Gulf Breeze

Event Summary

The Gulf Breeze UFO incident began on November 11, 1987, in the small town of Gulf Breeze, Florida. The primary witness, Ed Walters, was a local contractor who claimed to have observed a bluish-gray glowing craft outside his home. This sighting happened while he was working in his home office. Walters described the craft as hovering about 200 feet above the ground, emitting a bright light that illuminated the area.

Walters quickly retrieved his Polaroid camera and managed to take several photographs of the object. These photos captured a distinct, disc-shaped craft with a metallic sheen. The craft had what appeared to be portholes along its sides and emitted a beam of light. This initial sighting was just the beginning of what would become a series of encounters with the mysterious object.

Subsequent Sightings and Encounters
In the months following the initial sighting, Walters reported multiple encounters with the UFO. He claimed that the craft would frequently return to his property, sometimes hovering silently and other times emitting a low humming noise. On one notable occasion, Walters reported being immobilized by a blue beam of light from the craft, which lifted him several feet off the ground. He described the sensation as being paralyzed and unable to move.

Walters also claimed to have experienced telepathic communication with the beings aboard the craft. He stated that they spoke to him in English and Spanish, conveying messages about their presence and intentions. According to Walters, the beings expressed a benign interest in humanity and were concerned about environmental issues on Earth.

Photographic Evidence and Media Coverage
The photographs taken by Walters quickly became a focal point of the Gulf Breeze incident. He provided these photos to the Gulf Breeze Sentinel, a local newspaper, which published them. The photos showed a clear, metallic disc-shaped object with a beam of light projecting from its underside. The images sparked widespread interest and debate, drawing the attention of both UFO enthusiasts and skeptics.

The media coverage of the incident was extensive. Newspapers, television stations, and UFO researchers descended on Gulf Breeze to investigate and interview Walters. The incident became a national sensation, with many people eager to learn more about the mysterious craft and its implications.

Investigation and Skepticism
The Gulf Breeze UFO incident attracted significant scrutiny and skepticism. Craig Myers, a reporter for the Pensacola News Journal, conducted a thorough investigation into Walters' claims. Myers criticized the Gulf Breeze Sentinel for its uncritical coverage and suggested that the photos were a hoax. In 1990, new owners of Walters' former home discovered a styrofoam model UFO in the attic, which closely resembled the object in the photographs. This discovery fueled the controversy, with many skeptics asserting that Walters had faked the photos using the model.

Despite the skepticism, Walters maintained that he was telling the truth. He claimed that the model UFO was planted in his attic by someone else to discredit him. Walters underwent a polygraph test in February 1988, which concluded that he believed his photos were real. However, the polygraph results did little to settle the debate, as opinions remained divided.

Support from UFO Researchers
Not all experts dismissed Walters' claims. Bruce Maccabee, a physicist and noted UFO researcher, analyzed the photographs and found no evidence of tampering. Maccabee became one of Walters' most vocal supporters, defending the authenticity of the images and the credibility of the witness. He argued that the level of detail and consistency in Walters' accounts suggested a genuine experience.

Maccabee's support lent some credibility to the Gulf Breeze sightings within the UFO research community. He wrote numerous research papers on the incident and continued to advocate for a serious investigation into Walters' claims.

Event Details