Haunted Cosmos: "UFOs and Cryptid Shapeshifters!"

Podcast: Haunted Cosmos
Episode: Graveyard Shift #4
Hosts: Ben Garrett (A), Brian Sauvé (C)
Guest: Connor (B)
Date: October 22, 2025
Main Theme: Exploring a firsthand encounter on a California beach involving UFOs, cryptid shapeshifters, drum circles, and deep cosmic weirdness—a “Skinwalker Ranch in 10 minutes” experience.

Episode Overview

The hosts of Haunted Cosmos are joined by Connor, who shares a surreal and terrifying personal story from a 2017 night at a San Diego beach. The tale encapsulates a series of bizarre phenomena—glowing orbs/UFOs, mysterious drumming, a shapeshifting creature, and an eerie old woman—explored with Skeptical humor, theological speculation, and references to legendary paranormal lore like Skinwalker Ranch.

Key Discussion Points & Structure

1. Setting the Scene ([07:13])

• Connor’s Background: 19 years old at the time, spiritual (not yet Christian), dating his now-wife.
• Location: Secluded San Diego beach at sunset, alone with his girlfriend.
• Atmosphere: “Cool fall evening… the waves gently laughed at our feet… we remained talking the night away, alone on the beach, without a care in the world.” (B, [07:13])

2. First Phenomenon: The Orbs ([07:38]–[08:55])

• Observation:
  • Noticed a “pale blue light gently moved at a great distance” on the horizon ([08:11]).
  • Initially assumed to be a ship, then the light rose into the sky and split “like replicating cells, one into two, and then quickly, four.”
• Flight Behavior:
  • The orbs floated lazily, then began moving in a coordinated figure-eight pattern, increasing in speed and intensity.

“Five or so minutes went by and that distant ship appeared to be doing the impossible, lifting out of the water as it rose into the dark night sky. The single light split almost like replicating cells... one into two, and then quickly, four.” (B, [08:36])

3. Second Phenomenon: The Drumming in the Cave ([09:00])

• Discovery:
  • Heard “the distinct sound of drumming in a cave not 200 yards down the beach, illuminated by the warm flicker of a fire.”
  • Assumed to be a “hippie drum circle.”
• Correlation:
  • Drumming seemed to synchronize with the intensity/movement of the orbs.

“Around this time, another abnormality came to our attention, the distinct sound of drumming in a cave not 200 yards down the beach, illuminated by the warm glow and flicker of a fire.” (B, [09:00])
“The faster they’re drumming, the harder the lights are going and their little formations.” (B, [19:29])

4. Escalation: Dread, The Helicopter Sound, and The Creature ([09:40]–[10:55])

• Leaving:
  • Grew uneasy, decided to leave.
• Audio Phenomenon:
  • Heard an overwhelming “reverberating whooshing of a helicopter… from all angles… until we could not even hear one another’s shouting.” ([10:07])
  • No visible helicopter; the sound was enveloping and unexplained.
• The Cryptid:
  • Saw “a large, quadrupedal creature with a sharp pointed face that came galloping out of the surf… only a silhouette and for a moment.”

“[A] sound that could only be likened to a reverberating whooshing of a helicopter enveloped us from all directions… It was at this climactic time when I saw what still sends shivers down my spine to this day. It could only be described as a large, quadrupedal creature with a sharp pointed face that came galloping out of the surf.” (B, [10:54])

5. The Shapeshifter: The Old Woman ([11:00])

• Appearance:
  • Immediately after the creature vanished, an “old lady with an empty appearance” was sitting atop the stairs leading off the beach—seemingly having manifested instantly.
  • The group had not seen her before, and her presence felt deeply unsettling.

“A transient-looking old lady with an empty appearance sat coldly staring into the distance. She was not there before—we were sure of it.” (B, [11:05])

6. Aftermath and Analysis ([11:19] onward)

• Connor and his girlfriend race to their car, saturated with ‘a deep feeling of dread,’ and flee.
• Speculation/Deconstruction:
  • Hosts connect the events to Skinwalker Ranch stories: drumming, orbs, shapeshifters, portals.
  • Theorize about the “Shetland pony from hell” (creature)—morphing into the old woman.
  • Suggest a possible demonic origin; link to “hybrid seed” and “watcher” mythos in abduction lore.

