Holmgamock

Status: Critically Endangered

The holmgamock (Chelydra holmgamock) is a large carnivorous turtle native to the shallow waters around the Mossfell Islands. This reptile is a member of the genus Cheldrya which consists of modern American snapping turtles. 

The holmgamock is thought to have one of the longest evolutionary histories on the Mossfells due to an extensive fossil history. Fossil remains of holmgamock predecessors such as C. tyrannus and C. hanzen have been found in sediments dating 19 million years ago, giving the holmgamock one of the longest vertebrate lineages on the archipelago.

Unfortunately very little is known about holmgamock reproduction and breeding due to their solitary and elusive nature. It is believed that after mating, emerge from the water and lay hundreds of eggs in a sand pit on a beach in a manner similar to that of sea turtles. This is the only time holmgamock will return to the land in their entire life. The mothers then remain in the area waiting for their young to hatch. After an indeterminant incubation period, the tiny young will then emerge en masse and attempt to enter the protection of the ocean. Like sea turtles, many hundreds do not make the voyage to the water. Those who do will spend several months around their mother, until they have reached the size of a basket ball.

The young, usually only 10-20 in number, will remain close to their mother. The mother does not hunt food for her young specifically, as the young are fully capable of hunting small fish and crustaceans, but will instead provide a small degree of protection from other predators as they age in a similar behavior to that of Nile crocodiles. Despite this added protection, young holmgamock are still vulnerable to predators and roughly only 1 in 150 make it to adulthood. Holmgamock adults are incredibly understudied due to their solitary nature, but it is estimated that in the right conditions, adult Holmgamock can live for up to 120 years and reach 14 feet in length.

Like other members of the genus Cheldrya, holmgamock are ambush predators and prefer to lie in wait semi-buried in sandy sediments or camouflaged reefs. This is because their large shell inhibits movement (despite already being fairly reduced, and nearly absent on their bellies as compared to their mainland kin). They rely on incredible bursts of speed and a terrifying bite force to dispatch their prey. Lunging at prey using foot-like flippers and a tadpole-like tail, adult holmgamock will reach speeds of 40 miles per hour to reach prey. Additionally, adult holmgamock can produce a bite force of 3,000 pounds per square inch which easily maims if not outright kills their favored prey of seals, sharks, and manatees. When not lunging from the shadows, their shells can easily provide attachment to corals, barnacles, and even seagrass, giving them the impression of living rocks. Despite their massive maw and terrifying presence, holmgamock spend most of their time camouflaged and sessile, and only need to secure a large prey animal every couple of weeks. Rising only for air, holmgamock can remain in their same hunting grounds up to decades.

Holmgamock have been long feared by the human settlers of the Mossfells. The long lost Shearpoint people depicted holmgamock as symbols of death and the sea, indicating they associated the animal with the hazards of ocean travel. The Mossfell Norse and later Viardrmen considered the Holmgamock as an atrocious sea monster and bringer of ill fortune.  The Viardrmen word for holmgamock literally translates to "Challenge of Death" and is believed to originate from a challenge of manhood. The Holmgamock was a ritual voyage from Neffannafjall to the present day islands of Fernbank and back and supposedly a rite of passage for the bravest warrior-kings. Holmgamock, being opportunistic predators, will not hesitate to attack any large silhouettes above them. This includes anything from swimmers to canoes to small boats - giving the creatures the reputation as terrible man-eaters.

In the modern day, holmgamock are relatively rare and are considered critically endangered. Human colonization on the islands has led to increased development of beachfront property and the eradication of their nesting grounds. Norse explorers recorded themselves sacking holmgamock nests for easy protein. It appears that after the initial colonization of the Bountiful Isles in the 11th century, holmgamock numbers plummeted and remained at these low numbers into the present day.  Holmgamock are still considered a threat by human inhabitants of the Mossfells despite their low numbers. While incredibly rare, holmgamock have attempted to hunt humans in several well-documented instances. The most recent incident occurring during a the 1999 Thunderbolt Decathlon in which three contestants were severely maimed and one later died of their injuries. 

When approaching locations with known holmgamock presence, it is STRONGLY advised to avoid entering the water at any cost.

A Close Call

Alex, Joseph, and Sarah stretched out lazily on the catamaran, the sun still shining brightly above them on the clear day. "I can't believe we saw those sealbirds. They got so close!" exclaimed Alex.

"Don't forget those manatees we saw in the seagrass meadow, they were absolutely adorable." Sarah called out half passed out from a bundle a towels. Alex could feel his arms and legs already getting sore. It had been at least 6 hours on the boat, and they were exhausted after such a long day of snorkeling, beer, and sun.

"You know, we could venture a bit farther into the crater lagoon. I mean we're already off the coast of Fernbank." Joseph pulled out a map and pointed at a strikingly circular body of water, ringed by tiny islands. A mischievous look was already etched into his handsome smile. Alex knew what he was about to ask long before the words came out of his mouth. "So, maybe you know, we could see a Holmgamock."

Alex was already pretty content with the day's outing. It was already 3pm and it would likely be another hour or so return trip to Exeter. He promised his aunt Suzie that he'd be back before dinner. Today was taco night and he never missed taco night. But something about being around the two siblings definitely made him want to stay. He didn't feel as anxious around them anymore. Now he was grateful he switched from being a bisexual disaster around them to being more cool-headed, but he still wanted to show them he was excited to do things with them. Vacillating between which sibling he found more hot, he wanted them both to know he was eager to hang out with them.

Okay so maybe he was still acting like a bisexual disaster, but that was neither here nor there.

"You know. I'm down if y'all are." Alex stood up from his soggy seat and began to lather on some more waterproof sunscreen. "I mean it'll be only like, 30 or so minutes more until we get into the lagoon right?"

