A local woman walking near the Des Moines Marina pier Monday evening was the first to capture photo evidence of the recent string of sightings of "Desi," the Des Moines sea serpent of legendary fame.

Local fishermen have sought the elusive creature for decades.

"I was completely petrified. I couldn't move the first time this enormous thing rose out of the water," said Marion Yoshino, who is a resident of Normandy Park. "I was walking the dog along the pier, we both froze-- I think my dog was too frightened to even bark. It happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to think about taking a picture.

"But after I calmed down I pulled out my camera, hoping to get a glimpse of something in the water. Then it came back again! If I hadn't gotten this photo I don't think that I could tell the story, because, who would believe it?"

"It just makes sense that, as more people carry cell phone cameras, we will finally have photos of the sea creature that boaters have been telling us about for so many years," said Joe Dusenbury, Harbormaster at the Des Moines Marina. "We have drawings from captains' logs 200 years ago of a giant sea serpent, so the history goes way back.

"We know that there are Indian legends. But we never had proof. Our boat owners told us that they hesitated to say anything because they thought no one would believe them. Now their stories are finally validated."
Many of the eyewitness accounts have ended up on the desk of Police Chief Roger Baker.

"I have several good friends who have seen it, people that I trust. But every time we get a new report, and send our officers out there, it is long gone. One comment we always hear it that it is only visible for a split second, so it is a good thing that someone could finally get a photograph. The creature seems to be able to move like lightening."

The Powell family, who have been business owners in Des Moines for four generations, also have had encounters with "Desi," as she was nicknamed many years ago.

"My great-grandfather had the first official sighting in the town of Des Moines," said Brooks Powell, who owns Powell Renovations, along with his brother Todd. "This is tremendously exciting for us. We have always hoped to get a photograph; it's something that we have talked about for years whenever we are out on our boats. Now the rest of our family can finally see what Desi actually looks like."

(Editor's Note: We are not sure we can totally vouch for any detail in this article and photo from a Normandy Park reader. All we can verify is that she said to post the information on April 1.)