Beyond the Veil Magazine

The Ogopogo

Issue #44: August 1982

Okanagan Lake in British Columbia stretches more than eighty miles through wine country and orchards. Its waters are unusually warm for Canada, reaching temperatures that allow comfortable swimming.

Those same waters are home to Ogopogo, a creature that has been observed for centuries and continues to be seen today.

Native Traditions

The indigenous Syilx people knew the creature long before European contact. They called it N’ha-a-itk, meaning “lake demon” or “sacred creature of the water.”

Traditional accounts describe a serpentine being inhabiting the depths near Rattlesnake Island. The Syilx made offerings before crossing the lake, seeking protection from the creature’s power.

These were not casual legends. The tradition was deeply embedded in Syilx culture, suggesting repeated observations over generations.

Colonial Sightings

European settlers began reporting sightings in the mid-nineteenth century:

1872: Susan Allison, a settler’s wife, observed a creature matching traditional descriptions.

1914: A group on the shore observed a large, serpentine animal swimming near Kelowna.

1926: Over thirty cars stopped along the lakeshore to observe a creature moving through the water. Multiple witnesses provided consistent descriptions.

The name “Ogopogo” dates from the 1920s, coined in a music hall song. The playful name perhaps softened public perception of a phenomenon that earlier settlers had taken quite seriously.

Modern Observations

Sightings continue regularly:

1968: Art Folden filmed what appeared to be a large, swimming creature. The film shows a dark shape moving through the water, creating a distinct wake. The film has been analysed repeatedly without conclusive identification.

1976: Ed Fletcher photographed an object in the lake that shows what appears to be a rounded back breaking the surface.

1980s: Sightings continue regularly, with tourism officials estimating that reports average between ten and twenty per year, though many go unreported.

The witnesses include police officers, clergy, scientists, and businesspeople. They describe a creature consistent with accounts dating back centuries.

Description

Witnesses typically describe:

Length: Estimates range from fifteen to fifty feet, with most clustering around twenty-five to thirty feet.

Body: Serpentine or eel-like, with multiple humps visible above the water.

Head: Often described as horse-like or goat-like, with visible eyes.

Colour: Dark green, grey, or black.

Movement: Undulating, like a snake. Some witnesses report remarkable speed.

Behaviour: Generally shy, submerging when approached.

The Lake

Okanagan Lake is an appropriate habitat for a large aquatic creature:

• Over 80 miles long and up to 700 feet deep
• Warm surface temperatures allow extended periods of surface activity
• Rich in fish, providing abundant food
• Deep trenches and underwater caves could provide shelter
• Connected to other water systems through historical glacial channels

The lake is less explored than many believe. Its depths have never been systematically surveyed. Large areas remain unknown.

Scientific Attention

Unlike many cryptid claims, Ogopogo has attracted serious investigation:

Researchers have deployed sonar equipment, detecting large, moving objects that do not correspond to known fish species.

Underwater cameras have been placed at various depths, though no definitive footage has been obtained.

Biologists have analysed the lake’s ecology and confirmed it could support a population of large predators.

Some have proposed that Ogopogo should be granted protected status, an unusual step for an unconfirmed creature but one that would prevent harm to whatever inhabits the lake.

What Is Ogopogo?

Several theories attempt to explain the sightings:

Primitive Whale: A surviving population of basilosaurus or similar prehistoric cetacean. But whales are air-breathers; a resident population would be seen surfacing regularly.

Giant Sturgeon: The white sturgeon can reach twenty feet in length. But sturgeon do not have the humped, serpentine appearance witnesses describe.

Unknown Species: The most intriguing possibility is that Okanagan Lake harbours a species genuinely unknown to science, perhaps an unusually large eel or an undiscovered freshwater reptile.

The Mystery Endures

Ogopogo has been observed for at least 150 years, and indigenous traditions extend that history centuries further. The creature has been photographed, filmed, and witnessed by thousands.

Yet it remains unidentified. Science cannot confirm what so many have seen.

Perhaps Okanagan Lake holds secrets that will one day be revealed. Perhaps some mysteries are not meant to be solved. But for the Syilx people and for the modern residents of the Okanagan Valley, Ogopogo is not merely a legend.

It is a neighbour.

Readers with sightings of Ogopogo or other lake creatures are invited to contact our research department.