Ogopogo

[Big Mike]

Scotland has the Lockness Monster. Canada (B.C.) has Ogopogo. Lucky me, I managed to snap a picture of him a few years back.

 

[photobug]

Incredible pic of this elusive creature. :thumbsup:

 

[craig]

Is that monster for real??? I want to catch him (yeah right). Post all details.

 

[Big Mike]

Over the years, many large unidentified sea creatures have washed up on ocean shores throughout the world. Certain fresh water bodies have also gained a reputation for containing sizable creatures often described as more prehistoric than anything else! The Lake Champlain monster is one example and of course "Nessie" of Scotland's Loch Ness is affectionately known around the world.

Canada's most famous water monster is Ogopogo of Lake Okanagan in the south central interior of British Columbia. Although Indian legends support a monster living in Okanagan Lake long before white men arrived in this country, Ogopogo is very much a present day phenomenon. Each year, sightings are reported of a creature some 20 to 50 feet long, with a horse shaped head and an undulating serpent like body! Okanagan Lake is about 80 miles long extending from Vernon at the north end to Penticton in the south with the fast growing city of Kelowna in the center. Sightings have been reported throughout the length of the lake but the monster appears to favour an area just south of Kelowna in waters near Peachland.


The first recorded sighting by a caucasion was by Mrs. John Allison in 1872 and such instances have continued to this day with many credible, rational and sober people becoming absolute believers. Indian folklore specifically places the lair of the lake monster which they called N'ha-a-itk, or lake demon, at a cave under Squally Point near Rattlesnake Island which is offshore from Peachland. The Indians would never paddle a canoe near this area without an offering because too often a storm would spring up and N'ha-a-itk would rise out of the waters to claim another life! When white settlers first came to this area in the mid 1800s, they were not superstitious but gradually changed their views with ongoing sightings of the monster. An early instance tells of two horses swimming behind a boat that were mysteriously pulled beneath the waves and the owner barely saving himself by cutting the rope attached to the horses! Today's sightings, often from modern power boats, indicate a much friendlier monster but still very large in size. It has been filmed a number of times but other than people agreeing there was something in the water, no absolute conclusions have been made. It is usually reported as dark blue, black or brown with a lighter underside. It can move with astounding speed but many sightings in calm weather have been made of the creature apparently feeding on either fish or aquatic weeds. People very close, between 50 and 100 feet, report seeing fins or feet on the animal.

A figment of the imagination you say? Not according to several authors who have investigated dozens of sightings over the years and interviewed many, many people. For more information, try the book "Ogopogo" by Arlene Gaal or "The Okanagan Mystery" by Mary Moon.

 

[craig]

Fascinating! Until now I have never heard of this creature. I am going to his web site.

 

[craig]

From http://www.seesya.com/sightings.htm

2000 - A marathon swimmer, Daryl Ellis, reported being accompanied for a short distance during his swim by two large creatures as he passed Rattlesnake Island. He described them as one being 6 - 9 meters (20 - 30 feet) long and the second being smaller. They followed him for quite awhile and then disappeared. When he swam near Okanagan Lake floating bridge in Kelowna, a creature with a large eye the size of a grapefruit came within 9 meters to get a close look at him."

We may be spending our next vacation at Okanagan lake.

 

[Big Mike]

You'd be hard pressed to find a better place to go houseboating. I have been houseboating a few times out of Sicamoose [sp].

The weather is usually very hot & sunny and the water is perfect. Not too mention the party atmosphere if you want it...and the serenity when your hung over

 

[vonnagy]

i remember that picture when you posted it while back, cool manipulation mate!

hrrmm.. don't think we have any critters like that in nz, other than the tuatara which a direct descendent of the dinosaurs and has a 'third' eye. I did here reports of a big hairy beast known as the corormandel man that is supposedly our version of bigfoot.