YEAR: 2018

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 19

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: Whatcom County

LOCATION DETAILS: [Near the confluence of Kenny Creek and the North Fork of Nooksack River]

NEAREST TOWN: Welcome, WA

NEAREST ROAD: North Fork Road

OBSERVED: My husbands parents, uncle and and three others bought a piece of river property in 1972. It has been used continuously since then, mostly by Uncle. We use it once in a while as does my SIL and her family and one other family’s grandkids. Although the road is right next to the property, the property sits about 30’ below it in river bottom. There is a creek at the north end of the property, about 200 feet from where our rig was parked. That creek runs out to another creek that is part of the river and creates an island that used to be part of the property. It is very secluded.

The summer of 2018, my sister-in-law and her (adult) kids had been camping out at the property on several occasions, cleaning out trees and undergrowth, as they had bought trailers and needed to do a bit of landscaping to get their rigs in there. My husband had a load of crushed gravel taken out there in 2009 that we used to put in the fire pit area and bolster the ground as we had a trailer at the time and needed a place to set up camp without sinking into the mud up to our axels. We had spent almost every weekend that summer out there. There was still quite a mound left, so SIL used that gravel to cover the area (nobody had used that area of the property on a regular basis for about 9 years at that point). She also made a sweet little walk-way from the fire pit to one of the camp spaces about 40 feet away.

On the weekend of August 18-19, 2018 we were camping at the property. One of my step-son’s was up visiting from Texas and my husband wanted to have a BBQ for him and our daughter-in-law with the family. We took our motorhome out to the property on Saturday afternoon and met my SIL and BIL who had gone out the night before in their rig.

We stayed up talking til about 9:30PM. Then right after dark I went into the m/h, my husband came in about 30 minutes later, his sister went into their trailer about the same time, then I heard our BIL go in about 10:15 PM. I had a window open as it was a pretty warm night, and the shade up about 5” and their door was open, so I could hear (and see the flickering light) that he was watching a movie, as was I. Our rigs were parked about 70’ apart with a few scraggly, leggy plants and the large fire pit area between us, but otherwise an unimpeded view.

My husband had gone to bed at the back end of the M/H. I sat up at the dinette until about 12:15am, finally deciding that I was sleepy enough to go to bed. I closed and locked the window and the shade, made sure all the doors were locked, got into my jammys and got into bed. My husband was sound asleep, as was our 6 month old Golden Retriever puppy. Within 3 minutes my brain was settled enough to begin dozing off.

Suddenly…

Bang…Bang…Bang!!!

It sounded like 2 baseball bats being slammed together, about 3 seconds apart! It seemed like it was coming from the rivers’ edge, or closer? 60 feet, 100 feet away. I didn’t know. Pretty close!

My eyes flew Wide open staring into the pitch black room!! I KNEW instantly what that was!!! 15 seconds went by… nothing, so I was closing my eyes. Then…

Bang…Bang…Bang!!!

It sounded like it came from up the creek, maybe a hundred yards. I don’t really know.. on the island? Oh Sh.., there are Two of them!! 15 more seconds went by (yes! I was counting!! My Navy training kicking in)

Bang…Bang…Bang!!! The closer one again.

Another 15 seconds…

Bang…Bang…Bang!!! Up the creek

My heart was pounding so hard, I was afraid that it might literally explode!! Caught in the pitch black woods in my fiberglass box!!! Are the doors lock? Are the shades drawn? Did I close all the windows? Can they rip the doors open?! Would they smash in the windows?!!! Would the family find us dangling from tree branches tomorrow afternoon? Did “B” hear it and shut their door? It was so loud! He must have heard it!! I can’t call him, we have no cell service down in this gawd-forsaken hole!!!

Next thing I know…it’s 8AM Sunday morning.. How the heck did that happen?! After all that banging and fear I thought I would be awake all night!! Nope, I fell right to sleep!!! Strange thing for me to do in light of the fear and emotion running around in my little chicken brain!!! I peaked out the windows..nothing. Oh! There’s my SIL sitting at the campfire.

I put on a pot of coffee and walked over to visit her for a few minutes. I asked her if she heard any noises last night. No, she didn’t, but she sleeps like a log she said (so does her brother). Well, that is strange. I KNOW that happened before I fell asleep, I KNOW IT! I had only been in bed a couple minutes. I wasn’t even asleep yet!

So, I headed back over to our rig to start breakfast. And THERE IT WAS!! MY PROOF!! That I was not insane and hearing things!!

Half way between the fire pit and our door, right at the edge of the little gravel walkway was a lone footprint!! About 15” long. About 6” wide at the ball, the dirt was mounded at the metatarsal break and the heel was square. I had seen that same foot 17 years before, out on the sandbar, when it was only about 4” long!!! OMG!!! I was thrilled to pieces!! But freaked out at the same time!

I went to the rig, grabbed my cell phone and took 3 good pictures. I’m so glad I did too! Later that afternoon, people started showing up and I showed it to everyone. I took my nephew over to look at it and my golden girl followed us, we were looking at the footprint, when she decided to lay right down next to it (for a tummy rub) and wiped it out with her tail!!! Oh man, that was horrible to see! I knew they were there, but now I have my own proof!

ALSO NOTICED: Memorial Day weekend 2001, first time I went to the property I found a strange little footprint about 4" long, sunk into the dry sand about 2", which looks suspiciously similar to the big one I found in 2018.

OTHER WITNESSES: Only me. Perhaps BIL, but he says he heard nothing. Husband and SIL sound asleep.

OTHER STORIES: There are several reports on the BFRO Whatcom County reports page within just a few miles. Report 17539 happened about 1.5 miles down river.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 12:25am. Pitch black. No wind. warm clear night.

ENVIRONMENT: Large cleared area for camping bordered by river bottom, next to state trust land. Maple, alder and fir trees, scraggly and thick undergrowth (knotweed and ivy). River runs along front of property; 30' cliff borders the back. Road and homestead above on edge of cliff. Creek running thru north end of property to river. The creek has a small pool and a fish ladder. In the foothills west of MT Baker.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

About BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

Matthew Moneymaker is originally from the Los Feliz District of Los Angeles, California.

- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

- Juris Doctorate (Law degree) from University of Akron School of Law

- Founder of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization,1995.

- Writer and co-producer of the Discovery Channel documentary "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science", 2001.

- Co-producer of the TV Series "Mysterious Encounters" for the Outdoor Life Network (OLN Channel), 2002.

- Producer of the "2003 International Bigfoot Symposium" (Willow Creek Symposium) DVD set, 2004.

- Co-host of "Finding Bigfoot" on Animal Planet Channel, 2010 - 2017.

- Current Director of the BFRO

- Available for private bigfoot expeditions and conferences. To inquire please email [email protected]

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