| Champ |
| Copyright Sandra Mansi |
| Champ, or Champy, is the name given to a reputed lake monster living in Lake Champlain. The creature's existence has never been authoritatively documented. While most authorities regard Champy as legend, some believe it is possible such a giant creature does live deep in the lake. The state government of Vermont has put Champ on its Endangered Species List, so that if such an animal does exist, it would be protected by law. New York state has a similar law, too. Lake Champlain is a 125-mile long body of fresh water that is shared by New York and Vermont and just a few miles into Quebec, Canada. Champ is highly revered by many in the area and has become a revenue-generating attraction. According to some sources, the first European account of Champ was made in 1609 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain—the founder of Québec and the lake's namesake—who spotted the creature as he was fighting the Iroquois on the bank of the lake. However, a leading authority calls that claim a fabrication. Champlain's actual account describes a large native fish that most likely was a gar, rather than the "20-foot serpent thick as a barrel, and a head like a horse," as described in recently embellished retellings. Long before that, however, two Native American tribes, the Iroquois and the Abenaki, talked of such a creature and celebrated its existence. The Abenaki gave it the name "Tatoskok." Sightings varied over the years, but the next most important sighting came in 1883 when Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney claimed that he had seen a “…gigantic water serpent about 50 yards away” from where he was on the shore. Since that report, there have been more than 240 recorded sightings. Some scientists believe that Champ may be a plesiosaur, like “Nessie” is, because the two lakes have much in common. For example, like Loch Ness, Lake Champlain is over 300 feet deep. Also both lakes were formed following the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago and both lakes support fish populations large enough to feed a supposed sea or lake monster. Excerpts Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA |
Here are a few of the more common Champ sightings:
1819: Bulwagga Bay, Port Henry, NY
1871: Horseshoe Bay, riders of the steamship Curlew claimed to see a head and long
neck that created quite a wake.
1870: Charlotte, Vermont, a full steamboat spotted Champ
1873: Dresden, New York, another steamboat full spotted Champ
1883: Local Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney spots a gigantic water serpent
1945: In the middle of the lake the creature was spotted by the famous S.S. Ticonderoga
1954: A 14 inch reptile was trapped in Shelburne Bay, possibly a baby…
1977: The Mansi photograph was taken by Sandra Mansi, a tourist from Connecticut, with
her Kodak Instamatic, of what she called a dinosaur. This has become the most famous
piece of evidence—featured nationally in Time Magazine and the New York Times among
others.
1984: Off Appletree Point, Vermont. 86 passengers aboard the Ethan Allen spotted 3 to 5
“humps” which disappeared after about 3 minutes due to the approach of a speed boat.
1993: Button Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh, Vermont. A baby Champ reportedly swam
between two women bathers.
1995: Dennis Hall of Champ Quest recorded Champ on video.
2005: An unidentified, underwater creature caught on video by fishermen Dick Affolter and
his stepson Pete Bodette.
1819: Bulwagga Bay, Port Henry, NY
1871: Horseshoe Bay, riders of the steamship Curlew claimed to see a head and long
neck that created quite a wake.
1870: Charlotte, Vermont, a full steamboat spotted Champ
1873: Dresden, New York, another steamboat full spotted Champ
1883: Local Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney spots a gigantic water serpent
1945: In the middle of the lake the creature was spotted by the famous S.S. Ticonderoga
1954: A 14 inch reptile was trapped in Shelburne Bay, possibly a baby…
1977: The Mansi photograph was taken by Sandra Mansi, a tourist from Connecticut, with
her Kodak Instamatic, of what she called a dinosaur. This has become the most famous
piece of evidence—featured nationally in Time Magazine and the New York Times among
others.
1984: Off Appletree Point, Vermont. 86 passengers aboard the Ethan Allen spotted 3 to 5
“humps” which disappeared after about 3 minutes due to the approach of a speed boat.
1993: Button Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh, Vermont. A baby Champ reportedly swam
between two women bathers.
1995: Dennis Hall of Champ Quest recorded Champ on video.
2005: An unidentified, underwater creature caught on video by fishermen Dick Affolter and
his stepson Pete Bodette.
Here are a couple of screen shots from the Champ video that aired on ABCs Good Morning America. It was taken in the
summer of 2005 by fishermen Dick Affolter and his stepson Pete Bodette.
In the video, it shows what some say appears to be a serpentine shape moving at or just below the surface of the water.
summer of 2005 by fishermen Dick Affolter and his stepson Pete Bodette.
In the video, it shows what some say appears to be a serpentine shape moving at or just below the surface of the water.
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