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Gloucester Sea Serpent

Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 Next review Nov 9, 2026

Painted illustration: long serpent with humps in a 19th-century New England harbor with sailing ships — AI rendition based on witness descriptions, not an actual photo.

Gloucester sea serpent of 1817. — Gloucester sea serpent of 1817 · Unknown author · Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons) · Image source

A sea serpent reported by many people off Gloucester and Cape Ann, Massachusetts.

Open Verdict: A well-documented sighting with no specimen; a misread animal is likely.

Region: Oceans · US East & Midwest · United States
First reports: August 1817, Gloucester, Massachusetts

Key sightings

A committee of the Linnaean Society of New England reported on the August 1817 sightings.

Best evidence

Witness reports and the Linnaean Society committee report; no specimen.

Sources

Wikipedia: Gloucester sea serpent ↗