The Altamaha-ha (or Altie) is a legendary beast from the mythology of Georgia State. Numerous sightings have been recorded in Darien, McIntosh County, Georgia, USA, along the Altamaha River. Native American tales place the earliest sighting of this Altamaha River monster even before the 1700s. They describe a serpent-like creature that dwelt in the river. Researchers are divided on whether or not the animal is a manatee or alligator gar.
It’s a snake-like aquatic mammal with a dolphin’s tail.
History of Altamaha-Ha
The 20th century saw a proliferation of reports of sightings of this cryptid on the rivers. Several people saw a serpent-like monster around 1920. Altamaha-ha, or Altie monster, was seen once again by hunters in 1935. A party of boy scouts saw it in 1940, and two Reidsville authorities saw it again in 1950.
Two anglers in 1969 claimed to have seen a ten- to twelve-foot-long Altamaha-ha with a crocodile-like snout and a horizontal tail. Cathead Creek is a branch of the Altamaha River, and in 1980, two people witnessed what they believed to be a stranded mystery animal in the area.
How Large Is It?
The witnesses estimated its length between 20 and 30 feet (6–9 m).
According to reports, this unidentified creature struggled to get back into the water due to its size, but eventually it made its way down the muddy bank.
Regular sightings have been reported to cryptozoologists, with the monster being described as a giant in length and swimming more like a seal than a fish or eel. Sightings are supposedly uncommon since the creature’s greenish skin makes it blend in with the foliage.
Located in southern Georgia, close to the mouth of the Altamaha River, the creature is a common resident of the region’s various streams and forsaken rice fields.
Modern Sightings
For many minutes in 2002, a fisherman claimed to have seen the monster above the water once again. In 2010, an amateur photographer filmed Altamaha-ha swimming in the area of Fort King George. However, recent reports of this mysterious species have often been linked to an alligator gar, an euryhaline ray-finned fish.
The 327-pound alligator gar captured in Mississippi in 2011 was at least 95 years old, making it the oldest and biggest of its kind.
Origin of the Legend
Muscogee are a cluster of closely related Native American tribes native to western Georgia, along with other neighboring states where they have a long history of settlement. Muscogee culture is where the myth of Altamaha-ha was first told. The Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe is often credited as the progenitor of this lake monster.
It’s a snake-like aquatic mammal with a dolphin’s tail. It allegedly prefers to inhabit water basins and wetlands. So, one would find this creature in caves, bogs, and other moist environments.
The first mentions of it are from the year 1700, and most encounters occur when swimmers mistake it for an underwater hill. This mysterious creature poses no danger to humans in the stories. The indigenous people who lived before Christopher Columbus told tales about it.
Legacy of Altamaha-Ha
In 2018, alleged remains of Altamaha-ha were found on a beach close to Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge, sparking Altamaha-ha hypotheses.
Opinions about the creature’s identity varied, with suggestions ranging from a decaying fish to a deep-sea shark or a hoax involving a model.
The performance artist Zardulu later admitted that he had fabricated the phony remains using a stuffed shark and papier mâché. The same papier mâché was used to create Fiji Mermaid, a 19th-century sea monster.
In addition, the Darien-McIntosh County Visitor Center in Darien, Georgia, is home to a sculpture of Altamaha-ha created by paleoartist Rick Spears.
Altamaha-ha is a fabled monster that has been the subject of legends and sightings, much like Sasquatch, Champ, El Chupacabra, and the Loch Ness Monster, but for which no proof exists.
Significance of the Altamaha River
The Altamaha River, spanning 137 miles, flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Darien, Georgia. It has been vital for transportation, fishing, and hunting for centuries. The river hosts rare plant and animal species, including seven unique species of freshwater mussels.
