Did You See Sasquatch Saturday?

As he sailed off Bainbridge Island to his slip at Brownsville Marina Saturday around sunset, Allen Rogers wasn’t sure if the running lights on his sailboat were casting odd light on the water, causing him to see things.

Swimming from Brownsville to Bainbridge Island was what Rogers described as a “big thing.” Not the most technical description, but from a few hundred yards away, and with dusk fast approaching, Rogers wasn’t sure what he was looking at.

It wasn’t moving like a sea lion, and it sure as heck wasn’t a whale. Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster was out of the question — she’s only been spotted in Scotland. Could it be the ever-elusive Big Foot, making his Kitsap debut while Rogers watched?

As he maneuvered his 30-foot sailboat closer to the curious creature, Rogers realized what he was staring at.

A bear.

Presumably a black bear, but after shooting Rogers an intimidating stare, he decided not to get any closer.

“It was a great big bear. I mean huge,” Rogers said. “I’ve been boating for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve seen deer before, but never a bear.”

Rogers described the animal as “booking” its way across the channel between Brownsville and Bainbridge Island. He guessed it was going at a speed of 2 to 3 knots. It was also being taunted by a number of seagulls, which flew over its head, squawking.

After pulling into the marina and tying up, Rogers went over to the pier where a group of guys were fishing. He asked if they’d seen the bear. They confirmed Rogers’ eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. They saw the bear from the shore, swimming across the water, but still asked Rogers if it might have been Sasquatch?

Rogers confirmed it wasn’t adding, “Bainbridge Island has a population of one more bear right now.”