Strange Woods Podcast > Episode > Episode 5 – Legends of the Pacific Northwest

2022-12-15Episode

Episode 5 – Legends of the Pacific Northwest

On this episode we talk about the haunts, lore, legends, and locations of the Pacific Northwest! Jonathan offers us examples of the strange, mysterious, and terrifying along this infamous area known worldwide for its intrigue. Also, I think Wanda Flooka lives there...?
Plus a listener call in with a story related to episode 4's sleep and dreaming topic. A prophetic dream...of a murder???

STOP! INSIDE JOKES AHEAD! If you haven’t gotten to listen to the episode yet, spoiler alert! This post contains lots of stuff that will make waaay more sense if you listen to the episode before or while reading. So if you haven’t already, pump the brakes and listen to the episode or just click above to play so that you can be in on all the shenanigans to follow!

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Produced by Peter Woodward

Breaking News: Jeremy's Thanksgiving Ruined by Covid!

Speaking of mushy...

We talked about Lizzie Borden and the gruesome murder of her stepmother and father. She was tried and acquitted for the murders, but was guilty in the court of public opinion for the remainder of her life.

Here’s some info!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Borden

Ahhh…lovely childhood nursery rhymes and songs of death. Lizzie Borden, Ring Around the Rosie, London Bridge is Falling Down, Rock-a-Bye, baby…(sigh)…so fun.

Jonathan and Hannah hit the Pacific Northwest

Jonathan and his wife, Hannah got to see some of the sites in the Pacific Northwest on a recent trip…

They went to Forks, WA, made famous by the movie Twilight. It’s the rainiest town in the contiguous United States and the vampires there are very, very sparkly.

They went to beautiful Neah Bay, WA.

They also visited Olympic Park in the Hoh Rain Forest.

And some real, REAL BIG TREES!

PACIFIC NORTHWEST CRYPTIDS!!!

Bigfoot

Most well-know of course, Bigfoot! This is a still from the Patterson-Gimlin film that still has not been debunked in more than 50 years!

Here’s some info aboot that!

https://www.opb.org/news/article/bigfoot-patterson-gimlin-sasquatch/

Gumberoo...weirder than your average bear

Look at this friggin thing. This is the gumberoo, a massive hairless bear that is impervious to everything but fire because of its thick, leathery skin. It supposedly only has eyebrows and chin hair and can eat a whole horse in one bite. Whoa.

Wanna read about that? Here you go. https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Gumberoo

Devil's Lake Monster

This Oregon legend comes from the Nakota Sioux tribe and is described as a giant octopus-like creature with tentacles and a thirst for blood. A supposed carcass of this creature washed up on shore and was nicknamed “Old Hairy”. Ew.

What’s his deal? Find out. https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Devil%27s_Lake_Monster

Wallowa Lake Monster

Heyyyyy. This guy looks familiar! “Wally”, the Wallowa Lake Monster is a legend from the Nez Pierce and Blackfoot tribes. He makes a low moaning sound and is described as a long-necked sea cow lookin dude between 8-20 ft in length with latest sightings as recently as the 1980s!

Read all about Wally.

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Wallowa_Lake_Monster

Batsquaaaaaaaaaatch...

The BatSquatch. Mix of a bat…and a Squatch. Little bit batty, little more squatchy. He’s Washington State’s official cryptid. And he has his own beer. Pretty cool.

Dununununununun. Okay. I’m stopping. Here’s his particulars.

Legend of Batsquatch

Ball-Tailed Cat

So these fellas are essentially really pissed off mountain lions with a bony ball at the end of their tails that they use to beat their prey to death and attract the ladies. Males are said to drum on logs to attract females during mating season. Percussionists. Interesting.

Read all about them.

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Ball-Tailed_Cat

Thunder...Thunder...Thunderbirds! HO!

Massive, giant, humongous, enormous bird beast that shoots lightening from its eyes and creates thunderous booms with each flap of its wings. RAD. Depending on the tribe, this legendary Native American fixture can be either friend or foe, good omen or harbinger of death, protector or monster. It’s a good thing we know the natural enemy of the Thunderbird…just in case.

Some interesting lore and legends for the bird of thunder…

The Thunderbird of Native Americans

https://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/nw/ttb/ttb46.htm

https://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/nw/ttb/ttb08.htm

Also, an interesting article about the Neanderthal child that was supposedly EATEN by a Thunderbird. Whaaaa?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/poor-neanderthal-child-was-eaten-giant-bird-180970524/

BUT…could a person even be carried by a bird? How could he carry them? Most birds couldn’t even carry a coconut. Could he grip him by the husk?

Mermaids vs Sirens vs Manatees vs Beluga Whales

Okay, girls. You’re all very pretty.

So the main difference between mermaids and sirens: mermaids are good, sirens are evil. Also, sirens were originally described as having feathers, not scales or fins. Hm.

And manatees and beluga whales…I dunno. Beer goggles? With rum goggles on top of those? While also looking through whiskey goggles?Like…reeeeal stretch to see these two as ladies in the water. Just saying.

The Graveyard of the Pacific and the sinking of the SS Valencia in 1906

The Graveyard of the Pacific refers to an area stretching from the Oregon coast to Vancouver Island in which over 2,000 shipwrecks have occurred. Reports of sightings of spirits, specters, and haunts are still reported routinely in this spooky place.

One such wreck that took place off Vancouver Island was that of the SS Valencia, which Jonathan discussed this week. The Valencia sinking is considered the worst maritime disaster to take place in the graveyard of the Pacific with only 37 survivors of 173. Pieces of the wreckage still remain on the shores of Vancouver Island to this day.

Out of this tragedy came the creation of the 47 miles long West Coast Trail, specifically to facilitate rescue of survivors from damaged or wrecked boats and ships in these waters. Today it is one of the top hiking trails in the world and is a protected part of Pacific Rim National Park.

Vancouver Island is also home to the Juan De Fuca (aka Wanda Flooka…hey girl) Marine Trail on the southwest coast. This area is a 29 mile consolidation of trails that were also built for rescue. It’s another challenging, rugged trail that is popular with experienced hikers.

Read more about the SS Valencia, West Coast Trail, and Juan De Fuca Marine Trail below.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wreck-of-the-ss-valencia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Trail#:~:text=It%20was%20built%20in%201907,the%20world’s%20top%20hiking%20trails.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Fuca_Provincial_Park

Murder buckets...

This waste of space is Israel Keyes. He was the prolific serial killer that once lived in Neah Bay, WA that we discussed this week. He’s suspected of at least 11 murders and would leave kill kits buried all over the United States to make it easier and more convenient to capture and murder his victims without the burden of lugging around his tools.

His hobbies included arson, bank robbery, kidnapping, rape, necrophilia, and of course, serial murder. POS.

Here’s some more info if you are so inclined.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Keyes

https://abcnews.go.com/US/alaska-serial-killer-buried-murder-supplies-country/story?id=17874735

Lake Crescent...a soapy ending

Hallie Latham Illingworth was brutally murdered by her husband and disposed of in Lake Crescent in WA. However, as we talked about, she was preserved as a soap-like substance due to the contents and temperature of the lake she was thrown into. Her face was not recognizable when she was found after THREE YEARS in the water, but police were able to determine manner of death due to the pristine condition of her body. (shudder)

Did you know?This beloved Washington lake once turned a woman into soap

https://www.historylink.org/File/8599

Hope you had a great time this episode as we visited the Pacific Northwest. And if you ever find yourself there, In conclusion and until we meet again...

Thanks for stopping by!

If you have an experience you’d like to share, please email us! You can share your story as a typed email or use the voice memo app on your phone.