Sarah perked up from beneath her snug towel wrap, eyes also flashing with excitement. She looked like a cute little inchworm underneath her big green towel. "Are you sure there? I thought you mentioned something about taco night or whatever."

"Ah we don't even make the tacos, we just go to the Taco Bell down the street anyways, besides we're out here already and I've still got some photos left on my camera."

***

Sarah began to slow the boat down as they passed thick jungle vegetation by the water. The trees hung with vines and Spanish moss and that nearly made them look eerie in the broad daylight. Odd bird calls shrieked from the thick forest by the boat, and Alex could swear he could see beady eyes peer toward the boat. The forest began to rustle as small ape-like creatures bounded along the branches by the boat. Something about their jerky movements seemed unsettling to Alex. Sarah noticed Alex tensing up "Oh those? don't worry those are just nikomo, totally harmless, and they can't swim anyways even if they wanted to getcha." She then began to cut the engine and lower the anchor again. "Whelp, here's where our dad said he saw one a twelve or so years ago. See, look at that sign they put up."

A few yards from the boat, a haphazard pole jutted from the blue waters. Off-kilter, it had a sign which had been blasted by humidity, salt, and bird droppings. Based on it's sorry state, it likely wasn't going to stay upright for much longer.

The calm green waters around the boat did nothing to ease Alex's intrusive thoughts. Something didn't feel right. He remembered learning in elementary school about the old Viardr legends of Fernbank. Ones which warned that only the strongest and most capable warriors could survive the dense island and treacherous lagoon.

The sibling didn't seem to share his apprehension. "Yeah didn't dad say the one he saw was a 14 footer? I mean he probably exaggerated a bit, so maybe like a 8 footer tops. But it'll be so cool if we can get a glimpse of one!" Joseph cracked open another High Noon and took a hearty swig.

"Yeah he can exaggerate a tad" Sarah yoinked the High Noon from Joseph and took a swig herself. "Way to take the last one jackass, you had 5 today already!" The siblings argued amongst themselves as to who was the bigger binge drinker that day as Alex peered into the glass like water beneath him. The boat made only the slightest ripples on its surface. Looking down he could see his own reflection perfectly staring back. It felt too peaceful for a location steeped in such myth and legend.

The bow of the boat suddenly lurched up like it had run aground a giant rock. The teens flailed as the boat began to scrape along something. Something big. Alex tried his best to steady himself on the railing but he soon felt weightless as he was flung off the side of the boat. 

With a loud splash he called out "Guys! Help!" the boat stopped rocking and the water returned to a glass smooth veneer. 

"Eager to get back into the water already? Damn you're wild!" Joseph let out a laugh. Alex scowled and didn't appreciate the joke at his expense.

"Don't be a jerk Joe." He treaded the water cautiously. He could tell something was out here, underneath the water. "Now help me get back in the boat."

"Hey guys I think we ran into something, looks like an old wreck." Sarah pointed out a rusted pole sticking from the water, deeper still it looked like the side paneling of a small sailboat. "Looks like no damage to our side thank God. Even still might want to check the boat out from underneath to see if everything is okay." She began to get her goggles on. "Besides, that'll be a cool dive site! Hey Alex fish out your camera, I'm sure you'll find some cool critters down there."

Alex really just wanted to get back on the boat. All of his internal alarms were blaring to GET OUT. But he also wanted to show that he could be cool and not give a fuck around the siblings. He suppressed all of the internal klaxons and fished around in his baggy swim short pockets. He pulled out the underwater disposable Kodak camera. "Here take the goggles!" Joseph tossed him some gear from the boat. "I'll wait for y'all on the boat, can't risk getting a cramp ya know."

Alex certainly felt less enamored with Joseph at the moment, but didn't let it faze him. He put on the goggles and began to swim around the boat. Sure enough he saw the wreck of an old sailboat beneath their catamaran, but it was far too deep for them to run into. Barnacles and algae had long overrun the sailboat's side, and nearly nothing remained uncoated with a green haze. It almost appeared like a large chunk had splintered off the keel of the sunken sailboat, a large semicircle hole. 

Alex began to take some pictures and swam a bit deeper. Off into the distance, he spotted a small black blur. Turning to face it more directly, he noticed it's leathery fins and thick stone-like back. Two beady yellow eyes distinctively peered back at him. It was a baby Holmgamock! Incredibly rare. Oh cool! He thought to himself. Swimming a bit closer, the already dinner plate-sized baby floated absolutely still, peering toward Alex as if it was attempting to blend into the green water. He snapped another couple of pictures of the baby when all of the sudden he felt a surge of water push up. In a split second, he saw the huge black form lurch up, an open pink maw eager to meet him.

***

Alex for sure thought he was dead. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate when all of the sudden the momma holmgamock lurched back up to the catamaran with an awful open maw. It began knocking it side-to-side once more, Alex could hear the siblings screaming as the giant angry turtle thrashed the boat about. In an instant, the upset mother let go and flicked her enormous tadpole tale. She swam over to her calmly floating baby. Alex floated motionless attempting to blend into the green waters, not even breathing, as the enormous hostile creature swam away.  her baby finally taking the hint, followed behind. His heart pounding up into his throat and sensation lost in all of his extremities, Alex rushed back above water to the boat and practically threw himself back aboard.  Gasping he exclaimed, "WE'RE GETTING THE HELL OUT OF HERE PLEASE."

The siblings, wide-eyed and rattled, offered no resistance to the polite suggestion. Sarah raised anchor in a flash and knocked the boat in gear, an obvious dent causing the catamaran to slightly bounce more on the waves as they sped off. The islands of Fernbank quickly became small green lump on the horizon as they approached Exeter once more.