I watched this premier episode last night:

Sharon Novak did a 171 day solo sailing trip and web-cammed it for [to the best of what I remember) some organization or website that she was a part of or headed.

It fascinated me.

The problem is that the show (including what they tried to make viewers think was real webcam stuff) was a reenactment.

They showed the shadow of some huge sea creature swimming about her boat after she got into the water to find out why the motor stopped working after something hit the boat. In the end, she fell overboard after something again hit her boat (while checking out the abandoned boat of someone who had put in a distress call about some creature in the water. The boat supposedly had blood all over it) and perished.

I've googled and googled and found nothingabout the real story. My opinion of the family of Discovery Channels has dropped several notches.

Does anyone know the real story?

I'll be the first to apologize if the true story can be found and it turns out that the Lost Tapes episode was at least partially and fairly based on a true story.

NeedKarma

We still have Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters!

Broccoli

RickJ, I totally agree with you. I remember when the Discovery Channel first became available in my area back in the 80's. It was all about documentaries and truly interesting stuff. Now, I can barely stomach most of the programs it puts out.

Tantar

I watched the show today and feel that it was fake as well. I have lived in Monterey my whole life, but I don't recall this story being in the local news. But then again I don't watch the news every day.

I do know that there is a story of a sea monster called BOBO: The Old Man of the Sea.It's very popular in Monterey. I did a report on this story when i was in grade school.

Here is a link to a history of the monster. I hope this helps with your search!

Monster Swell by | Page 1 | October 25, 2007 | Monterey County Weekly | The tale of Bobo, Monterey Bay’s sea creature,

RickJ

Thankfully YES

And How it's Made, Deconstruction, Digging for the Truth, etc...

And my most recent favorite: Brink: Science Channel

NeedKarma

Shoot I don't get that show 'cause it's on the Science Channel and I have a pretty basic cable subscription.

I was oddly infatuated with a show about vermin infestations and the extermonator company that took care of it, the show seems to be off air now.

Found it: Verminators : Discovery Channel

aimeeg

Although the situations are real and this may have happened to other sailors in the waters of Monterey, Sharon Novak may not be real. I have yet to find any information on Sharon. If she had been a real person who was lost at sea, there would have been information on the news, there would be information on google. She was a reporter so i assume there would be information on her even before she set sail. This story is interesting to many people so if it were true, not just animal planet would have information on sharon's disappearance. The show "the lost tapes" claimed that Sharon documented her sail through monterey with web cams so people could follow her journey. If this was true, where are those tapes? Where is the information on that? I believe the story of Sharon Novak was solely inspired by the stories of other people lost at sea. I believe much of what the show will air are stories inspired by events that we are not fully aware of.

ArmchairDeity

"This story is inspired by the possibility that such creatures exist." That's the "disclaimer" at the beginning of the show. Lost Tapes is an entirely fictional show. It's not based on a true story and it's got nothing to do with anyone who's ever lived for real. So no, Sharon Novak didn't sail around the world and the whole story is fiction.

RedGummies

Honestly, I think they made the series based on the theory of if these animals really do exist, what would happen if we met up with them. I'm not a biblical person, so when I hear how Jesus did this, or that and they only have like journals of what happened then, I'm a little skeptic. It's hard to dismiss and eyewitness but at the same time maybe people might exaggerate. I'm not sure how to properly answer you. It could all just be theory, and if we have the technology, finding such things is a large possibility.

tattooedmom80

when i first saw the trailer of this show, i was so excited. but then after watching it, i was really disappointed. why would they call it " lost tapes" when none of the footage seems to be from any lost, or found, tapes. i honestly thought that it would be a show of tapes found from people who have had encounters with these creatures or whatever that do or dont exist. they should change the name to " found tapes of bad re-enactments about things that may or may not be real"

RickJ

Yeah, I just saw a new ad for the series and in the ad they implied very strongly that the "tapes" were actual video from the people that were involved. Seems like false advertising to me...