But not all sea serpent bodies can be explained quite so easily. This notable (and by most accounts, incredibly malodorous) carcass was discovered in 1942, along the shores of Gourock, overlooking the river Clyde, Scotland.
A council officer by the name of Charles Rankin took it upon himself to take detailed notes concerning this beast. Measuring to a length of over 27-feet, this animal was described by Rankin in great detail. Its most notable features included a small, flattened head with pronounced brow ridges situated over laterally slit eyes.
The creature's jawbones were reportedly full of large, pointed teeth. The skull was nestled atop a long neck, which connected to a partially exposed spinal column. The animal's torso still bore two pairs of, what have been described as, L-shaped flippers, which were smaller in the fore-portion, than the rear.
The spine eventually tapered off into a long, rectangular tail. The creature's skin was also said to harbour a multitude of 6-inch long, quill-like bristles. According to Rankin, the creature's appearance was reptilian in nature. Any additional information regarding this intriguing animal was, unfortunately, interred not long after its discovery. The carcass was hacked up and buried under the football field of a local Roman Catholic primary school called St Linnians.
Further disappointment awaits Fortean investigators. As it turns out, Rankin was denied the right to photograph the creature, owing to the fact that it happened to be beached on what was deemed to be a classified area. Being as Scotland - along with the rest of Europe - was embroiled in the Second World War, this breach of security was not permitted.
The war effort also consumed the time of many scientists who might otherwise have been predisposed to investigate this matter. As it stands, the Gourock Carcass must be chalked up to another case of a lost opportunity for science to further illuminate the incredible mysteries of our oceans. That is unless we can convince the Gourock Council and St Linnians to let us try out some geophysics and digging ‘Time Team’ style.