'm sure say that they were scared. Been there alone on my boat at night and have experienced the trip like I was doing shrooms. The sea can be a scary thing when you are all alone in the gulf. That's the blackest night you'll ever experience.


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## SaltAddict (Jan 6, 2010)

Smarty- not disagreeing with ya, but she looked a bit different back then:


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## submariner (Oct 2, 2007)

neat pictures of back then thanks for sharing


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

That's great! Thanks for the pics salt :thumbsup:


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## fishn4fun (May 11, 2008)

Cool tale. Great pics salt


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## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

Smarty, even if this story never existed; you don't think Giant or Humboldt Squid are in the Gulf of Mexico?


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

*old memories of youth*

*Frog men, Sea Hunt, Lloyd Bridges, the aqua lung and the lazy days of summer........ maybe 1959-1969?*


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

Starlifter said:


> Smarty, even if this story never existed; you don't think Giant or Humboldt Squid are in the Gulf of Mexico?


 Absolutely I do! There's so much water on this earth that we'll never discover everything.


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## Choozee (Jun 12, 2010)

Great tale! Thanks for sharing!

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## bywkqhj (Jan 9, 2011)

*Sea serpent attacks swimmers outside Pensacola Pass in 1962* 

Smarty, 

like I was doing shrooms?????


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

bywkqhj said:


> *Sea serpent attacks swimmers outside Pensacola Pass in 1962*
> 
> Smarty,
> 
> like I was doing shrooms?????


 I guess I should have said that fear can make you see things that weren't really there :laughing:
Running in the bay or the intercoastal canal alone at night, no problem. But the gulf :no:


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## pompanopete (Aug 5, 2009)

very cool tale... great pics... enjoyed it Thanks


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## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

Just looking at the drawing the person sketched looks as a possible tentacle of a giant squid, and just reading on Wikipedia that squid use ammonium chloride to maintain a neutral buoyancy in sea water which explains the foul smell. As well as, the large eye that was seen, which it's said the giant squid has the largest eye of any living creature except for a colossal squid.


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