![serpent](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/serpent-300x236.jpg)
This seafaring group of men show off their evidence that the waters of Golden Gardens beach are home to the infamous “Ballard Sea Serpent.”
Tales of a sea serpent sighting are often paired with this singular photograph (above), which has became representative of the elaborate Ballard hoax of the early 1900s.
Watch out ladies…
![1900](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/1900-300x173.jpg)
The above photo shows eleven women wading at Golden Gardens in bathing costumes and hats, the beach and forest in background. Bathing costumes are all sailor-collared white tops and long dark skirts; hats mostly broad-brimmed but vary in style.
We doubt the ladies would have had anything to fear considering the “serpent” sure looks a lot like a crafted tree trunk.
![Photo by Library of Congress Prints and Photo Archives](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/seamonster1906-300x177.jpg)