What’s going on horror fans - it’s me, your seafaring Captain Jack Finch - as we
take a dive into the depths below - and take a look at 5 Scary Kraken Myths That Might
Be True.
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Without further delay, on with the show.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Erik Pontoppidan
Scientific evidence of the Kraken is undeniably spotty - but we wouldn’t even have a publicised
name for it unless it wasn’t written down by Erik Pontoppidan, Bishop of Bergen - who
originally collected stories from Norwegian fishermen who claimed to have encountered
the beast.
Also known as kraxen or krabben - the creature was renowned for never fully coming into view,
due to its immense, unfathomable size.
As the fishermen reported, the kraken would often rise to the surface during hot summer
days off the coast of Norway.
It would never come to surface during rough seas or stormy weather.
Their largest claim was that Kraken attracted hordes of fish - and wherever the fishing
was too good to be true, it was probably because a Kraken lay waiting.
The Kraken was reported to be the size of an island - it’s back perhaps a mile and
a half in circumference - and according to the Norwegian fishermen, it was a certainty
that the Kraken was very much alive - and real.
Swinging in at Number 4 - Revered Friis
Now - according to a report written in Pontoppidan’s ledgers - a Reverend Friis, who was Minister
of Nordland in 1680 - happened upon a pretty revealing sight of the great savage creature
of the sea.
Friis claimed that, what was assumed to be a young kraken, swam into the waters of a
nearby fishing village - and became distressed between the rocks and cliffs in the parish
of Alstahaug.
As it moved about - it tangled itself in the rocks, and caught - what is thought to be
it’s horns - amongst a copse of trees near the water.
Unable to escape, the beast eventually died - and the Reverend made note of the account
in his Parish ledger.
It’s body took a long time to rot away, and the reported stench made the area uninhabitable.
Was it a kraken?
Or was it just say… a giant starfish?
Cos that’s still pretty terrifying.
Next at Number 3 - Orvar-Oddr
The Orvar-Oddr is a 13th century Old Icelandic saga - where, in one instance, a journey takes
place for the mysterious Helluland - or modern day Baffin Island.
Here - the protagonist reports two massive sea-monsters, which he refers to as Hafgufa
- or sea mist - and Lyngbakr - heather back.
The Lyngbakr was believed to be a legendary whale - the largest in the world, but the
Hafgufa, which is believed to be the Kraken - eclipses it in size completely.
In the text, it reports that it is the very nature for the creature to swallow men and
ships whole - even whales, and everything else within reach.
It stays submerged for days, then rears its head and nostrils above surface and stays
that way until the tide changes.
The Orvar Oddr reported that this creature was so large, that they mistook it for an
island.
And at Number 2 - Colossal Cuttlefish
Throughout the 18th century, there were numerous naval reports of ships being attacked by a
large, aggressive, tentacled creature.
By naval reports - I mean that it was officially written down on record that a kraken-like
creature actually killed people.
In one instance, a Northern Navigator by the name of Captain Dens, reported to port that
he’d lost three of his men in an incident in the African Seas.
During a calm, quiet period of the voyage - the three men were raking the sides of the
ship to clear barnacles, when a creature ravaged the men with it’s huge arms and threw them
under water.
By attacked - I mean, that the whole ship was ripped apart, and he had to submit an
insurance claim for the incident.
In the report, Captain Dens even stated that during the confrontation, one of the creatures
tentacles was cut clean off - and it was the size of a ship's mast, that had suckers on
it in the size of a cauldron.
A similar attack occurred along the coast of Angola, where an enormous Cuttle-fish suddenly
there's its arms across the vessel, in an attempt to drag the ship to the bottom of
the ocean.
What do you guys think?
Teenage Kraken?
Or just a really, really big squid.
Speaking of squids, at our final point, coming in at Number 1 - Japan.
Now - scientific proof of the Kraken is few and far between, and as logical beings - we
can only assume that the real nature of the Kraken, whatever that may be, is lost to the
ancient realms of written text.
If you want 100% proof of a giant, tentacled sea-monster, then look no further than the
coastal waters of Japan.
Sightings of the Giant Squid, particularly in Japan’s Toyama Bay - are a frighteningly
common occurrence, and the scariest thing is - they’re only getting bigger.
It is even thought that these colossal squid, which range from 33 to 46ft - are only getting
bigger - and the ones that eventually slink into the shallow waters are merely the juveniles
of the species.
It makes you wonder, then - what’s actually lurking down there.
Because Japan have considerably upped their efforts in recent years to explore the deep
parts of the pacific oceans.
In 2016, a deep sea probe caught fleeting images of a single mammoth tentacle, that
slinked its way across camera before disappearing into view.
What was it?
Well - I hope we’re prepared to find out.
What do you guys think?
Are you completely terrified of what lies beneath?
Let us know in the comment section down below - and give us a thumbs up - or tentacle up
- if you enjoyed this video.
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That’s all we’ve got time for today - as always, I’ve been your host Jack Finch - you’ve
been watching Top 5 Scary Videos, and until next time - take it easy.