Ogopogo

The Ogopogo is a mysterious, serpentine creature that has captivated the waters of British Columbia's Okanagan Lake for centuries. The legend of this creature dates back to the indigenous people, who called it N'ha-a-itk, meaning "devil of the lake." In 1974, Beryl Clark, while swimming in the lake, had an unusual encounter with this creature, which she described as 7.5 to 9 meters long, with smooth, dark gray skin and a distinctive tail resembling a whale's fin.

The Ogopogo is a serpentine creature that has been sighted in the waters of Okanagan Lake for centuries. It is arguably the most famous of all freshwater serpentine monsters. In July 1974, Beryl Clark, a resident of Canada, decided to go swimming in Okanagan Lake in British Columbia. Suddenly, something large brushed against her legs. When she turned to see what it was, she saw a large creature swimming away to the middle of the lake. She assumed it must have been some kind of whale, only exceptionally long and serpentine. Beryl estimated the creature to be approximately 7.5 to 9 meters long and about a meter in diameter. It swam in a writhing motion in a vertical plane. A section of its back, approximately five meters long, rhythmically rose above the surface. The creature had smooth, dark gray skin, covered with lighter spots. The spots were more densely distributed towards the tail. The tail itself resembled a whale's tail—a horizontal fin was clearly visible. The animal swam at a speed of about 5-8 km/h, moving just beneath the surface. Beryl is certain it was neither fish nor reptile. The creature looked and behaved like a whale, but its movements were unlike any known cetacean. Ogopogo was called N'ha-a-itk in the Native American language, meaning "lake devil." According to their legends, it lived in a cave on the so-called "Storm Hill" on Ogopogo Island, located in the middle of the lake. The Native Americans would bring gifts of small forest animals there by canoe to curry its favor.