Altamaha-Ha

Altamaha-Ha, affectionately called “Altie,” is a sea serpent reported in the Altamaha River and its delta along the Georgia coast. The creature has been described since the 1830s by fishermen, boaters, and visitors to the region.

Description

Witnesses describe a creature twenty to thirty feet long with a long neck, a head resembling a sturgeon or seal, and flippers. Its body shows several humps when swimming at the surface. The skin is typically described as gray or green and smooth or scaled.

Native Tradition

The Lower Muskogee Creek people who lived along the Altamaha had traditions about a giant snake in the river long before European settlement. Their stories of a water monster may represent the earliest reports of the creature.

Sightings

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, residents reported encountering the creature. In 1981, two fishermen reported seeing a large snake-like animal with a two-foot wide head. Sightings have continued into the 21st century, with multiple reports per decade.

Research

Unlike Nessie, Altamaha-Ha has received relatively little scientific attention. The murky, slow-moving river and extensive delta system provide ideal habitat for a large aquatic creature to remain hidden.

Assessment

Altamaha-Ha represents a regional mystery worthy of more investigation. The consistency of reports over nearly two centuries, combined with indigenous traditions predating European settlement, suggests something unusual inhabits Georgia’s largest river.