Monsters of the sea

"Monsters of the Sea" is a 2009 episode of the History Channel's History's Mysteries series that investigates legendary sea creatures and their potential basis in reality, blending historical accounts, eyewitness testimonies, and scientific analysis. Narrated by David Ackroyd, the 45-minute documentary explores sightings of massive serpents off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in 1639—the first documented American sea monster encounter—and the 1938 rediscovery of the coelacanth, a "living fossil" fish presumed extinct for 70 million years, caught off South Africa. It features expert commentary from marine biologist and Professor Emeritus Richard Ellis of the American Museum of Natural History, alongside ichthyologist Dr. Eugenie Clark and oceanographer Robert D. Ballard, examining cryptozoological claims like the Loch Ness Monster and giant squid, using archival footage, reconstructions, and expeditions to trace origins from folklore to possible undiscovered species in deep-sea environments.