Live Pterosaur Media Center Live Pterosaur Media Center Home American Jonathan Whitcomb  interviewed natives on Umboi David Mokay The two natives were fishing one night, over a reef near Umboi Island,  Papua New Guinea. The local magistrate, Peter Luke, and a leader in the  village of Opai, David Mokay, were using an “underwater torch,” what  Americans call a “waterproof flashlight,” to catch fish.  The second edition of the nonfiction book Searching for Ropens says:  “Moke [Mokay] told me that this waterproof flashlight can ‘put them to  sleep.’ Moonless at 11:00 p.m., close to the reef, between Bunsil Station  and Opai Beach, as [Mokay] was paddling the canoe and Luke was  diving, without warning or sound, the sea was lit up with a brilliant light.  [Mokay] was shocked, as the trees on the shore were illuminated ‘just like  daybreak.’ (I believe he meant that the trees appeared as they do at sunrise  rather than at night.) The light source was unseen. After about five  seconds, it gradually became dimmer until all was again dark. The  significance of the “five seconds” became obvious when I spoke with  another eyewitness, a few days later, and with another American explorer,  a few weeks later: This ropen flashes brightly for only about five to six  seconds.”   This may be related to the flying lights observed by the British biologist  Evelyn Cheesman, in the 1930’s, on the mainland of New Guinea. She  wrote about her observations and analysis in her book The Two Roads of  Papua (published in 1935 by Jarrolds of London):  “While at Mondo I witnessed a most curious phenomenon which I could  not understand; nor could I later hit upon any satisfactory explanation for  it. . . . It was rather a slow flash . . . in a moment it came again, and this  time I counted; yes, about four or five seconds. . . .  flashes continued at  intervals. It was a most intriguing mystery because by no possibility could  there be human beings out there using flash-lamps at intervals.”                                                          ### Other Online Resources Mount Bel, Umboi Island Gideon Koro interview Wesley Koro interview This is Mount Bel just hours after two men witnessed the ropen light fly just above the mountain’s tree canopy the previous night. Whitcomb’s interpreter, Luke Paina, and a   local leader, Mark Kau, saw the ropen fly across the mountain for a few seconds.  Orang Bati of Seram Island Destination Truth, Ropen Episode David Mokay (or “Moke”), with two sons, as he was being interviewed near Gomlongon Village, in 2004, by cryptozoologist Jonathan Whitcomb The opinions expressed are those of Jonathan  David Whitcomb. Media professionals may  use these paragraphs in whole or in part for  news distribution. All of the images on this  page may also be used by the news media.