Bizarre Feet Appearing Anomaly
Since August 2007, seven disarticulated (i.e. legless) human feet have been discovered in coastal British Columbia, Canada, and an eighth in nearby Washington, United States. The feet belong to five men and one woman, the two left feet having been matched with two of the six right feet. As of August 2008, only one foot has been identified; it is not known to whom the rest of the feet belong. In addition, a hoax “foot” was planted on Vancouver Island. The first foot was discovered on August 20, 2007, on Jedediah Island, by a girl visiting from Washington. The girl found the foot when she picked up a shoe and opened the sock, finding the foot.
The foot was that of a man, and was found wearing a size 12 Adidas shoe and a sock. It is thought to have become disarticulated due to submerged decay. This kind of shoe was produced in 2003 and distributed mainly in India.
The second foot was discovered by a couple on August 26 on Gabriola Island. It was also that of a man, and also became disarticulated due to decay. It was waterlogged and appeared to have been taken ashore by an animal. It probably floated ashore from the south. This shoe was produced in 2004 and sold worldwide, and the type has since discontinued.
The third foot was discovered on February 8, 2008, on Valdes Island. It was also a man’s right foot and was wearing a sneaker and a sock. This shoe was sold in Canada or the United States between February 1, 2003, and June 30, 2003.
The fourth foot was discovered on May 22 on Kirkland Island, an island in the Fraser Delta between Richmond and Delta, British Columbia. It was also wearing a sock and sneaker. It is thought to have washed down the Fraser River, having nothing to do with the ones found in the Gulf Islands. This right foot was of a woman. The shoe was a New Balance sneaker manufactured in 1999.
The fifth foot was on June 16, floating in water near Westham Island, part of Delta. It was found floating in the water by two hikers. It has been confirmed that the left foot found on June 16 on Westham Island and the right foot found February 8 on Valdes Island belonged to the same man.
Another foot was discovered on August 1, 2008, by a camper on a beach near Pysht, Washington. It was covered in seaweed. The site of the discovery was less than 16 kilometers from the international border in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Testing confirmed that the right foot was human. Police say the large black-top, size 11 athletic shoe for a right foot contains bones and flesh. This was the first foot of the series to be found outside of British Columbia. The RCMP and Clallam County Sheriff’s Department agreed on August 5 that the foot could have been carried south from Canadian waters.
Another foot was discovered on November 11, 2008, in Richmond. The foot was in a shoe that was found floating in the Fraser River. The shoe was described as a small New Balance running shoe, possibly a woman’s shoe. A forensic DNA profiling analysis indicated that it was a genetic match to the foot discovered on May 22 on Kirkland Island.
In July 2008 it was announced that one foot had been identified by Vancouver police as belonging to a man who was depressed and probably committed suicide. His identity was withheld on request of his family.
On October 28, 2009 another foot had been inside a running shoe found on a beach in Richmond.
Rarity
Finding human remains on a beach is not uncommon. Storms may erode old burial sites and wash the debris out to sea where it is subsequently found, although this in particular would mainly reveal bones. In addition, missing people are common, and people fall off vessels at sea on occasion. Decomposition may separate the foot from the body because the ankle is relatively weak, and the buoyancy caused by air either inside or trapped within a shoe would allow it to float away. According to SFU entomologist Gail Anderson, extremities such as the hands, feet, and head often detach as a body decomposes in the water, although they rarely float.
However, finding feet and not the rest of the bodies has been deemed unusual. Finding two feet has been given “million to one odds” and “an anomaly”. The finding of the third foot made it the first time three such discoveries had been made so close to each other. The fourth discovery caused speculation about human interference and, statistically, was called “curious”.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Some or all text is derived from Wikipedia.
Filed under: Mystery | 92 Comments
I’m the first? Wow. Okay, interesting I guess.
Yeah lie to yourself.
Maybe not so interesting as it is FEET. Maybe more interesting if body part was more titilating??
Wow this is super close to home. (oregon) and I have not heard anything about it amazing. It good to see you back 🙂
this was an OK article. not too much mystery behind it really. you should really update this site more. it was going well for awhile. an article about scientology and its connection to suspicious murders and deaths of ex members and the history of their Guardian Dept. its just an idea. im just saying i think alot of us would like to see this site updated more, i know i would.
I believed in you Jfrater! =D
Now you don’t.
What took so long????? I was so anxious!
Interesting article. Glad to see you are back!
J! I thought for sure you were dead! I had your funeral planned and everything!
Decent. could be longer. not great though
Maybe it’s a disgruntled shoe salesman exacting his revenge on annoying customers? Feets don’t fail me now!
I live in Washington State and have heard of all of these incidences. I live specifically in Port Orchard and it was wierd that in Port Orchard, (not near the water) construction was taking place and construction workers found a boot with a foot inside. After more investigating it was found to belong to a male in his late teens or early twenties. It was mentioned that maybe it was related to these other feet that were found. But, alas, not so, it was only a coincidence. Good article.
