THINK ABOUTIT ENTITY SIGHTING REPORT
Date: July 1833
Sighting Time:
Day/Night:
Location: Off the Isle of Yell, Scotland
Urban or Rural: –
Entity Type: mermaid
Entity Description: A few stiff bristles were on top of the head, extending down to the shoulder, and these she could erect and depress at pleasure, something like a crest. She had neither gill nor fins and there were no scales on her body.
Hynek Classification: CE-III (Close Encounter III) Close observation with animate beings associated with the object.
Duration: three hours
No. of Object(s): 1
Size of Object(s): three feet long
Distance to Object(s):
Shape of Object(s):
Color of Object(s):
Number of Witnesses: Six
Source: The Historical Mermaid
Summary/Description: Six fishermen reported that their fishing line had become entangled with a mermaid. They said they had kept her onboard their boat for three hours, and said that she was about three feet long. “She offered no resistance nor attempted to bite, but she moaned piteously.” A few stiff bristles were on top of the head, extending down to the shoulder, and these she could erect and depress at pleasure, something like a crest. She had neither gill nor fins and there were no scales on her body. The men, who were very superstitious threw her overboard eventually and said that she dived “in a perpendicular direction.”
Historical Context: The Isle of Yell and the Shetland Fishermen
The Isle of Yell, located in the northern reaches of the Shetland archipelago, has long been a landscape steeped in maritime lore. In 1833, the fishing industry was the lifeblood of the community, and the men who worked these waters were seasoned observers of the North Sea’s diverse marine life. The testimony of six independent fishermen carries significant weight because their livelihoods depended on accurately identifying sea creatures.
In the 19th century, sightings of “sea people” were often dismissed as sightings of seals or manatees; however, the specific details provided in this report challenge simple biological explanations. The witnesses described a creature with a muscular upper body and a distinct crest of bristles that could be moved at will—a feature not found in any known seal species native to Scottish waters.
Investigative Analysis: Biology vs. Cryptid
From an investigative standpoint, this case is unique due to the three-hour duration of the encounter. Most cryptid sightings are fleeting glimpses, but the crew of this vessel had ample time to observe the entity’s anatomy up close.
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Lack of Scales: The report explicitly mentions the creature was devoid of scales and had no gills or fins. This points away from a “fish-man” hybrid and more toward a specialized marine mammal or a completely unclassified humanoid species.
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The “Crest” Feature: The ability to erect and depress bristles on the head is a behavior often seen in certain types of crested seals or display-oriented marine life, yet the “humanoid” facial features described by the crew keep this firmly in the category of a Close Encounter III (CE-III).
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Behavioral Observations: The entity’s reaction—moaning piteously rather than acting with aggression—suggested a high level of intelligence and emotional distress. The decision to release the creature due to superstition likely saved the specimen from a grim fate, but it also deprived science of a physical body to study.
