Ogopogo: Canada's Loch Ness Monster

From Live Science

Scotland's Loch Ness may have the fame as far as lake monsters go, but for many monster searchers (often dubbed cryptozoologists), Ogopogo — a creature said to lurk in Canada's Lake Okanagan — is the most likely and best documented of all lake monsters.

For cryptozoologists like John Kirk of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, "The catalogue of films and video of Ogopogo are more numerous and of better quality than anything I have personally seen at Loch Ness and I believe that several of them are very persuasive that a large, living, unknown creature inhabits the lake."

Early Indian legends

There are dozens of reputed lake monsters around the world, but what makes Ogopogo especially interesting is its previous incarnation, according to legend, as a bloodthirsty killer. Ogopogo, some believe, has its roots in native Canadian Indian legends of a beast called N'ha-a-itk (also spelled Naitaka) that would demand a live sacrifice from travelers for safe passage across Lake Okanagan. Hundreds of years ago, whenever Indians would venture into the lake, they brought chickens or other small animals to kill and drop into the water to assure a safe journey.

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Where did Ogopogo go?

Ogopogo sightings were once a regular feature of our long hot Okanagan summers. The elusive creature was usually seen in July or August, especially during the now-defunct, Kelowna International Regatta.

Sightings were often near Rattlesnake Island across from Peachland, or around Bear Creek Provincial Park, on the west side of Okanagan Lake, or even in the vicinity of the regatta itself.

Residents may recall film crews arriving from Japan, and Germany and The History Channel, as well as the BBC, who said Prince Charles was among the curious.

Some arrived with elaborate viewing platforms, expensive sonar devices, high-powered lighting, submersibles, divers, and elaborate camera equipment in an attempt to capture or even photograph the elusive creature. Most made good television viewing but there was little, if any, scientific merit to their findings.

And then, there was the time when a million-dollar reward was offered for the capture of it. was it a mammal? a prehistoric remnant? or a creature from a parallel universe? The hunt became so aggressive that Kelowna City Council requested the Ministry of the Environment declare the "world famous Ogopogo" an endangered species, though no one was quite sure this was possible for there was really no proof the creature actually existed.

But lately - other than the much-photographed friendly green monster at the foot of Bernard Avenue, we rarely hear about our lake monster. Most YouTube footage stops around 2006, and a more recent posting doesn't add any convincing new evidence.

It wasn't always so - and the creature wasn't always called Ogopogo. Evolving from the legends of the original Okanagan peoples, N'ha-a-tik was a much-revered though much-feared lake monster. It was said to be the embodiment of an evil wanderer who had murdered a kindly old man and been punished for doing so by being forced to remain near the scene of the crime for all eternity.

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Ogopogo Caught On Tape!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Youtube

Vancouver native Richard Huls (no he's not a relative) got more than he bargained for this past weekend when he visited a winery on the shores of British Columbia's lake Lake Okanagan. Besides enjoying a little wine tasting he also managed to spot and film the lakes most famous and mysterious resident Ogopogo or Canada's Loch Ness Monster.

“It was not going with the waves," He told the Vancouver Sun. “It was not a wave, obviously, just a darker color. The size and the fact that they were not parallel with the waves made me think it had to be something else.”

Did Huls video a monster or just waves? You make the call:



History:

Ogopogo or Naitaka (Salish: n'ha-a-itk, "lake demon") is the name given to a cryptid lake monster reported to live in Okanagan Lake, in British Columbia, Canada. Ogopogo has been allegedly seen by First Nations people since the 19th century. The most common description of Ogopogo is a forty- to fifty-foot-long (12 to 15 m) sea serpent. It has supposedly been photographed and caught on tape.

In 1926 a sighting is claimed to have occurred at an Okanagan Mission beach. This event was supposedly witnessed by about thirty cars of people who all claimed to have seen the same thing. In 1968 Art Folden filmed what is claimed to be footage of the alleged creature, showing a large wake moving across the water. A computer analysis of the footage concluded it was a solid, three-dimensional object.

British cryptozoologist Karl Shuker has categorized the Ogopogo as a 'many hump' variety of lake monster, and suggested it may be a kind of primitive serpentine whale such as Basilosaurus. However, because the physical evidence for the beast is limited to unclear photographs and film, it has also been suggested that the sightings are misidentifications of common animals, such as otters, and inanimate objects, such as floating logs.

Think that's cool? Check out this other rather anonymous video of a sea monster that has surfaced on Youtube:

Jim Wynorski Reveals His Ultra Cute Ogopogo From MONSTER CRUISE

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Jim Wynorski / Undead Brainspasm / Avery Guerra

I think everybody by now is very familier with the often-times offbeat work of film maker Jim Wynorski who has brought us such classics as the "Cloverfield" parody, "Cleavagefield." Which, as you probably guessed, is a film about big-breasted women, sometimes dressed and sometimes not, being chased around by some giant monster.

