WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:08.560 Bigfoot Classified contains content that is graphic in nature, and listener discretion is advised. 2 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:17.359 Bigfoot Classified relies largely on news documents, eyewitness accounts, press conferences, 3 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:23.440 and interviews. Every episode is produced with respect the victims, families, and 4 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:29.879 communities involved. Some of the interviews, quotes, and broadcasts have been recreated. 5 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.359 Numerous hours of research have been done regarding these stories, and if you 6 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:39.920 have a theory question or feel that we've missed something, we encourage you to 7 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:56.240 visit Bigfoot classified dot com. This is Bigfoot Classified. Located on the southern 8 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:00.920 edge of the Keeneie Peninsula, the ghost town of Portlock, Alaska. Once 9 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:06.680 boasting a very modest population of thirty one residents, the small cannary town was 10 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:11.560 home to various shops, businesses, and even a post office. In a 11 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:17.799 story of disappearances, unexplained deaths, and a town abandoned, this is part 12 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:26.640 two of the case of the port Lock Bigfoot. In nineteen oh five, 13 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:32.920 indigenous Alloute fishermen working during salmon season started reporting harassment by a large animal. 14 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:37.879 They referred to this creature as the hairy Man and believed it to be the 15 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:42.959 ninety Knock, an evil sasquatch like being from their folklore. The fishermen claimed 16 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:48.519 that the ninety Knock wanted them to leave the settlement as retribution for the human 17 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:53.280 destruction of its habitat. The reports of the ninety Knock persisted for months, 18 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:57.719 leading to disruptions in the canneries operations. The Alliute workers even quit their jobs, 19 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:04.760 attributing it to the interference. Eventually, supervisors negotiate a better pay with 20 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:09.199 the indigenous workers and they returned the following season. However, the whispers and 21 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:15.280 fears of the mysterious Natanok remained among the community. In nineteen twenty, a 22 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:19.360 group of bow hunters made a gruesome discovery along the banks of the Yukon River. 23 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.599 They stumbled upon a drifting houseboat covered in what appeared to be blood. 24 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:28.759 Inside the boat, they found Albert Petka, the owner, gravely injured and 25 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:32.560 near death. Albert managed to recount his encounter with the creature to the bow 26 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:39.080 hunters before succumbing to his injuries. He described a terrifying creature standing at seven 27 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:45.439 feet tall, covered in fur, and capable of attacking with incredible speed and 28 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:50.159 strength. His injuries were so severe that they couldn't be attributed to any known 29 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:54.039 animal or human. Following Albert's death, the incidents of deaths linked to the 30 00:02:54.120 --> 00:03:00.560 Natio continued to escalate. Miners and hunters went missing and their body were found 31 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:05.240 in creeks or scattered in the woods. With authorities unable to determine the cause 32 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:09.000 of the casualties, the locals firmly believed that they were being targeted by the 33 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:15.639 eventual ninety nine. In one chilling incident, a miner named Thomas Weene Larsen 34 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:22.000 confronted the creature as it destroyed fish wheels on the beach. Larsen prepared to 35 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:25.560 defend himself, but suddenly felt an overwhelming force compelling him not to harm the 36 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:31.319 creature. Helpless against this interference, he walked away, haunted by his decision 37 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:36.800 for the rest of his life. As the attacks and disappearances persisted, the 38 00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:42.039 community felt like they were being picked off one by one. Cannery workers ventured 39 00:03:42.039 --> 00:03:46.280 out in groups but never returned, only to have their mutilated bodies discovered months 40 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:53.039 later. Hunters discovered footprints resembling those of humans, but much larger, measuring 41 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:58.199 eighteen inches in length. They attempted to track the creature into the dense forests, 42 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:03.400 but were unsuccessful. Deaths continued. The search party eventually found the disfigured 43 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:09.159 corpse of a missing hunter in a creek, with injuries that didn't resemble typical 44 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:14.879 bear attacks. The frequency of deaths and eerie discoveries deeply unsettled the community, 45 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:20.839 prompting fear and causing many to retreat indoors. By the late nineteen forties, 46 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:27.879 the fear and casualties had driven a mass exodus from Portlock. Settlers and indigenous 47 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:32.240 inhabitants fled to neighboring towns in search of safety. Homes and structures were abandoned, 48 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:38.240 leaving behind a desolate ghost town. By the nineteen fifties, the town 49 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:43.439 had become a forsaken place, and only remnants of civilization remaining. For the 50 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:48.120 next fifty years, Portlock stood abandoned and was eventually erased from the maps entirely. 