Sightings of legendary creatures have been reported around the world throughout time and still persist today.
Reports of Sasquatch, or Big Man of the Mountains have been handed down from aboriginal cultures in North Am
Footprints in the snow on Vancouver Island led me to imagine a new story for midgrade readers.
What's in a name? By any name, reports of a huge, hairy human-like creature with oversized feet have inspired imaginations throughout time.
The mountains of Vancouver Island continue to be a hot spot for Sasquatch sightings. Are they a figment collective imaginations? A clever hoax? A rare and elusive species of primate? Wie may never know for certain.
The word Sasquatch originated from the Salish word, se'sxac, meaning "wild men." Se'sxac was huge, hairy, and human-like. They prefer remote regions of western Canada and the USA.
For such a large creature, Se'sxac, or Sasquatch, excels at remaining hidden from human eyes.
Comox Valley wildlife biologist, John Bindernagel, spent much of his life in search of Sasquatch in the mountains of Vancouver Island. He was spurred on by huge footprints he and his wife found when hiking on Mount Washington, near Courtenay, BC.
Now when I cross-country ski on this mountain I watch for signs of Sasquatch. Like the footprints leading into the forest in deep snow, above. Imagine!
Bindernagel, who died in 2018, became convinced Sasquatch were real and worthy of true scientific study. He interviewed many people who reported sightings and he kept records of every incident. Bindernagel tried to convince fellow scientists to keep an open mind on the subject and to conduct a scientific search, but he was rejected.
Sadly, he never spotted a Sasquatch himself.
Once you start searching, you might see signs of Sasquatch everywhere.
Like the shadow of this little Sasquatch child waving as I stopped to take a selfie on a ski trail.
I didn't notice it until later, but this clever little one needs a lesson staying hidden!
Imagination is a wonderful thing!
From ancient legendary creatures to new possibilities.
Marine biologists are concerned over increasing numbers of jellies due to climate change.
But what if jellies could mutate and merge to form little jelly creatures that crawl out of the sea? This one didn't get far, but who knows what lurks in the minds of jellies?
Just off the trail I spotted this igloo-like structure too high to climb in soft snow. The large entrance was too deep to see inside.
Questions to ponder:
Is this a Sasquatch home hidden in plain sight?
Do Sasquatch hibernate in winter?
Footprints in soft snow around the snow house show how the bigger the foot the easier it becomes to walk on soft snow.
Big Foot moves easily where humans sink to the top of their legs with every step. Hence the invention of snowshoes!