You either really like that kinda stuff, or you don't. I can only assume that if your reading MIN, you REALLY dig that kinda stuff.

But, enough about that.

For Wynorski's follow-up he has apparently changed gears, somewhat, opting to make a movie about hot women, near a lake, being chased around by a monster that is so cute it puts baby Godzilla to shame.

The monster in question, the famed cousin of Scotland's Nessie, the Ogopogo, the lake monster that reportedly inhabits lake Okanagan Lake, in British Columbia.

Damn that's one cute monster isn't it?!

The film, which actually wasn't filmed in Canada at all, but Lake Monroe, Indiana, stars Kayla Gill, Erin Neufer, Paul Wallace, Shay Dickerhoff, Gerard Pauwels, Stacey Dixon, Ervin Ross, Jim O’Rear, Hal Fryar (of Three Stooges fame), Jim Hardin, Vicky Richmond, Bill Cothron, Tammy Logsdon, Jason Smither, David DeSpain, Dennis Crosswhite and Rick Shedd.

Speaking of Indiana, as luck would have it, the film is set to premiere at this year's "B Movie Celebration" in Franklin, Indiana, on September 24-26.

Prepare to say "AWWWWW How Cute". Here are the promo images of Wynorski's adorable Ogopogo from "Monster Cruise":

See Also: B Movie Celebration 2010 Info! / Jim Wynorski Wants Everyone To Take A 'Monster Cruise' / The First Trailer For Jim Wynorski's 'Dinocroc vs. Supergator' / Special Effects Video Bonanza - Galactic Raiders - Dinocroc vs Supergator / Jim Wynorski Releases Images Of The Late David Carradine From 'Dinocroc vs. Supergator' / Dinocroc vs. Supergator - Let's Get Ready To Rumble! / Has Jim Wynorski Created The Fattest Movie Monster Of All Time? / Cleavagefield Special Effects Photos / B Movie Celebration Scores World Premiere Of Cleavagefield / The First Trailer For Cleavagefield / The First Image From Cleavagefield / A Brand New Promo Photo From Cleavagefield / Cleavagefield - Giant Monsters And Giant Breasts All In One Movie!

Jim Wynorski Wants Everyone To Take A 'Monster Cruise'

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Jim Wynorski / Undead Backbrain / Avery Guerra

Some time ago, a popular adult men's magazine would sponsor a yearly event called, "The Boobs Cruise", which as you may have guessed, was a tropical boat trip filled with big breasted women.

Now when you read the title of this article, and saw the name, Jim Wynorski, your eyes may have played tricks on you and you may have read, "Monster Boobs Cruise."

That was just your eyes playing tricks, this really is a monster movie.

Granted, since this is a Jim Wynorski monster movie, you can't swing a moose without hitting some eye-candy, so don't worry.

For the monster, Wynorski has chosen one of cryptozoology's lesser known stars, the Ogopogo, which, as many of you probably know, is Nessie's misguided Canadian cousin.

Likes hockey instead of soccer.....oh, um...football.

As of late, the film maker has been on a real monster kick. His last two films, "Cleavagefield" and "Dinocroc vs. Supergator", both featured giant monsters run amok. Though, "Cleavagefield" was more about big boobs than the monster.

Reportedly Wynorski has just wrapped production on "Monster Cruise", which couldn't have come any sooner for his cast and crew, who where trying to keep from freezing to death on the frozen tundra near Franklin Indiana.

The photos you see here are actually from location shots near Lake Monroe, Indiana, taken last September.

Speaking of cast, "Monster Cruise" stars Kayla Gill, Erin Neufer, Paul Wallace, Shay Dickerhoff, Gerard Pauwels, Stacey Dixon, Ervin Ross, Jim O’Rear, Hal Fryar, Jim Hardin, Vicky Richmond, Bill Cothron, Tammy Logsdon, Jason Smither, David DeSpain, Dennis Crosswhite and Rick Shedd.

You may recognize the name, Hal Fryar, if you are a big Three Stooges fan. Fryar appeared in the movie "The Outlaws Is Coming" (1965) and also had starring parts in "The Three Stooges Show" during the 1960s.

In true Wynorski form, the film maker is keeping the plot to this one under wraps until after it premiers, but he did describe it this way, “....a fun filled romp that tells the story of a boy, a boat and a sea monster”.

If you think that you have seen this monster before, well you kinda have. You see, Wynorski modeled it after his favorite movie monster, the Behemoth, from the 1959 film, "The Giant Behemoth."

