The Legend of Merchant Bay

"The Legend of Merchant Bay" is R. J. Thomas' tale of a giant sea monster who, they say, once existed in the waters off the central California coastline. Told in the form of a mock-documentary, the film shows how the monster turned an obscure California beach town into an international hot-spot for tourists, marine biologists, the press, opportunity-seizing entrepreneurs, and the just-plain curious.The story begins in 1906, when a fisherman is rescued at sea and claims to be the sole survivor of a fishing boat lost to a "giant sea monster." Soon, others claim to have seen the mysterious creature, and the film follows the stories of the various sightings and encounters.