I’ve traveled all over Alaska, but this last trip took me to a place I’d never heard of until recently—a remote area near the coast that the locals avoid after dark. They call it the land of the Kushtaka, a creature they say is half-otter, half-man and known for luring travelers into the freezing water, never to be seen again. I wasn’t one for folklore, but after what I saw… let’s just say I’m a believer now.

It was late, and the fog had rolled in thick. I was making my way back to camp when I heard it—a haunting, high-pitched whistle cutting through the silence. At first, I thought it was another person, maybe a hunter or a guide trying to signal, but something about it was… off. I followed the sound down to the riverbank, and that’s when I saw it.

In the mist, standing ankle-deep in the water, was a figure. At first glance, it looked like an otter, but it was too large, standing upright, with fur that seemed to ripple and shift in the dim light. Its eyes glinted, catching my flashlight, and I could see a strange, almost human-like face with whiskers and small, sharp teeth. It was grinning.

The creature held my gaze, then let out another whistle, softer this time, like it was calling me. I took a step back, and that’s when it tilted its head and took a step forward, moving out of the water. It was as if it knew exactly what it was doing, trying to get me closer to the river’s edge. Every hair on my body stood on end, but I couldn’t look away.

Then, suddenly, it let out a shriek that echoed through the valley and dropped to all fours, slinking back into the water with barely a splash, vanishing beneath the surface. I didn’t stay to see if it would come back. Whatever that thing was, it wasn’t something I wanted to meet in the dark again.

If you’re ever up here and hear a whistle by the water, take my advice—don’t follow it. The Kushtaka is out there, and it’s not something you want to mess with.