@#1 YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE FOR PULLING THE OLD “NUMBER ONE” SHIT! But I doubt Frater cares enough to delete the post…
Well, I am new to this and didn’t know that saying that I was the first post wasn’t allowed. Mae Culpa
Off topic: You seem unusually upset. Missplaced anger maybe?
I’ll have to side with Smile on this one. People who get upset about that kind of stuff are a burden to society.
It is amazing to me to think that there is enough energy in the world to supply thoughts (outbursts really), then actions such as chastising another for their error. YOU WOULD REALLY FUCKING HATE ME MAZINGA, Kisses though.
JFrater, I appreciate any work you put forth, thank you entertained as always. I hope school is going very well, Thanks
Mike
Totally with you mkpitman.
thanks, Some Guy!
So let me get this straight, someone gets pissed off because some dumbass tries to say “first” in a sly way and then a couple of fuck-ups come along and agree with the dumbass that said “first” and basically tell the person that got pissed off that he/she is a burden to society and that he/she would hate them (I’m guessing because they do the same immature “first thing) and nobody really gets to the heart of the matter which is that the person that said “first” to begin with is nothing more than your typical, below average, run-of-the-mill attention whore!!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am part of the argument!!!!!
Interesting…
NOT!
How interesting. Cogitz has me fascinated. I want MORE!! I’m like a zombie only I don’t want brains, I want more Cogitz postings. Coooggggittttzzzzzzzz!!
You’re back!
I remember seeing some of these on the news….
So… how was Himalaya?
Took you long enough, jamie, but you go it done. Nice article, by the way.
Thank goodness I don’t have to look at Carl Tanzer’s gross corpse/doll every time I look to see if JFrater has updated this site. That being said, this seemed a bit rushed compared to the other posts on this site. Interesting topic though…
I agree that it seemed short and rushed. But at least it is a post.
seconded. Glad to see you’re back. *holds out a tin plate* Moar please?
good article? yes. well written in the JFrater style….im not so sure. i love both this site as well as listverse and the way in which you write and convey your message to your readers. someone said it above, this post seemed rushed. if i remember correctly you have just started classes again and, presumably, have a much larger work load than you would have imagined. if you would like to farm out some of the articles, as i believe you do on listverse, there would be many interested i am sure; myself included. you could provide a scope, or a specific story for one to investigate and report on. either way, glad your back. keep up the great work!
Yay Cogitz is back! Its like the adult version of listverse.
The real mystery is not about these feet but the whereabouts of jfrater in these last weeks…
Cogitz has returned! If I come back this time next month to find no updates, though, I’ll be upset. Just saying. It’s a great website, take care of it! I’m not sure what can be done about keeping it regular if you are busy. Perhaps opening up to a few user submitted articles? Proofreading, fact-checking, and plagiarism checking may take less time than researching and writing them yourself.
Then JFRater will go back to Himalaya for the next couple of weeks.
I’m from Vancouver, BC (although I’m living abroad atm). I remember a story or two about these feet popping up a few years back, though I wasn’t aware there were so many.
On a slightly related note, ungrateful complainers should STFU, just be happy there’s something new for us to read on Cogitz. People have other things to do besides run websites all day. And be thankful the post wasn’t about furrydom. I sure am.
I’m referring more to the posters of the previous (corpse-lover) entry, sorry.
Post one about mass murder and abortion! 😛
i laughed.
It’s good to see a new posting here, Jamie. And it’s about something I haven’t heard of before…new Googlies…yayy!
It sounds as though you have had a very busy schedule lately, and with the holidays quickly arriving, please make sure you don’t stretch yourself too thinly.
yay! thanks for the new article! Keep up the good work! 🙂
Me want more cogitz! Me likie it!
An interesting and somewhat menacing list, I’m glad to see a new one!
Wow, this is SOO weird! I went to the Professor Hex website after reading this and found there a link to a recent story about a seventh foot washing up in BC:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Coroner+confirms+foot+found+Richmond+beach/2189396/story.html
Cue the Twilight Zone music. 🙂
And we are back in action.
I live right in the heart of the situation (Richmond) and one foot washed up on the shore of a dog park about 100 yards from where I worked at the time. It’s pretty bizarre, but we have a lot of things that wash ashore, especially after a storm. Generally its just boat parts and the occasional car bumper but I’ve found an entire lifeboat before. And by the way, one of the feet was found to be a bear paw inserted into a shoe as a hoax. In Vancouver there’s also an area called Leg-In-Boot-Square because a leg in a boot washed up there a long time ago. (maybe feet just really like us)
Thanks for the new posts! hope to see more soon.
When I first started reading this article, my heart sank, because I thought it was the work of some new, deplorable serial killer with a foot fetish. But after reading about how body parts can seperate in the ocean, it seems much less likely that it is being done by one person. Still, it is a huge coincidence that so many are being found in the same general area in a relatively short time period.
This was a very interesting article. Thanks, Jamie!
Still though, I was kinda hoping for a criminal minds style cross-country man hunt, but what can you do. They must have some forensic way of showing that the feet belonged to someone.
Nice article J, liked the change of pace.
Jamie,
You have abandoned this site! i guess you’re too busy with listverse and the new book.
