The Montauk Monster

Indy Anna Bones is an archaeologist, explorer, adventurer, cryptozoologist, and friend to pigeons everywhere.

The 'Montauk Monster' was an unidentified carcass that washed up on a beach on Long Island.

To begin, Indy-Anna went as far as she could go, to the Montauk Lighthouse.

The Montauk Light, on the very tip of Long Island, as far East as is possible to go in all of New York.

From here stretched the vast, dark Atlantic Ocean, unbroken between Indy-Anna and Ireland.

The Montauk Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in New York, with construction starting while George Washington was still President.

Thought it was cold, Indy Anna sloshed out into the Atlantic to inspect the moss and jelly that lived between the stones.

Back on dryer land, found a pair of binoculars.

She searched the sea, but found no evidence of monster activity.

Anyone willing to go in the water in New York at this time is unquestionably crazy.

A broken lobster pot displayed the savagery of the Atlantic Ocean.

On July 23rd, 2008 the alleged monster washed up on Shore Ditch Beach, on Montauk's south shore. 

The creature was hairless, and about the size of a small dog. Photographs went viral after being featured on the local news, but the carcass was ultimately lost.  

Indy-Anna Bones went straight to the source, racing barefoot across Shore Ditch Beach.

One of Indy-Anna's favorite pets was an apple snail named Joe, who grew to the size of her fist, ate from her hand, and enjoyed climbing to the top of his aquarium and jump off, using his giant foot as a parachute through the water.

Most scientists agree the 'monster' was a decomposed raccoon, and she found paw prints to confirm their presence in the area.

Indy-Anna found no single monster on that beach, but she did find a half-eaten skate...

...and a half-eaten sea-robin...

...a waterlogged seabird...

...a mostly eaten horseshoe crab...

...more horseshoe crabs...

To be honest, Ditch Plains Beach was literally strewn with dead things.

Through it all, she did find signs of life.

The tiny "mermaid's purses" were the egg sacs of skates and dogfish. Hundreds of them were washed up empty on the shore. A new generation of baby fish were out there in the surf.

In all likelihood, the Montauk Monster was a completely explainable phenomenon. It was seen only once, by only three people, and most biologists agree the creature was entirely identifiable. Still, Indy-Anna Bones is never one to take someone's word for it. With this mystery solved, she put her shoes back on and headed for home, ready for the next adventure.