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Bessie LbNA #9595

Owner:Bigguy
Plant date:Jul 23, 2004
Location:
City:????
County:Mystery
State:Ohio
Boxes:1
Found by: The Highland Moors
Last found:Jul 23, 2009
Status:OFFFa
Last edited:Jul 23, 2004
Difficulty: moderate
Terrain: easy
Planted by: Bigguy

***Alive and well as of 7/15/2008***

While vacationing on Ohio's northeast coast, my sweetie and I were strolling in a park along the shore when we came upon a fanciful sculpture on the playground depicting sea monsters. She playfully asked me if I thought there were any sea monsters in Lake Erie. I was about to dismiss her question out of hand when a rough voice interjected "O'course there is!" Startled, I turned and beheld a grizzled old mariner who looked to have sailed at least one time too many and who seemingly had appeared out of nowhere. Slightly bent over with a wrinkled, sun-bronzed face and arms that made it difficult to discern whether he was closer to 60 or 80 years old, he wore clothes so stained and grimy as to make the original color nearly impossible to discern. A battered old captain's hat perched on his head and a corncob pipe was apparently permanently clenched in his yellow teeth. He had a slightly manaical gleam in his eye as he approached and the aura of fish was almost overwhelming.
"Fergive my interuptin' ya young fella," he said. "Captain Amos Hosea Ab at your service." he growled tipping his hat to the lady and smiling to confirm that he still had at least 4 remnants of teeth remaining. "Couldn't help overhearin' the lady wonderin' about sea monsters in Erie - wanted to tell her that fer shure there are - at least one. They call her 'Bessie' after a few folks thought they spotted her near that power plant over Toledo way" the captain explained. "Lots o'folks spend a lotta time lookin' fer her over there" the captain continued, "but I can tell you she's usually found right near here!" He lowered his voice and leaned closer, the smell almost knocking us down, "I can tell 'ya where to look if yer interested in seein' her." With watering eyes, we managed to choke out an affirmative answer and the captain grinned with the gleam in eyes even brighter and replied in verse:

"If you'd like to find ol' Bessie
And take a little peek,
The smallest county in the Buckeye State
Is where you need to seek."

"Find a dock that isn't a dock
And follow it to it's end.
Then follow the trail to where fresh meets fresh
And the waves come rolling in."

"Admire the view, watch the birds,
Dip your toes if you like.
Bring your pole, some bait, and a line
And see if you get a bite."

"But when you're ready to see the beast
And think you can stand the fright,
Go back to the trail and find a tree-
The first one on your right."

"Begin counting paces -
Twenty eight if you dare,
A large log on your left
Conceals the monster's lair."

"Come upon her quiet,
Don't let others see.
Or like other special critters,
She might cease to be."

"Hide her back real careful,
And let her rest a spell.
Is she the only monster in this lake?
Only A.H. Ab can tell!"

I looked up from writing the poem down to ask Captain Ab a question and he was gone. Only the fading smell of fish remained to convince us we hadn't been dreaming. Had we? If you decipher the Captain's verse and find old Bessie, please write and tell us about it. We'd love to know for sure!