51 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:55.240 Locals spoke in a hushed tone about the angered ninety knock who terrorized this 52 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:00.279 town, but only a few brave hunters would dare to take a stroll to 53 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:06.800 the fold. Milania Helen Kell, the oldest living resident who once lived in 54 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:12.519 Portlock, now lives in nan Wallack, Alaska. She recalls various aspects of 55 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:16.279 the past, such as traditional medicines used for healing and techniques for preserving sea 56 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:20.879 lion meet in barrels during the winter. Additionally, she is one of the 57 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:27.199 few remaining individuals who can recount the ghostly tale of the deserted village of Port 58 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:32.279 Chatham and why was abandoned and avoided by its former inhabitants. She was born 59 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:38.240 on January twenty fifth, nineteen thirty four, in Port Chatham, a small 60 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:42.160 village. In its early days, the village provided shelter for numerous people, 61 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:48.959 including Captain Nathaniel Portlock's ship during his seventeen eighty six Alaska expedition. However, 62 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:54.079 when she was a baby, her family abruptly left Chatham, leaving behind their 63 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:59.639 house in every trace of its existence. The reason behind John and Helen Romanov's 64 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:03.240 decision to flee nan Wallick with their children was a series of frightening incidents had 65 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:09.079 occurred over an extended period. According to the reports, a ninety knock, 66 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:14.480 a large and hairy creature terrorized the villagers. Kill also mentioned the presence of 67 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.480 a spirit, a woman dressed in a flowing black garment who would emerge from 68 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:23.759 the cliffs. This spirit had an extraordinary long dress and a pale face, 69 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:30.480 disappearing back into the cliffs. Encountering these spirits caused great fear among the villagers, 70 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:35.199 but the extent of terror escalated when Kill's godfather was fatally struck on the 71 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:42.079 head with a wench while working on a boat in nineteen thirty one. Kill 72 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:46.839 is not the only one with tales of strange occurrences in Port Chatham. An 73 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:50.920 elder from Port Graham shared his recollection of a gold miner who was seriously disappeared, 74 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:57.959 with ninety knock being blamed. Another account involved a sawmill owner named Tom 75 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.040 Larson who encountered the cree you're on the beach, but chose not to fire 76 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:06.879 his gun after a brief exchange of gazes. In an article from April fifteenth, 77 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:12.639 nineteen seventy three, published in the Anchorage Daily News, the story of 78 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:17.240 the abandoned cannery town of Port Lock near Port Chatham was recounted. Rumors spread 79 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:21.000 during the early years of World War Two that something was amiss in Port Lock. 80 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:27.240 Men who ventured into the hills for hunting never returned, and stories circulated 81 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:31.639 about mutilated bodies found in the lagoon. Displaying signs of dismemberment that couldn't be 82 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:39.600 attributed to bears. The article described villagers tracking moose and discovering large manlike footprints. 83 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.759 Closing in on the moose tracks, they would find evidence of a struggle, 84 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:47.199 flattened grass, and then only the tracks of the manlike creature, retreating 85 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:54.079 toward the fall covered mountains. Eventually, the town's residents decided to collectively move 86 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:58.480 away, leading to the closure of the US post office in nineteen fifty. 87 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.439 While Sasquatch has gained popularity in the nineteen sixties and seventies in the lower forty 88 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.959 eight States, the ninety Knock has long been a part of their culture. 