Here are some shots of the Ogopogo, and the rest of the cast from "Monster Cruise":

See Also: A Special Effects Video Bonanza - Galactic Raiders - Dinocroc vs Supergator / Jim Wynorski Releases Images Of The Late David Carradine From 'Dinocroc vs. Supergator' / Dinocroc vs. Supergator - Let's Get Ready To Rumble! / Has Jim Wynorski Created The Fattest Movie Monster Of All Time? / Cleavagefield Special Effects Photos / B Movie Celebration Scores World Premiere Of Cleavagefield / The First Trailer For Cleavagefield / The First Image From Cleavagefield / A Brand New Promo Photo From Cleavagefield / Cleavagefield - Giant Monsters And Giant Breasts All In One Movie! / Another Bizarre Hollywood Death: David Carradine

The Top Ten Hottest Monsters Of 2009

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Hot on the heels of our now famous "Hottest Women of 2009" list, comes our other 'Hot' list, the rankings for the most popular monsters.

Granted pretty girls are great to look at, but can they destroy an entire city?....well, I think a couple of women on our list possibly could, but can they breathe fire?

Okay, I'm going to leave that one alone.

This blog is called Monster Island News after all, so it is only fitting that we push the eye candy aside for just a moment and get down to some real hardcore monster stuff.

Here is the list of the beasts that really scared the crap out of you in 2009.

Okay......not really scared ya, but the monsters that are close to all of our hearts.

10. MechaGodzilla

No new movies for this mechanical terror in 2009, but Monster Island News readers still love him non the less.

Let's see in 2009 the were a pair of shoes made by Puma inspired by the monster, and there was the news that Toho was renting out the MechaGodzilla costumes from "Godzilla X MechaGodzilla" 1993 and 2002 for anyone who had the cash.

Oh, and let us not forget Uncanny Studios little homemade film "Mothra X MechaGodzilla: Revenge of the Black Hole Aliens".

9. The Gryphon



Why is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle in our list?

I dunno.....no really, I don't.

There weren't any movies of TV shows made in 2009 featuring the beast, at least non that I know of. Yet, MIN readers spent a lot of time searching the site for articles about them.

Maybe they know something I don't?

Hey, you want Gryphons....I'll give ya Gryphons.

8. The Mummy

Once again, no new Mummy movies in 2009, though I did post a couple of profiles about the sexy "Mummy's Kiss" films, which starred a MIN favorite Christine Nguyen.

I rather believe that it is the timeless legend of Karloff that keeps this monster on our list than the sexy curves of Nguyen.

The Mummy films produced by Universal during the 30s and 40s are undoubtedly some of the genre's best films.

For that matter, the new films with Brendan Fraser aren't bad either.

7. Mothra

We would be labeled 'sexist' if there wasn't one female monster on our list.

This past August Sony finally released "Mothra" on DVD here in the United States as part of their "Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection" which also included both "The H-Man" and "Battle In Outer Space."

"Mothra" really is a triumph of Japanese sci fi cinema and a 'must see' for any film buff.

Let us also not forget that "Mothra" is just one a few monsters that can whip Godzilla's butt on any given day.

6. Frankenstein


You know, the monster really isn't called "Frankenstein", that's the name of the scientist who created him. The monster is really named.....well...The Monster. People have just gotten used to calling him "Frankenstein". Kinda like calling facial tissue "Kleenex" ......

Sorry.....

More to due with the legend that is Karloff.

Another classic monster from Universal's classic films.

5. Bigfoot

Ah, here we have a monster that is a little more 'timely'. 2009 was undoubtedly the year of the Bigfoot movie, with "Savage", "The Bloody Rage of Bigfoot", "Trailer Park Geocachers Meet Bigfoot", "The Shrieking", and "Boggy Creek" all going to production during the year.

Let's also not forget all the publicity the monster has been getting on shows like, "Destination Truth" and "Monster Quest."

Oh, and those damn beef jerky commercials.

Bigfoot really is starting to become cryptozooligy's version of Britney Spears.

Then there are the hundreds of people who report seeing the monster every year.

What a prima donna!

4. King Kong

Earlier this year it was announced that Spirit Pictures is planning to make a sequel to "Kong" based on Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland's illustrated novel, "Kong: King of Skull Island".

That certainly got the fans back interested in the great ape again.

It also doesn't hurt that the original "King Kong" was the inspiration for so many films that followed it, like "Godzilla", and also inspired a whole generation of film makers like Ray Harryhausen and Peter Jackson.

Kong is King...and forever will be.

