Saint John mythical sea creature inspires new TV series

The natural phenomenon known as the 'reversing falls' is one of Saint John's top tourist attractions. According to local lore, it's also home to a sea monster who lives underneath the swirling surface.

The creature is known as the "ug wug."

"It is said to be 30 metres long, half seal, half salmon, and it's said to have a tremendous appetite. It's said to live in the reversing falls of Saint John in the caves underneath where the current has come in and carved out these massive caverns," says Brian Finlay, founder of Drawn To It Studios.

A new TV series that will combine live-action with 3D animation, inspired by the legend of the 'ug wug', will soon take the small screen.

"The story is all about a little girl named Ariel, and she is on a summer vacation with her mother, and one day while she is beachcombing she just stumbles upon the ug wug through happenstance," says Finlay.

The series will star Brian's daughter, Ariel Finlay, as the main character, who forms a friendship with the ug wug.

"At first she was horrified basically and then she found out that her favourite food, like the ug wug's favourite food is jam sandwiches. So she lays out a trail of jam sandwiches for the ug wug to come out of the water so she can meet her," says Ariel Finlay.

Ariel says, in the show, her character and the ug wug can feel each other's emotions.

"So like she can feel what the ug wug feels, and the ug wug can feel what she feels," says Ariel.

It's up to Ariel to save the ug wug from a businessman who wants to capture it, so she puts it in an aquarium, and charges money for people to come see it.

But for those looking to get a glimpse of the creature in real life, Finlay says there is supposedly a ritual to summon it.

"You have to make sure on the ebb of the tide and the moon has to be full but you also have to have a full quart of moonshine -- that's very important," says Finlay.

Filming will begin this spring and the series will air on Bell Fibe TV One in November.