89 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:16.439 According to the culture, the ninety Knock may be a different kind of creature, 90 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:20.720 a tragic figure that was once fully human transformed into a half man, 91 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:28.160 half beast. Older Nick Tanapey acknowledges the validity of the ninety Nick stories, 92 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:33.840 although he has never personally encountered one. Kill mentioned that after her family moved 93 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.200 to Naiwalak, the ninety Knicks stayed far away, granting them peace. It 94 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:41.000 did not follow them, and they were grateful for that. Kill grew up 95 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:46.440 raised thirteen children and remains one of the few individuals in Niwalack who can pass 96 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:58.120 down the old traditions. In twenty twenty one, Alaska big Footkiller was released, 97 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:03.080 a forty day expedition that follows Keith Saville, a resident of nearby nan 98 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.720 Wallick and descendant of Portlock's residents, and his team. The group of five 99 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:11.000 men aimed to track down the mysterious creature while searching the town for its hidden 100 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:16.120 history. Growing up, Seville heard stories from his ancestors and elders about the 101 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:22.080 eerie happenings in Portlock, the town from which his family had fled. Although 102 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:26.559 he initially didn't consider himself a believer, his involvement in the show opened his 103 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:33.240 eyes to the unsettling nature of Portlock. In the TV show Alaska Killer Bigfoot, 104 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.960 Keith Saville and his team embark on a captivating expiration of the mysterious town 105 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:41.799 of Portlock. As they delve deeper into their investigation, they encounter a series 106 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:48.679 of unsettling discoveries and experiences that add to the suspense and intrigue surrounding a legendary 107 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:54.360 creature known as ninety nine. Here are the key aspects they encountered during their 108 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:58.360 exploration. The team begins by delving into the haunting stories and testimonies shared by 109 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:03.720 local history orients, elders, and community members. These accounts paint a chilling 110 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:09.279 picture of Portlock's past and the presence of ninety nine, instilling a sense of 111 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:16.639 fear and intrigue within the team in setting the stage for their exploration. As 112 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:22.679 the team ventures further into Portlock, the experience unexplained and supernatural phenomena. They 113 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.840 hear eerie noises, catch glimpses of shadowy figures, and since a palpable presence 114 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:33.840 lurking among the abandoned buildings and dense forest. These encounters heightened the suspense and 115 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:39.360 raised questions about the true nature of ninety Nock. While investigating the connections between 116 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:43.240 Portlock and the nearby community of na Wallick, the team learns that the unsettling 117 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:50.240 incidents have also occurred in Nanwalack. This suggests that Naughty Knock's influence may extend 118 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.279 beyond the boundaries of Portlock, leading the team to confront the possibility that the 119 00:10:54.399 --> 00:11:01.320 legendary creature has followed the residence to their new homes. Throughout their exploration, 120 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:07.120 the team discovers mysterious artifacts, cryptic symbols, and intrigue markings scattered throughout port 121 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:13.039 Lock. These findings offer glimpses into the talent's hidden history and potentially hold clues 122 00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:16.879 about the true nature of ninety Knock and its connection to port Lock. As 123 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:22.720 the team witnesses the impact of their investigations on the local community, their initial 124 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:28.879 skepticism begins to waver. They undergo personal transformations as their first hand experiences and 125 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:35.480 the compelling stories they uncover challenge their beliefs. Their encounters with the unknown leave 126 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:39.840 them with questioning the existence and true nature of ninety Knock, blurring the lines 127 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:46.120 between myth and reality. Reception to the show was harsh. Viewers pointed out 128 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:50.399 how a lot of the scenes seemed like a setup. Critics also complained about 129 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:56.039 how when danger seemed close, the team ran away instead of confronting the being, 130 00:11:56.440 --> 00:12:03.159 which was the whole premise of the show, and the show wasn't the 131 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:07.360 only cause for concern for skeptics and vince sitters. In recent years, a 132 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:11.200 super piac woman of Russian Alute descent, Sally Ash, has been speaking out 133 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:16.639 against the falsehoods that have come out of the Portlock mystery. Sally has deep 134 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:20.240 roots in nan Wally and speaks her native language. Her ancestral connection stretches to 135 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:26.200 various places in Alaska, including Port Lock, where her mother was born. 136 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:31.360 Sally describes her people as nomadic, following the seasons and moving from one place 137 00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:37.159 to the other, including Port Chatham, Dark Fish Bay, Sedovia, Homer, 138 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:41.240 and even Kodiak. In the context of Portlock, Sally introduces the local 139 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:46.080 legend of Nainti Nock, a form of Sasquatch known in their community. Unlike 140 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:50.679 the traditional depiction of Sasquatch as a brute, ninty Knock is regarded as a 141 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:58.000 