Cadborosaurus: The Sea Serpent of the Pacific

Since 1933, hundreds of witnesses along the Pacific coast of British Columbia have reported encounters with a large, unknown marine animal they call Cadborosaurus, or “Caddy” for short. Named after Cadboro Bay near Victoria, where early sightings occurred, Caddy is described as a long-necked sea serpent that has become one of cryptozoology’s more compelling cases due to the quality and number of witnesses.

The Phenomenon

Cadborosaurus is typically described as 15 to 50 feet long, with a horse-like or camel-like head on a long neck, a serpentine body with vertical coils or humps, and a fan-like tail. Witnesses consistently describe it as moving with a vertical undulation—unusual for fish but consistent with marine mammals.

Sightings have occurred from Alaska to Oregon, but concentrate in the waters around Vancouver Island and the British Columbia coast.

Notable Sightings

The first widely publicized sighting occurred in 1933, when Victoria lawyer W.H. Langley and his wife observed a creature with a serpentine body and horse-like head in Cadboro Bay.

In 1937, workers at the Naden Harbour whaling station in the Queen Charlotte Islands (now Haida Gwaii) allegedly recovered a creature from the stomach of a sperm whale that matched Caddy descriptions. Photographs were taken, showing a long-necked animal approximately 10 feet long. The specimen was not preserved for scientific study, and the photographs remain controversial.

In 1950, a family on a yacht reported being followed by a large serpentine creature for several minutes in daylight conditions, providing one of the most detailed descriptions on record.

Sightings have continued into the 21st century, with reports from professional fishermen, scientists, and tourists.

Scientific Interest

Unlike many cryptids, Cadborosaurus has attracted some scientific attention. Marine biologists Paul LeBlond and Edward Bousfield published a peer-reviewed paper proposing that Caddy might represent an unknown species of elongated pinniped (seal or sea lion relative).

They noted that the Pacific coast has produced previous zoological surprises and that the deep, cold waters of the region could conceivably harbor an unknown large animal.

However, the hypothesis remains unproven, and mainstream science has not accepted Cadborosaurus as a genuine species.

Possible Explanations

Skeptics have proposed several explanations for Caddy sightings:

Misidentified known animals, including elephant seals, sea lions, oarfish, or basking sharks.

Decomposing whale carcasses, which can produce bizarre shapes as they decay.

Floating kelp or debris.

Hoaxes or exaggerated reports.

The Naden Harbour carcass may have been a partially digested basking shark or other known animal.

Assessment

Cadborosaurus represents one of the more compelling sea serpent cases due to the number and quality of witnesses, the consistency of descriptions, and the brief scientific interest it has generated. The Pacific Northwest’s waters are deep, cold, and relatively unexplored, making them at least plausible habitat for an unknown animal.

Whether Caddy is a surviving prehistoric creature, an unknown modern species, a succession of misidentifications, or simply legend, witnesses continue to report encounters along the Pacific coast. The waters keep their secrets, and Cadborosaurus—whatever it is—remains unconfirmed and elusive.