The Weird Week in Review

Whale Takes Australian Couple On Wild Boat Ride

Glenn Wilson and Nerida Higgins were enjoying a cruise on their yacht off the coast of Queensland, Australia, when a humpback whale grabbed their anchor rope and took off, dragging the boat behind it. The ride lasted 15 minutes, then a second humpback whale took over the rope and dragged the boat. That's when the couple decided to cut the anchor line. They had already called the coast guard and emergency services, but the strange story was so unbelievable that authorities thought they were drunk. However, Higgins captured the adventure on video.

Seattle Superhero Phoenix Jones Arrested

The masked man known around Seattle as "superhero" Phoenix Jones was arrested Sunday morning for assault. Ben Fodor, a secret identity that was first revealed only after the arrest, is charged with pepper-spraying a group of people leaving a nightclub. Fodor says he used the pepper spray to break up a fight. The 23-year-old is out on bail, and formal charges have not been filed -yet. Other real world superheroes said Phoenix Jones has a history of going too far as a civilian crime fighter.

"I felt it was a long time coming, and sadly," said a man who, by day, is a Seattle-area consultant, by night, a Real Life Superhero calling himself Mr. Ravenblade. "I don't have anything against [Fodor], but he's done a lot of things that are against the core guidelines of the community and superhero status."

Fodor says he will resume his nighttime patrols in Seattle.

Marathon Runner Rides the Bus Into Third Place

Rob Sloan ran in the Salomon Kielder Marathon in Kielder, Northumberland, England, last Sunday. Or, around 20 miles of the 26.2 mile race. That's where he quit and boarded a bus. As the bus approached the finish line, Sloan decided to rejoin the race, and won a third-place medal. However, the next few racers wondered why they never saw Sloan pass them. A day later, Sloan admitted that he had quit the race, and the third place award then went to Steven Cairns of Peebles, Scotland, who ran all 26 miles.

Saddam Hussein Look-alike Says He Was Kidnapped by Porn Gang

Mohamed Bishr of Alexandria, Egypt, bears a striking resemblance to erstwhile Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Bishr told a local newspaper that after turning down a $330,000 offer to star as Hussein in a porn video, he received threatening phone calls urging him to accept the offer. Then on Sunday, Bishr said, three men abducted him with the intent to force his participation. The plot fell apart when the three men began arguing. They then threw Bishr out of the vehicle he was held in. Bishr told his story from a hospital, where he is recovering from the injuries he sustained as he was tossed from the van.

Smugglers Use Honeybees as Defense

Police stopped a truck suspected of containing smuggled cigarettes in Adana, Turkey. The truck was loaded with beehives. When confronted, the suspects released a swarm of bees which attacked the officers. Officials in beekeeping gear were summoned, and they found 32,500 packs of contraband cigarettes among the beehives in the truck. Three men were arrested: the truck driver and two beekeepers who accompanied him.

9 Men Rescue Moose Trapped In Pool

George Trapotsis of Manchester, New Hampshire found a bull moose in his backyard pool Friday night.

“This train-like noise came through the fence and dove right into the pool,” said Trapotsis.

The moose fell right through the pool cover, according to Trapotsis. "He tore the cover, got entangled and just couldn't move," Trapotsis said. Trapotsis said his first concern was keeping the animal alive and freeing it from the cover.

At about midnight the rescue of the moose was underway. With a rope attached to the moose, nine men pulled the animal out of the water.

“I didn’t get trained on how to do this, that’s for sure,” said Jack Pushee of New Hampshire Fish and Game. “There’s a first for everything.”

The moose then wandered off into the woods, apparently unharmed.

Family Lost In Corn Maze Calls 911

An unnamed family became disoriented while wandering a corn maze in Danvers, Massachusetts, and called 911 for help when skies began to darken. The couple said their young son was getting upset and they were worried about their newborn baby as well. Officers responded to the Connors Farm and found the family within minutes. They were about 25 feet from the maze exit. The owner of the farm says this has never happened before, as visitors who become lost normally push their way through the corn toward the sounds coming from the nearby highway. He offered the family free tickets for a return visit, which they declined.