GUST98: Reaction to the "Serpent" Video by Davy Russell
POSTED: 21 September 98
Expedition leader Jan-Ove Sundberg of GUST98 (Global Underwater Search Team of
1998) has
finally made the claim on his web site that an unknown animal exists in Lake
Seljordsvatnet.
Sundberg's claim rests on 20 minutes of film footage taken by Swedish team member Ulf
Burman. The mysterious white wake
filmed by his digital camcorder does not show much on an ordinary TV monitor, as he
estimated that he was about
a kilometer away from the water on one of the surrounding mountain slopes. Burman
was able to zoom in 20X with his camcorder
but still was not able to produce a clear image from the distant object. What he captured
was a mystifying long "V" shaped wake, which
moved forward in one direction for a while, making a sharp turn and "swimming" back.
It appeared to break up into three different objects.
The footage was quickly debated among team members back at base, and several theories
were tossed about including
ducks, fish, jet skis, boats, beavers, and of course, the serpent. Ducks were initially ruled
out after seeing the
film footage which Burman took of ducks to show comparison. There was really nothing
to be said for sure of what these
objects were until further analysis could be conducted.
According to Sundberg's article, Image Systems in Linkoping, Sweden finished their
analysis on September 17. Using the Track Eye, they were
able to detect 30 seconds of a "large, hump-like back that comes out of the water shortly
before the thing is turning around". In his article published
on Sunday, September 20th, Sundberg suggests the splitting of the objects are due to the
appendages (fins, legs, etc...) which may be
creating wakes next to the body while swimming.
Interesting hypothesis, I think. But I feel it is highly unlikely that any appendages of the
creature would create it's own "V" shaped wake.
If they were flippers, it would be using them to propel itself forward, which would create
more of a splash, or broken waves flowing
away from the body from the paddling motion. I don't think using flippers in this way
would cause "V" shaped wakes next to the animal, whatever it is.
We shall keep our eyes open for the stills of the footage which Sundberg promised to
publish on his web site later on Monday or
Tuesday. Whatever they show, I urge you to view it objectively, and not jump to the
conclusion that this is in fact the serpent.
ALSO: Writer Dave Walsh describes his experiences as a participant in GUST; revealing the behind-the-sceens coruption which doomed the success of the expedition from day one. Click Here.