supernatural being. Sally believes that ninty Knock was once part human and chose to 142 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:03.360 separate from human society, treating to the forest. Over time, he transformed, 143 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.559 growing hair and resembling a bigfoot. Sally's relatives, including her uncles and 144 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:13.480 grandfathers, have shared stories about ninety nine, emphasizing that he lives far away 145 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.039 from people and does not interact with them. Sally recounts a chilling incident involving 146 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.639 her brother at a lake. While tying off his skiff, her brother detected 147 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.759 a foul odor emanating from the bushes As he investigated further, he discovered a 148 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:33.879 hairy and intimidating figure. Sally's brother and their cousin fled the scene in fear, 149 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.840 uncertain whether it was a bigfoot, but disturbed by the strong smell. 150 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:43.600 When asked about ninety nine, Sally suggests that he is a solitary being who 151 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:48.600 has lived for a long time. He has described as old, tall, 152 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.399 strong, and covered in hair. Ninety Knock resides in the woods and people 153 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:58.960 can sense his proximity through the distinct odor he emits. Sally's mother spoke about 154 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:03.240 ninety nine and shared stories about encounters, particularly in the dog Fish area. 155 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:09.440 Sally explains that her family was aware of ninety Nick's presence but maintained a respectful 156 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:15.159 distance, treating him with kindness but avoiding close interaction. Ninti Nick was agile 157 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:20.120 and quick, often moving to different locations. Sally served as a translator for 158 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:22.960 her cousin Milannie, killed during an interview in two thousand and nine. They 159 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.519 gained attention in the world of bigfoot enthusiast Milania claimed that the entire town of 160 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:35.000 Port Chatham had evacuated in nineteen forty nine due to a murders Naughty nine. 161 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:41.480 However, Sally clarifies that Melanie A fabricated this story to address persistent inquiries and 162 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:45.960 that the account was not true. Sally's family and community were aware of the 163 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:50.759 invented story, but chose not to confront her due to the cultural values that 164 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:56.799 discouraged challenging elders. According to Sally, the decision to leave Port Chatham and 165 00:14:56.919 --> 00:15:03.159 relocate to Sadovia and now Walack was primarily driven by practical factors such as the 166 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:07.720 economy, access to schools, and the presence of a church. Additionally, 167 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:13.320 the construction of the Alaska Highway Route one to Kenai and Homer redirected traffic away 168 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:16.679 from Port Lock. Sally suggests that Milanie's fabricated stories may have stemmed from a 169 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:22.960 desire to protect the area and preserve its significance. Port Chatham holds cultural importance 170 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.799 for the Suppiak people as a place where their ancestors lived and were buried. 171 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:33.600 While there have been reports and investigations concerning Natiock, Sally advises against actively searching 172 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:37.559 for him. She states that Nato Nack is elusive and can transform into different 173 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:43.279 animals, making it difficult to track him down. Sally warrants against shooting at 174 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:46.879 him, as is believe that he can not be killed. Sally and her 175 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:52.919 community approached the topic with caution, respecting Nati knock space and avoiding disturbances in 176 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.600 the areas where he may reside. Although Nantinok is no longer seen in Nawalick, 177 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:02.360 Sally affirms that they no longer counter him there. She states that ninety 178 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:06.879 Knock and others like him have moved far away from human settlements seeking solitude. 179 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:11.919 Sally's account highlights the difference between the stories of ninety Knock causing harm and the 180 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:18.399 reality experienced by her community. There is no substantiated evidence of the dozens of 181 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:23.559 reported murders and disappearances attributed to ninety n import Chatham. The only documented death 182 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:30.480 in the town was an accident involving a logger and logging equipment. Sally's perspective 183 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:33.559 emphasizes that while the legend of nineteen Knock has always been known among the sup 184 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:40.200 Biac people, the notion of a bloodthirsty creature causing mayhem is a misrepresentation. 