Sea Monsters

The sea serpent known as Ogopogo
has been reportedly seen over 200 times since
1700. It resides in Okanagan Lake in British
Columbia. Monster reports go as far back as the
indians that lived in the area, the Shushwap
Indians. They considered the lake to be haunted
by a giant snake like monster called Naitaka. Any
time the indians would travel across the lake, they
would throw in a chicken or other small animal to
appease the spirit. Failure to do so it was said,
would incur his wrath.

Many people report each year of their sightings,
and while they differ sometimes, they usually
describe Ogopogo in this way.. He is very long,
and streamlined, like a large snake. He moves
unlike a snake though in that he undulates
vertically, instead of side to side, always keeping
it's head resting atop the water.

Ogopogo is reminicent of another sea monster
seen in 1848. The very famous account of the
H.M.S. Daedalus tells of a snake like serpent near
Africa that was about 60 feet long, and passed
very near the ship. It moved very quickly, and
didn't even seem to notice the ship at all. It's
head and 'shoulders' were visible at all times, and
it moved on at a speed of about 15 miles an hour.

One of the most famous Sea Serpent legends,
belongs to Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

It is difficult to say whether or not this "monster"
truly exists. Many photos of her have surfaced
from time to time, and it is true that some are
fakes, but some are unexplained. What could that
figure in the water possibly be? Most of the
sightings have occured after the 1930's. And it
wasn't till then, that any "outsiders," (meaning
those not in the U.K.) spotted her. Never had
there been so many before. Possibly the sightings
craze was started by the invention of motion
pictures. Suddenly anything was possible, and
even the most skeptical would believe it if they
could see it.

I do not doubt that there are unusual creatures in
this world. Who knows, perhaps Nessie will be
found, and her claim to fame will be realized.

It is not unfathomable that some "undiscovered"
creatures exist in those dark, cold waters. The
posiblilities seem endless, when you take into
account the bredth of the human imagination. A
mere whale flipper, or a floating log can look
impossibly like that of a strange snake-like animal.
The Sea Serpent.

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