Champ
In Lake Champlain, people report a long, dark creature with a small head that rises from the water and slips away.
What was reported
Lake Champlain stretches between New York, Vermont and Quebec. Since the 19th century, people have reported a large animal in the lake, usually described as dark, with a long neck and a small head, and nicknamed Champ.
The best-known evidence is a photograph taken by Sandra Mansi in 1977, which seems to show a head and neck rising from the water. The lake communities have since adopted Champ as a mascot.
Explanations offered
Suggested explanations include floating logs, large lake sturgeon, otters or deer swimming, and waves. Studies of the Mansi photo have not settled what it shows, since the exact location and scale are unknown. No body or bones have been found.
- When
- Reported since the 1800s
- Where
- Lake Champlain, New York and Vermont, USA
- Witnesses
- Hundreds of people over the years
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.