185 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:45.360 Ninety Knock is regarded as a reclusive being, preferring to keep his distance from 186 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:51.080 humans rather than engage in violence, Sally costs against the intrusive pursuit of ninety 187 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:56.519 knock and emphasizes the importance of respect and understanding their ancestral ties to the land 188 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.920 and as far as the legend of Portlock. We, like many other podcasts 189 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:11.480 covering this topic, used an article written in two thousand and nine by Naomi 190 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:15.160 Cluta and the information she gleaned from speaking to residents in and closed by the 191 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:21.640 town as the main source. Her primary source was in nineteen seventy three article 192 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:26.359 from the Anchorage Daily News. Unfortunately, only an expert of the article remains, 193 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:30.839 which was included in John Green's book Sasquatch, the Apes among Us. 194 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:36.759 This provided basic stories about bigfoot attacks in Port Chatham, but lack specific details. 195 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:40.480 The article claimed that the people left the area solely due to these big 196 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:47.759 foot attacks in nineteen forty nine and refused to return. Clutah's second source involved 197 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:52.599 interviews with two elderly Alaska Natives who grew up in Portlock and we're living in 198 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:56.960 Port Graham at the time of the interview. One of the interviewees, Milania 199 00:17:56.039 --> 00:18:00.720 Helen Kell, was born in Portlock in nineteen thirty four, and added additional 200 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:06.039 details to the story, Kel share the names of the men who were either 201 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:10.440 killed or went missing. She stated that her parents left Portlock because they could 202 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:15.119 no longer tolerate the concert attacks by the ninety nine. To verify the claims 203 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:19.119 made by these sources, researchers needed to seek corroborating evidence. They turned to 204 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:25.319 the Alaska Digital Newspaper Program, which provided access to a large collection of scan 205 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:30.599 newspaper pages from the late seventeen hundreds through nineteen sixty three. However, they 206 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:37.240 found no reports of extraordinary killings or dismemberments in the news articles related to Portlock. 207 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:41.799 Most of the articles were focused on commercial fishing, with only a few 208 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:48.319 deaths reported and mostly due to accidents. Regarding crimes, only one notable incident 209 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:55.079 was reported in nineteen twenty four, the Portlock postmaster, George Henck, was 210 00:18:55.200 --> 00:19:00.759 arrested by the Probation Enforcement Bureau for possessing moonshine. There were no records of 211 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:04.839 any murders or dismemberments. As for missing person reports, only one was found, 212 00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:11.640 which involved two hunters named Ben Swayze and Bill Weaver from Seaward. They 213 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:15.599 went on a two week trip by dory boat in nineteen seventeen and were never 214 00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:21.119 seen again. The mentioned of Portlock in the story was only because the report 215 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:25.440 came from there about the discovery of a dory that seemed similar to theirs. 216 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:30.960 However, Seaward and Portlock are geographically distant, making it unlikely that bigfoot attacks 217 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:37.319 in Port Chatham are responsible for the disappearance. Regarding the word nati nock associated 218 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:42.680 with the Portlock creature, it proved challenging to pinpoint the exact origin. Native 219 00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:48.039 language preservation groups that were contacted to investigate its existence in different languages, but 220 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:52.240 no record of nat ENaC was found. However, there's a word similar to 221 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:57.960 it, Ninetina in the Denia Alaskan language, refers to a focalore character that 222 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.799 kidnaps children and is used to caution them against wandering into the woods. It 223 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:08.240 is speculated the ninety knock is a version of nineteen na due to the linguistic 224 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:14.759 connections between the languages in the Portlock area. The ultimate reason for the abandonment 225 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:21.480 of Portlock was probably unrelated to bigfoot or any violent creatures. It was primarily 226 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:26.559 due to the completion of Alaska Route one during the nineteen forties, which provided 227 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:32.359 efficient transportation between Anchorage and the towns along the Kenal Peninsula. This led to 228 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:37.359 the rapid growth of the other towns that could be easily accessed through the highway, 229 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:44.279 while isolated places like Portlock became less viable. The convenience and cost saving 230 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:48.839 factors prompted the relocation of the town's population. The closure of the Portlock post 231 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:55.119 office in nineteen fifty marked the final chapter in the town's history. Despite the 232 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:59.559 claims of the Bigfoot attacks and the use of the word ninety knock and the 233 00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:06.039 Portlock monster story, available evidence might suggest otherwise. The