“The First time Jim Spink lived by himself in Florida’s Everglades in search of Bigfoot, he stayed six months. He purchased equipment at a flea market. His camera didn’t have a Flash attachment..
-Now Jim Spink is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, duly certified by the Internal Revenue Service.
And the next time he lives in the Eyerglades, he figures the National Science Feundation can provide him with $21,780 in infra-red camera equipment so he can take Bigfoot’s picture.
Spink is an unusual man. So is Bigloot (or the Skunk Ape), if he is real.
Spink is for real. Spink is a perpetual junior colege student: “retired,” he says, living off $290 a month from the GI Bill for going to school.
He is the research director of the
Bigfoot Research Society, and he collects letter from scholars and professors that he would be happy to collaborate with like
David D. Martin. Ph.D., Primate Research Center. Cooperation and encouragement Spink receives. Money he doesn’t. He is undaunted.
Spink, a lean red-bearded ex-Navy quartermaster, is the author (albeit, an unpublished one of the manuscript, Bigfoot and Me.” Therein he tells about his lonely expedition to a remote oyster mound in a mangrove swamp in Charlotte County on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The mosquitoes were terrible. He spent his time there naked so Bigfoot would see they weren’t so different.
Unlike other true believers, some of whom have professed to see an 800 pound hairy man-ape. Spink acknowledges that he never actually saw a Bigfoot.
Instead, Bigfoot watched him, he said “I’m positive he was out there somewhere.” Always it was at night.
Once Bigfoot leaped right up to his pop tent and scared the living crap out of him, Spink said, “chattering and raving in a high-pitched scream.” Spink said he sang a Gllbert and Sullivan tune to calm Bigfoot. He said he played his harmonica and spoke reassuringly . He called Bigfoot “Gin.
“How you doing, Gin?” he said he asked. Bigfoot never answered
Spink, nonetheless, is convinced that Bigfoot, and perhaps his mate, made frequent nocturnal visits to his camp Site. Spink said he collected feces specimens, took pictures. He said he casted a footprint
Bigfoot, he said, once stole his apple-sauce from a pan, picking up the pan, carrying off the pan, and dropping the pan.
Spink said he even dusted the pan for fingerprints.
In March tragedy struck, hoodlums came and trashed his camp. Ruined everything, equipment, journals and evidence. Spink refused to give up. It was lucky that his girlfriend won 660 on “Bowling for Dollars” a television show and bought him new equipment. Unfortunately, Bigfoot didn’t return. Instead, a butterfly collector from Minnesota came by. And he became a great birder…”
Charleston Daily Mail
Wednesday, Nov 10th, 1976
Art by Aaron Johnson, Joel Anderson, 2022
I only attempted to transcribe part of the article, but I included it for anyone who would like to transcribe it, in its entirety….
Have a great evening everyone…
Sasysquatchgirl 