Bigfoot in Half Moon Bay

Many years ago, Mysterious SF stopped by the offices of the Bigfoot Research Project. Founded by explorer, conservationist, and bigfoot investigator Peter Byrne, the BRP was based in Hood River, Oregon. They were probably the most professional of all the "research groups" that have attempted to work on the bigfoot mystery. The BRP shut down in 1999. 

The BRP, as it was called, was featured in newspaper articles worldwide. It collected sightings via walk-ins, field interviews, and a national 800 number, 1-800-BIGFOOT. The BRP probably got forty phone calls a day on this number. Predictably, most were crank calls by teenagers.

But some were not. For each claimed bigfoot sighting, the BRP filled out a standardized questionnaire booklet. The booklets were fascinating reading, and included many eyewitness sketches of Bigfoot. People with no artistic training drawing pictures + bigfoot = fun times. 

Mysterious SF rooted through the files and made note of sighting reports that intrigued him. This one in particular struck him. 

[Note: some details of this report have been redacted--in particular, the names and contact information of the eyewitnesses.]

Bigfoot Research Project

[witness #1]

Half Moon Bay, California Sighting

Category B Sighting Rating

[witness 1# name]

[witness 1# street address]

[witness 1# address city, state, zip]

E. Palo Alto, CA 94303

Sighting in Summer of 1976

Notes from Bigfoot Research Project Communications Log

Name: [witness 1#]

Reporting: Sighting

Date: 1976 (Summer)

Location: Half Moon Bay Airport, near the radar station, an open field

Notes taken 2/7/94 @ 1510 Hrs.

Incident #1043

2588- Mapped

Eyewitness was:

-In car

-Dog barking viciously.

-Bigfoot leaped/stepped over barbed fence; moved quickly; ran w/arms down—long strides down hill; 1 week after sighting area closed to everyone; well built but slender, larger upper shoulder, ape like, right on const. (?), swing arms.

Returned in day—could not find footprints; large holes (3’-4’) deep scattered around field where it had crossed. 

Comments (by interviewer) Mr. [witness #1] presented as a very honest and simple man, probably not capable of fabricating such detail. Recall of incident was very good.

How did you hear of us? Via Bigfoot Research Project #800 number.

What publication/contact? A & E Television Special "Bigfoot"

Interview BY PHONE

Initials: [phone interviewer].

Incident Report

Date: 2/7/94

Name: [witness 1# name]

Address: [witness 1# street address]

City/State/Zip: [witness 1# address city, state, zip]

Telephone #: [redacted]

Occupation: x-roofer, injured

Age: 40

Sex: Male

Additional witnesses: w/girlfriend, [witness 2# name], South City, CA

General oudoor experience: hunter, camp

Incident Date: Summer 1976

Time: 0100

Incident Location: Half Moon Bay Airport

Activity @ Time of Incident: parking, star gazing

Weather: Bright moon; hot

Temp: 70 degrees F.

Vegetation: fields; cabbage, spinach, fruit farms

Wind: 0 mph

Sighting Report

Duration: 10 minutes

Distance; 150’

# Creatures: 1

Gender: ?

Color: Dark brown/black

Hair Condition: straight 3”long all over

Body Shape: well built but slender

Head Shape: cone; gorilla-like, not as hair-covered

Face: Light color—no other features

Neck: Shoulder even w/ear—hunched

Stride: Walked over barb wired fence; long leaping stride w/arms and legs travelling very fast toward bush cover

Smell Report

Describe: Dirt-like smell; musty; left in woods too long

Duration: Simultaneous w/sighting

Source: Creature

Sensation: Mildly unpleasant. 

Publicly, Mysterious SF says: It's obvious to everyone why Bigfoot *shouldn't* be sighted around Half Moon Bay. But why would he be? Well, for one, there's plenty of food there in the fields, especially in the summertime. Further, it's only a short distance from the largely rocky shoreline of the Half Moon Bay area. It's much easier to forage for food in rocks and tidepools than it is at the beach. Third, there are isolated houses and ranches out in that area that are easier to approach with the intent of raiding garbage cans.

Privately, Mysterious SF says: Mysterious SF has a saying he invented himself. It is: "Bigfoot is seen everywhere Bigfoot has business."