accounts from the Anchorage 234 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:10.279 day of the news article and the interviews do not align with the historical records 235 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:14.839 of the newspaper articles from the time. The town of port Lock was likely 236 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:21.200 abandoned for noncryptid reasons, but that's not to say a sasquatch isn't lurking in 237 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:26.960 the Alaskan landscape. As recently as two thousand and twenty three, sightings of 238 00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:32.359 sasquatch like creatures have been reported around Alaska. Over the last decade, more 239 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:36.960 and more sightings have been reported, with the creatures seemingly less concerned about being 240 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:41.000 spotted. In the summer of two thousand and nine. The following report was 241 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:51.960 made to the BFRO, which stands for Bigfoot Filled Researchers Organization. It was 242 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:56.400 the month of July two thousand and nine in Fairbanks, Alaska. I was 243 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.000 heading south on Abon Drive toward Farmer's Loop, which was about one mile away. 244 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:06.119 It is a wooded area frequented by homes, and in general would be 245 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:11.880 considered a populated area. Houses are in an average of about one hundred to 246 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:15.279 two hundred feet apart, with only the general area around and close to the 247 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:22.160 homes cleared out. Most of the area by far is wooded, and while 248 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.839 the section of the road where it passes by Pearl Creek Elementary School the school 249 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:30.400 can be seen through the woods. Some of the woods in the area are 250 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:36.799 quite thick and in some places can be seen into more than about ten to 251 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:41.480 fifteen feet, but in this area it had apparently been cleaned out quite a 252 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:47.680 bit and siding less into the section of the siding were very open. The 253 00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:52.960 school and vegetable garden could be seen off to the right from the road I 254 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:56.799 was on. It was about six pm and I was heading home after a 255 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:00.640 day of working on a deck I was building The weather was clear, with 256 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:04.960 the sun high and the sky. As I was driving, I happened to 257 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:11.039 notice a man standing by the right side of the road about hundred yards ahead. 258 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:15.039 It was more of an unconscious recognition. There is nothing unusual about a 259 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.680 man standing on the side of the road in this area. As I got 260 00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:25.200 within about fifty yards, I looked closer. That's no man, I said 261 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:29.839 to myself. I was alone in the car. Shortly after that, one 262 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:34.000 or two seconds he bolted into the woods towards the school. He did it 263 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:38.799 like a wild animal would do if spooked. I didn't slow down until I 264 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:42.440 got to the place where I saw him go into the woods, which is 265 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:45.839 where I stopped. I could see him running away from the road, and 266 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:49.599 when he was into the woods, about thirty yards or so, he turned 267 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:55.519 left and was now running parallel to the road in the same direction I was 268 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:59.319 heading. I got a good look at him, but not his face. 269 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:03.000 I could I have probably seen his face had I not been so mesmerized and 270 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:07.160 had the presence of mind to look at it. I was busy noticing other 271 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:12.839 things. His fur or hair looked to be about three to four inches all 272 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:17.880 over the main part of his body. It was a reddish, rusty color. 273 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.519 I was mildly struck by how red it was, but it definitely had 274 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:26.799 some rustiness to it. He was about six feet tall and looked a weigh 275 00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:30.400 about two hundred pounds. He ran with a strange, hoppy kind of run. 276 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:36.720 It wasn't a limp with one foot he pushed off with was more a 277 00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:41.160 normal running move, but the other foot he pushed off with propelled him upward 278 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:47.839 about a foot or less and forward. I watched him until he disappeared into 279 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:51.440 the woods. There was a road about one hundred yards ahead, and I 280 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:55.720 took off to get to it so I could turn right, and in twenty 281 00:24:55.759 --> 00:25:00.680 yards turned right again to the road that led to the school parking lot. 282 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:04.640 So the wooded area he was in was sort of a peninsula, and he 283 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:11.759 seemingly had to be in there somehow somewhere. The woods I was looking into 284 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:15.200 from that angle were quite thick, and