“My meta theory is that the lights were, of course, demonic orbs, as we all know. And the… horse demon thing that ran out of the ocean… was in fact the Shetland pony from hell. And then it changed into the old woman.” (A, [21:10])

• Comparative Lore:
  • Reference to NIDS era at Skinwalker Ranch, where portals and inhuman creatures emerged ([30:13]–[31:12]).
  • Tie in to Orfeo Angelucci’s orb/splitting/manifestation encounter ([19:46]–[20:09]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Vivid Storytelling

• “We… sat on a beach in San Diego watching the sunset… as we gazed into the sky and the waves gently laughed at our feet, we began to notice an abnormality at the horizon.” (B, [07:17])
• “The single light split almost like replicating cells, one into two, and then quickly, four.” (B, [08:40])
• “It could only be described as a large, quadrupedal creature with a sharp pointed face that came galloping out of the surf.” (B, [10:54])
• “A transient looking old lady with an empty appearance sat coldly staring into the distance.” (B, [11:05])
• “A deep feeling of dread saturated my being to my bones.” (B, [11:15])

Comic Banter

• “The horse demon thing that ran out of the ocean was in fact the Shetland pony from hell. Then it changed into… he has shockingly clammy hands.” (A, [36:36])
• “10 out of five comments… Only men [can comment on Connor’s handsomeness]… but say ‘no homo’ though. Well it’s implied.” (A/C, [02:34])
• “If you’re a drummer, then, like, you need to repent.” (A, [33:48])

Listener Engagement

• “Listeners, it’s understated. We spent about five minutes before we started recording talking about how good of a glute muscle Connor has…” (A, [02:13])

Contrasts & Connections to Paranormal Lore

• “There’s a lot of Skinwalker Ranch adjacency…drumming, lights in the sky—a symbiotic thing where they’re like… the faster they’re drumming, the harder the lights are going and their little formations.” (A/B, [18:08]–[19:33])
• “You never saw anyone in the cave, did you?” “No.” (A/B, [32:47])
• “Sound really does have a way of tapping into things that we’re unfamiliar with… somehow it attracts the UFOs, and somehow a portal opens under the water.” (A, [33:07])

Deep Dives & Analysis

Morphology of the Cryptid

• Creature Description: “Bigger than a dog, smaller than a horse… head like a traffic cone.” (B, [22:45])
• Shapeshifting Hypothesis: “So is that the speculation, that the Shetland pony became the old woman?” (A, [23:39])
  • “I did not [see anyone]. And she’s just there.” (B, [23:55])

UFO, UAP & Paranormal Overlap

• Swarming Drones Dismissed: “Drones existed [in 2017]… but you’d be spending a ton of money to put together multiple drones in a swarm. That happens.” (C, [12:27])
• Shape-shifting UAPs: “There are some UAP encounters that take on the shape of known craft but don’t do the right thing… like helicopter ones that are not helicopters. They don’t have rotors; they just fly like a spaceship.” (C, [27:35])

Personal Impact and Aftereffects

• Connor’s wife has had “a lot of weird poltergeist activity” (B, [35:01])
• The story left Connor and his girlfriend “with dread [saturating] my being to my bones.” ([11:15])

Important Timestamps

• Connor begins his detailed story: [07:13]
• Orbs’ behavior described: [08:36]
• Cave drumming noticed: [09:00]
• Helicopter sound & creature appears: [10:07]–[10:54]
• Old woman manifests: [11:05]
• Hosts analyze Skinwalker Ranch themes: [18:08]–[19:33], [30:13]–[31:12]
• Discussion of connections to other UFO/cryptid cases: [19:46], [30:13]
• Connor’s description of the creature: [22:45]
• Theorizing about the unifying theory: [32:25]–[33:24]

Tone and Style

• Hosts and guest are irreverent, skeptical, and often humorous.
  • Frequent jokes about “clammy hands” and “glute muscles”
  • Playful ribbing and speculation; blending pop culture, theology, and paranormal
• Language is casual, at times intentionally absurd or hyperbolic
  • “The Shetland pony from hell”
  • “Demons in your investment portfolio?”
  • “If you’re a drummer, you need to repent.”

Conclusion

This Graveyard Shift episode of Haunted Cosmos delivers exactly what the title promises: a whirlwind encounter with the weirdest edges of the supernatural, analyzed with good-natured skepticism and giddy curiosity. The story itself is a rare synthesis of UFO, cryptid, shapeshifter, and ritual lore—told with memorable clarity and then dissected in a gregarious, community-inviting style.

Most Memorable Quote

“It could only be described as a large, quadrupedal creature with a sharp pointed face that came galloping out of the surf… As I looked back in terror, it was gone and a new character appeared. A transient-looking old lady with an empty appearance sat coldly staring into the distance. She was not there before—we were sure of it.”
— Connor ([10:54]–[11:05])

For Further Engagement

• Listeners are invited to submit their own stories (stories@hauntedcosmos.com).
• Patreon members get early/ad-free access to future Graveyard Shift episodes and season previews.

Note: This summary skips all advertisements and non-content sections to deliver a focused, richly-detailed account of the episode’s substance.