Beyond the Veil Magazine

The Beast of Tenby

Issue #38: February 1982

The waters off Pembrokeshire have long been home to seals, dolphins, and the occasional basking shark. But fishermen working these coasts speak of something else: a large, dark creature that surfaces unexpectedly, watches boats with apparent intelligence, and vanishes into the depths.

They call it the Beast of Tenby.

Reader Reports

Mr. Gareth Pryce, a fisherman from Saundersfoot, writes:

“I’ve been fishing these waters for thirty years. I know what seals look like, and I know what dolphins look like. What I saw off Tenby two summers past was neither.

“It was early morning, flat calm. About a hundred yards off the starboard bow, something broke the surface. It was dark, maybe twenty feet long, with a neck that rose perhaps five or six feet above the water. It had a small head, almost like a horse.

“It watched us. That’s what stays with me. It turned its head and watched us. Then it sank without a ripple.

“I’ve told few people. Fishermen have reputations to protect. But I know what I saw.”

Mrs. Dorothy Evans of Carmarthen describes a sighting from 1978:

“My husband and I were walking the coastal path near Lydstep when we noticed something in the bay below. At first we thought it was a group of seals, but the shape was wrong.

“It was a single creature, very large, moving through the water with a serpentine motion. We could see humps breaking the surface, like the coils of a snake.

“We watched for perhaps five minutes before it moved around the headland and out of sight. My husband, who served in the Royal Navy, said he had never seen anything like it.”

Historical Accounts

Tales of sea monsters in Welsh waters go back centuries. Medieval chronicles mention creatures in Cardigan Bay and off the coast of Anglesey. Fishermen have always spoken of the things they see, even if they rarely commit such stories to writing.

In 1882, farmers near Fishguard reported a “sea serpent” washed up on the beach. By the time investigators arrived, the carcass had been claimed by the tide. The description suggested a creature of unusual size and unfamiliar shape.

In 1937, a tourist from Birmingham photographed what he claimed was a sea monster near St. Brides Bay. The photograph shows a dark shape in the water, but the image is too distant and unclear to permit identification.

Possible Explanations

Basking Sharks: The basking shark, Britain’s largest fish, can reach forty feet in length. Swimming near the surface, it might be mistaken for a sea serpent, particularly if observed from an unfamiliar angle.

Oarfish: The giant oarfish, an elongated deep-sea fish that can exceed thirty feet, occasionally washes ashore or surfaces after storms. Its serpentine body matches some descriptions.

Seals in Formation: Groups of seals swimming in line might create the impression of a single large creature with multiple humps.

Unknown Species: The oceans remain poorly explored. New species of large marine animals have been discovered in recent decades. There is no scientific reason why an undiscovered species could not inhabit British waters.

The Pembrokeshire Triangle

Some researchers have noted that UFO sightings in Pembrokeshire increased during 1977, the same period when sea monster reports became more frequent. They suggest a connection between aerial phenomena and marine creatures.

This publication takes no position on such theories. We simply note the coincidence.

Ongoing Mystery

The Beast of Tenby, if it exists, has not been photographed clearly or studied scientifically. The waters off Pembrokeshire remain as mysterious as they have always been.

We encourage readers who have observed unusual marine creatures to contact our research department. The seas around Britain may harbour secrets we have barely begun to understand.

All correspondence will be treated confidentially.