I didn't see him and haven't seen 285 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:21.480 him since. A little farther up on the right was the school garden that 286 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:25.880 had people in it about seven to ten, which I'm now sorry I didn't 287 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:30.119 stop to go talk to them about it. The next day, as I 288 00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:33.440 was driving into work on the deck, I naturally slowed down in the area 289 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:38.799 I saw him. I stopped, actually and was surveying the area when a 290 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:45.160 couple walking their dogs were approaching. I flagged them down and told the story 291 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:48.759 of what happened the evening before, and they told me that about a week 292 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.559 before, they were with their dogs and were on the way to the other 293 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:56.960 side of the school property by the soccer field, and three kids came running 294 00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:00.119 over to them, saying, did you see the SaaS squatch. He also 295 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:04.200 said that what appeared to be a dad was with them, who didn't seem 296 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:11.000 too excited about it. My conclusion to whether it was real or not is 297 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:15.839 summed up by saying it was either real or there was a man in a 298 00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:19.680 very very convincing costume. I reported it to the Fish and Game office in 299 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:25.359 Fairbanks a couple of days later. The person who was taking the report was 300 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:27.960 sort of rolling his eyes through the whole thing, as he seemed to be 301 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:33.200 writing it down on a piece of scrap paper. I even had to ask 302 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:37.440 him to take my phone number just in case. The report noted that the 303 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.599 weather conditions were clear and sunny, and that there were other witnesses who had 304 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:48.640 possibly seen the creature. Responding to the report bfr A researcher, Charles Lamaca 305 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:53.240 wrote, I was intrigued by this report because I used to live very new 306 00:26:53.319 --> 00:26:59.440 the area where the siding occurred. I interviewed the witness telephonically and found his 307 00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:04.240 story to incredible. The interview resulted in the following additional information. First, 308 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:11.200 the entire sighting from first glance to last scene was under thirty seconds in duration. 309 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:17.359 The creature was about one hundred yards away when first seen, but as 310 00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:22.480 the sighting progressed, the distance was reduced to about twenty to thirty yards. 311 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:27.240 Second, the witness didn't get a good look at the creature's face or its 312 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:32.119 feet. He described the shape of the head as being a cross between that 313 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:36.359 of a human and a gorilla. The hair on the body seemed to be 314 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:41.960 fairly uniform in length about three to four inches, and was not met at 315 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:48.559 or scruffy looking. Third, he has no explanation for the unusual gait of 316 00:27:48.599 --> 00:27:53.160 the creature and could not speculate as to the possibility of an injury or deformity 317 00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:59.880 that might cause it. Fourth, the witness says he is inclined to believe 318 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:03.400 what he saw was a real non human animal, but it was definitely not 319 00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:10.119 a bear. He recognizes that there is a remote chance that someone could have 320 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:14.839 been carrying out a hoax, but he indicated that if it was someone in 321 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:18.640 a costume, it was so convincing that it would have to be a costume 322 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:27.880 of Hollywood professional quality. The mystiqua Bigfoot continues to captivate the hearts and minds 323 00:28:27.880 --> 00:28:33.680 of countless individuals in and around Alaska. In Despite the skepticism and the lack 324 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:38.200 of concrete evidence, there remains a compelling case for the existence of this elusive 325 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:44.079 creature. While the specific accounts and stories discussed may not provide conclusive proof, 326 00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:48.599 they serve as a reminder of the rich tapestry of folklore and cultural beliefs that 327 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:52.400 surround Bigfoot. The enduring nature of these legends, passed down through generations, 328 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:59.079 speaks to a collective human yearning for the unknown in the extraordinary. While this 329 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:03.640 search for Bigfoot may be challenging, it is through open mindedness, expiration, 330 00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:08.160 and a willingness to consider alternative perspectives that we can deepen our understanding of the 331 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:14.559 natural world and the hidden wonders it may hold. In the third part of 332 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:18.440 this season, we dive into the mysteries surrounding the Alaska Triangle and explore the 333 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:23.960 possibility that the Sasquatch is responsible for the high death count the state faces.