CFZ Sumatra Expedition Returns with news

Members of the CFZ expedition to Sumatra to hunt the Orang-Pendek have now returned to the UK. Their big news is that they did spot a mystery ape whilst exploring the jungles. They have also brought back some samples that will be sent to scientists around the world for analysis. A press release about their journey, and what they found, can be read on the CFZ Sumatra blog, and it makes fascinating reading. I can’t wait to hear more about it.

Also of note is that footage the team recorded will be included in a BBC documentary about the work of the CFZ. Minnow Films will be observing the organization for the next eight months, so when the film is eventually shown it will be one to make a note of. I’m sure Jon will let us know when the broadcast date is, and when that happens don’t miss it.

Meanwhile, the first photos from the expedition are now online, with more to follow over the coming days. Included in these will be some video as and when the processing has been done. You can see the first set here, and remember to check back each day to see more.

Well done, guys, and glad to see you all safely home again.

Montauk Monster or dead Giant Tree Sloth?

A few days ago reports began to surface from Panama of what some people are calling another Montauk Monster. Naturally, this story has now gone viral on the Internet, and I was surprised to read about it in one of the UK’s reputable newspapers.

Pictures show the hairless body and repellent features of “something” that is very similar to the creature seen on the New York coast last year. The story concerning this new find relates how four teenagers, aged between 14 and 16, saw the animal crawling from a cave north of Panama City. They were so frightened by what they saw that they killed it with sticks and stones, and then threw its body into a pool of water. Sometime later they returned and took photographs of the carcass that were then posted on the web.

Over at the Cryptomundo website Loren Coleman has also written about this discovery, and put up some pictures, under the heading of: “The Blue Hill Horror.” This particular post by Loren has so far produced 56 Responses.

Another very good article about it is from Micah Hanks at his Gralien Report webiste, entitled: “Strange “Blue Hill Creature” Photographed in Panama (or not).” His piece also references other websites that contain more information and are well worth checking out.

It would seem that most Cryptozoologists now believe that the creature in this story is nothing but a dead Giant Tree Sloth. And I agree with them.

Regan Lee's husband ill

As some of you may know I’m also a contributor to Regan Lee’s Women Of Esoterica blogspot, although I don’t often post there. So today I was sad to read that her husband, James, suffered a heart attack yesterday. Please send your healing love and prayers to them.

Bermuda Triangle – cases “solved”

This morning I read an article on the BBC website that had the heading: “Bermuda Triangle plane mystery ‘solved.’” It was about the disappearance of 2 British South American Airways planes back in the 1940s, and contained the details of what might have happened to them, and why they crashed. For those of you who don’t know the area covered by the Bermuda Triangle the article also had a good map.

Now, as many of you may know, this is a subject that has long fascinated me. So I was interested to read that the BBC has made a radio series about it. And, with 10 instalments that may contain what dear old Auntie Beeb calls “plausible explanations” for the disappearances I’m sure many will listen and, probably, be quite convinced by what they hear. However, as the article itself points out, no bodies or wreckage were ever found in the case of the 2 planes they mention in it.

Personally, I don’t find that explanation to be convincing. In most cases some debris has always been found, especially in those instances where planes have exploded. But then, I’m not a scientist so I don’t know if “no trace at all” can happen – unless the search area wasn’t widened enough for wreckage to show up. Back in the 1940s that may have been true.

So, really, this is a case of listen carefully and then decide for yourself whether you find the evidence presented proves the theory – or not! Regardless of what the programmes contain they won’t convince everyone. And the saga of the Bermuda Triangle will still run and run.

If you live in the UK you can hear the radio series of 10 episodes, starting today 14th September. It’s called “Inside The Bermuda Triangle – The Mysteries Solved,” and is broadcast on Radio 4 at 15:45 p.m.

2009 CFZ Expedition to search for the Orang-Pendek

The CFZ 2009 Expedition to Sumatra in search of the Orang-Pendek leaves the UK on Sunday, 13th September. It will comprise four explorers: Richard Freeman, Adam Davies, Dr Chris Clark, and Dave Archer; and will last for 2 weeks. However, contact with the UK will be difficult and intermittent, and may in fact not be possible at all. Even so, the CFZ has opened a blog where you can follow all the preparations, and read any messages that might come back. Unsurprisingly it’s called the CFZ Sumatra 09 blogspot, so check it out if you’d like to follow what’s happening.

The Orang-Pendek is an ape that walks upright, often referred to as a “short man,” that lives in the Indonesian jungle, and this will be the 3rd CFZ expedition to Sumatra to look for it. The team will be helped in their search by the Kubu tribe, and hope to follow up on some recent sightings.

As Richard says: “third time lucky,” so let’s hope that this time they find some concrete evidence of this elusive ape. Good luck to the team, and stay safe.