3. The Creature (From The Black Lagoon)

A lot of stuff that had to do with the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" happened in 2009.

First off, the monster took a ride on the Trader Joe's float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

Then in July the "Creature from The Black Lagoon—A Raging Rockin’ Show" opened at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Yes, that's a "Creature From The Black Lagoon" musical.......still haven't worked up the guts to see that yet.

Also In July some proposed Creature designs by Vincent Guastini for the upcoming Universal remake were leaked. I have to admit that I approve of what I saw.

Speaking of the remake, earlier this month it was announced that Carl Erik Rinsch had been hired to direct the film. No major films on Rinsch's resume, but Ridley Scott wanted him to direct his new "Alien" film, so the guy must no his stuff.

Yes, a lot of Creature news in 2009!

2. Ogopogo

From this year's list it is obvious that MIN readers are really starting to get into cryptozoology and mythical creatures. Which is pretty cool, I think.

Way back in November of last year I wrote a story about how the crew from the "Monster Quest" television series had thought that they had found a baby Ogopogo while searching the depths of Okanagan Lake.

Well the episode in question aired in 2009, and the truth was revealed to the public.

No, they didn't find a baby Ogopogo....in fact, if memory serves....it was some sort of fish corpse.

Anyway, the legend of a monster in Okanagan is still just that, a legend.

1. Godzilla

Who in their right mind would want to tussle with 50 meters of rampaging, fire breathing, terror?

From the above photo.....three Japanese elementary school kids.

I'm certain that good old Godzilla was just playing with them before he ate them.

Then again, the Godzilla in the photo looks like the 'watered down' version from "Godzilla's Revenge", which probably means that he is looking the tykes over for a tail to step on so they can breathe fire like he does.

Unless you have been trapped on a deserted island or in a coma or something, then you know that Legendary Pictures is planning to make an American movie starring every ones favorite monster.

And I'm talking a bout the real Godzilla....not that GINO thing.

As far as an update is concerned, well, the thing is still in the very early stages, but my sources are really hinting that things are going in a 'positive' direction.

Read into that as you may, but I've been sworn to secrecy, so I can't say anything else.

Everybody loves Godzilla...even if they won't admit it to your face.

The greatest movie monster ever, loved all over the globe. Where else could he be ranked but number one!

Here is last year's list:

10. King Ghidorah 9. Mothra 8. MechaGodzilla 7. The Mummy 6. King Kong 5. Creature From The Black Lagoon 4. Frankenstein 3. Monster 2. Godzilla 1. Cloverfield

Has Monster Quest Found A Baby Ogopogo?

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Canada.com / Avery Guerra

Is it possible that the crew of the popular television series, "Monster Quest", has actually found a real monster?

The production team for "Monster Quest" has just completed a nine day location shoot at Okanagan Lake, the home of Canada's own version of the "Loch Ness Monster", known as Ogopogo.

The crew went as far to mount a thermal infrared imaging camera on a helicopter and fly over the lake. It picked up an unidentified shadow on the water, while sonar spotted something over three metres long moving in the depths.

Now, that is some really good evidence that there may be some sort of living dinosaur in Okanagan Lake, but the real "pay-off' came when divers discovered a strange specimen in an underwater cave.

The History Channel, which produces the "Monster Quest" program, had tried very hard to keep their crew's discovery a secret, but it soon leaked out that the team had possibly discovered a baby Ogopogo.

That's right! A real live living lake monster.......possibly.

The specimen has been shipped off to the University of Guelph in Ontario for DNA tests, and presently nobody has been willing to go as far to label it a genuine discovery.

Bill Steciuk, a monster hunter who aided the television crew, got a chance to see the mysterious find and described it like this, "It was all curled up. The features were really hard to see. You could see a little head tucked in and a straight tail with no fins. It's a huge mystery. We have no idea what it is."

"I couldn't recognize it," said Steciuk. "Nor could anyone else. Maybe a new species has been found."

Arlene Gaal, who has written three books on the legendary Ogopogo, was shown a photograph of the alleged baby monster. Her opinion of the evidence was a little more skeptical, "The Ogopogo is real, but I don't know what this is."

"I had my doubts when the crew presented me with their findings. It looked to me like a decomposing ling cod."

Whether the specimen is a decomposing fish or a genuine lake monster infant, it is certain that the folks over at the History Channel are going to keep a lid on the test results until the episode on Ogopogo airs in February.

It's better for ratings that way.

See Also: Monster Quest Is In Colorado Searching For Bigfoot / The Sci Fi Channel Travels Into The Unknown With Unexplained With George Noory This Month / Russian Soldiers Discover A Harry Monster On The Beach / A Mysterious Creature Washes Ashore In New London Connecticut