Lake Champlain Monster
Ranked #6,882 in Pets & Animals, #172,734 overall
The Legend of Champ, the Lake Champlain Monster
So who is Champ? Why can Lake Champlain reportedly support a sea creature? Who has sighted this sneaky serpent? All of this information and more as you read below.
Who is Champ, the Lake Champlain Monster?
Did you know there's a legend of a monster in Lake Champlain?
Champ is the legendary sea monster that reportedly lives in the 125-mile long Lake Champlain, to the West of the state of Vermont in the US.Champ may be an extinct creature who managed to survive due to environmental conditions, genetic mutation or natural selection. He could be a wave pushing dead trees to the surface of the water. He could just be a mystical creature that only exists in a few select lakes around the world. Whatever he is (or isn't), the people who live near Lake Champlain will continue to love him as their own.
Lake Champlain Monster Gifts
(Gifts OF Sea Monsters, Not FOR Sea Monsters)
Notable Lake Champlain Monster Sightings
From the Early Years to the Present
- 1Two Native American tribes, the Iroquois and the Abenaki, told stories of a creature that resembles Champ. They called him the "Tatoskok".
- 2It has been said that the legendary explorer Samuel de Champlain (who founded Quebec and Lake Champlain) reported a Champ sighting in the early 1600s. No real evidence that he recorded such a sighting has been found, however.
- 3An 1819 article reports a Lake Champlain monster sighting by a ship's captain.
- 4In the late1800's, the first official recorded sighting was documented. Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney recorded a sighting of a "gigantic water serpent about 50 yards away" from the shore. He described "round white spots inside its mouth" and claimed the creature was probably 25 or 30 feet long. This report came 50 years prior to the first Loch Ness sightings, and spurned a series of additional sighting reports.
- 5Somewhat famously, in the early 1900's, P.T. Barnum put a reward of $50,000 up for Champ's carcass. He wanted it for his famous World's Fair Show. Fortunately for Champ and for folklore, it was never captured.
- 6In 1873, a ship loaded with travelers was reported to have hit Champ and nearly capsized. One person reported seeing the head and neck of the monster 30 yards away after it happened. (Poor champ!)
Visit the Sea Monster Shop!
Books on the Lake Champlain Monster and Cryptozoology
(That's the study of animals that haven't been substantiated)
Megafauna
Very large animals.
If it's Not a Sea Monster in Lake Champlain, Then What?
Reasonings and Explainations to Debunk the Legend of the Lake Champlain Sea Monster
- 1A tree trunk or log floating in the water.
- 2A rotting tree in the process of decay rapidly rising to the top of the water would explain the churning reported.
- 3Scientists have discovered that both bodies of water have an underwater wave called a "seiche" that can cause debris to be thrown to the surface of the water.
Champy at Cafe Press
I Believe in Sea Monsters Mug
Do you or someone you know loves sea monsters? Do you believe in sea monsters or just hope that they really do exist? Here's a great design to show the world how much you love sea monsters and believe
Price:
15.00'
I Believe in Sea Monsters White T-Shirt
Do you or someone you know loves sea monsters? Do you believe in sea monsters or just hope that they really do exist? Here's a great design to show the world how much you love sea monsters and believe
Price:
24.00'
Champ Lives Journal
Lake Champlain Monster, Champ, lives! If you believe the sea monster Champ, or Champy, is alive and well, this is the design for you. For all of your sea monster believing friends and family.
Price:
11.00'
Champ Lives Women's Plus Size Scoop Neck Dark T-Sh
Lake Champlain Monster, Champ, lives! If you believe the sea monster Champ, or Champy, is alive and well, this is the design for you. For all of your sea monster believing friends and family.
Price:
36.00'
Champ Lives iPhone 3G Hard Case
Lake Champlain Monster, Champ, lives! If you believe the sea monster Champ, or Champy, is alive and well, this is the design for you. For all of your sea monster believing friends and family.
Price:
25.00'
Movies Filmed Near Lake Champlain
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Plesiosaur
Triassic period carnivorous aquatic reptile.
Plesiosaur Gifts
Mugs, Cards and Even Postage!
Foods from the Lake Champlain Region
New England is Famous for Gourmet Foods
Who IS the Lake Champlain Monster? Nessie's Cousin? Uncle?
How are the two related?
Well, we don't know how or if Champ is related to Nessie (the adorable name for the Loch Ness monster, we love sea monsters, don't we?) Some people believe that Champ is a plesiosaur, an extinct animal from the Triassic period. This is the same sort of animal that people believe Nessie to be. There are also speculations that the two lakes have striking similarities.Both lakes are over 400 meters deep, and both were formed by glaciers retreating. Supposedly, either lake has enough fishies and other marine life to feed a lake monster (if lake monsters eat what we suspect they do). So this begs the question...are there two sea monsters--or a population of sea monsters? We may never know.
If you Love Sea Monsters, you May Love:
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
Amazon Price: $0.01 (as of 06/02/2012)
Cryptozoology:
The study and search for animals who's existence has not yet been proven.
Does the Lake Champlain Monster Exist?
Champ or No Champ? Weigh in...
Do you believe in Champ?
Yes! Champy Rocks!
naturesfun says:
Very fun lens. I definitely believe in the unknown...
jptanabe says:
I think Champ is Nessie's cousin!
No. Champy Can't Be.
BlueStarling says:
My rational, logical mind says "No -- Champ is folklore." But I'd like to believe.
RealMonstrosity says:
I just don't be leave these things. I would've thought that gigantic lake monsters would evident, obvious and apparent, not mysterious and enigmatic. Is the idea that there are loads of them breeding like normal animals or is there a few of them that are practically immortal or something?
resabi says:
I'm going to say no, but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.
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What do you think of the Lake Champlain Monster?
Say it here! We love comments!
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BlueStarling
Aug 2, 2011 @ 7:36 pm | delete
- I think this legend is fun (and so is the lens). Humans love the idea of strange creatures that inhabiting the planet -- Big Foot is another one. It's as if we want there to be more for us to discover.
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RealMonstrosity
Jul 1, 2011 @ 2:13 pm | delete
- Thanks for this, I knew almost nothing about this monster!
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jptanabe
Jun 20, 2011 @ 11:44 am | delete
- I enjoyed reading more about Champ! Even though I live in New York State now I've never visited Lake Champlain - now it's on my list of places to visit.
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by avgsuperheroine
I'm Bonnie, the founder of Dramatically Correct. I'm a former costume designer who's volunteered in community theatre for over 17 years and have worked... more »
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The Vermont Monster Guide
The Vermont Monster Guide
Amazon Price: $11.25 (as of 06/01/2012)
The Green Mountain state is home to more winged wonders, wet weirdoes, and crypto creatures than any other state in the country. Wherever you are in Vermont--in town or country, river or lake, land or sky--you're never far from the unknown. Or the unexpected.
Lake Monster Mysteries
Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures
Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures
Amazon Price: $13.94 (as of 06/01/2012)
While the most famous lake monsters of Loch Ness and Lake Champlain have gained international notoriety, hundreds of lakes around the world are said to shelter these shadowy creatures. Lake Monster Mysteries is the first book to examine these widespread mysteries from a scientific perspective.
Champ and Me By the Maple Tree
Champ and Me By the Maple Tree (Shankman & O'Neill)
Amazon Price: $7.00 (as of 06/02/2012)
Champ is seen through the eyes of a likable tomboy, who sets out from her favorite spot by a maple tree and finds herself by the lakeshore. She meets Champ, who turns out to be a very kid-friendly monster.