Please, update it more often! 😀
Thanks!
I read somewhere that the feet could have come from thousands of miles away and been in the ocean for months or longer before getting caught in a current and ending up where they did. Still, it must be pretty freaky to find a decomposing foot!
nice,..welcome back,..we miss you dude!! 🙂 (*_*)
this is a satanic ritual.
the feet represent the soul.
the detached foot thrown into the water is supposed to free the spirit of a demon when combined with the sacrifice of a higher animal such as a chimp, dog, or dolphin.
expect more of this kind of ritual torture as more africans are allowed into the country. it is a clash of cultures and trouble is being stored up for the next generation who will have to fight the new terrorism which will be satanic abuse.
these people exist and must be stopped before it is too late and the culture is infected by satan.
source please?
I can’t believe I just got visually Rick Rolled!!!
rickrolled woot
I’ve seen this featured on TV once. It’s a recent mystery indeed. One of their theories is that these feet are taken from corpses and are done by pranksters.
JFrater! Please come back with something new!!!! A Christmas gift for us addicted to Cogitz!
Mmmmmm………. disarticulated feet…..
Om nom nom nom nom nom……
Time to update the “about” section of the website. Updated daily? Yeah…okay.
Patiently waiting on another article. I believe in Jamie and know it will come soon!
What the hell Kilker?!?!?!? African does not necessarily = satanist. I live in Africa and sure there are satanists but this is generally with the white population and a very few people at that. What I think you may be thinking of is muti killings which are not related to satanism but rather traditional cultural beliefs among the different tribes. These muti killings are in fact rather rare and majority of the African population frowns upon. It is no longer an accepted form of cultural practice and has not been for quite some time. I assure you that, born and raised here, we do not have a problem with random unexplained feet popping up everywhere.
Watch this, you’re gonna love my nuts…
You’ll be saying wow everytime!!
dude! when will you gonna post another stuff??
Do Himalayan monks celebrate Christmas??
lol!
Happy New Year to losers who actually kept their hopes high and continue checking this place out…….
yay JFrater back 🙂
THIS SITE IS THE MOST BALLINEST SH!T EVAAAAAAAAA!!!!
alright, not really…
Well, I’ve been checking this site regurlarly for two months now, waiting for a new arcticle; please don’t make me wait another month.
You don’t wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I’m a loner. A rebel!
come baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack already!
It’s been three months now, a month after my previous comment. I’ve been checking this site every day, but if something doesn’t appear soon then Cogitz will disappear off my bookmarks bar.
I’m sure he’s quaking in his little limey boots!
Shut up asshole. I’m just voicing the opinions of most of the people waiting for an update.
That hurts daddy when you say that. Honestly.
Come on man!! Give us something! Even if it’s just “hey sorry guys cogitz is no more”!
Happy Chinese New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And months later, Cogitz remains neglected. It was such a good site too.
This article was added to this site on 11-10-09 and since then nothing. Not one thing. Is it just me or does it seem a little irresponsble to create a site and then out of no where abandon it with no explanation? I’ve been wondering lately, does he even look at the replies left on this article, not to mention all of the others? Obviously not. Simply put, HE DOES NOT CARE!
I think you may be on to something…
Lets hack cogitz and put our own articles.
Ain’t that the truth
I live on the BC southern coast. There was actually an eighth foot found in October of 2009.
for anyone who cares, tonight(april 21) at 8 pm EST on the Discovery channel there is a new show called Weird Or What? that is going to talk about these feet washing up! sounds like my kind of show…
OK, I’m speechless, I wear size 14, and i live in BC Vancouver, thank god i moved. To Europe 🙂
This gave me the creeps 🙂
Interesting article tho
Is it at all possible that a few (certainly not all) of these may be from suicides in the US? The Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular suicide location in the world. The bodies decompose in water. Jogging and athletic-type shoes, containing far lighter materials (many recently developed for a “springy” feeling while jogging) than in alternative styles, float once the joint rots away. These parts, caught in the whipping currents, are then swept out of the bay and northward toward BC and the northern Cascades.
Far-fetched, but possible? I know they tied one of the feet to a plane crash three years ago in the region, but others can’t be tied to the area at all.
this story was on the tv series ‘wierd or what’ it was the water current thats why they all ended up roughly in the same place, the current of the water is from a bridge where many people commint suicide, other body part have come off the bodys but if you think about it trainer/running shoes float, all the shoes that have been discoverd were trainers
Now you don’t.
I live in Grimsby in the UK, and recently two unrelated feet have washed up on shore. I’ts very very odd.
Any reason for this phenomenon? It is quite straightforward.
When bodies that have been drowned sink they continue to decay and the action of bacteria causes them to bloat and if the volume of gas due to decay is sufficient the corpse may rise.Trapped corpses cannot rise and the decayed flesh gradually falls away leaving a fully flayed skeleton except for tightly bound areas such as feet inside shoes or trainers.
Wave action or earthquake ulitmately dislodges the skeleton and the rubberised soles of shoes causes flotation to the surface and ultimately drift onto beaches.
It is no mystery.