COVID-19 social distancing walk and I’m out and about in the great city of Kelowna, British Columbia (BC). Whilst living up on Big White, a trip down to Kelowna would not be complete without taking the time to search for the legendary Ogopogo who reputedly resides in Okanagan Lake.
Lake Okanagan is about 400 kms east of Vancouver. The lake is 135 kms long and between 4 kms and 5 kms wide, with an average depth of 249 ft. Up to 800 ft deep in some places, ample space for a large creature.
I’ve long been fascinated by cryptozoology … intrigued with folkloric creatures with the likes of Loch Ness, Sasquatch, Chupacabra, Abominable Snowman, Kraken, Sea Serpents, The Mothman, Thunderbirds and Jersey Devil, just to name a few. And since I’m here, I definitely could not pass up the opportunity to search out Ogopogo. A few years ago I visited Toutes Aides, Manitoba (while I lived in Manitoba) in search of Manipogo -> you can check out that blog here.
It’s not really a monster, it’s a spirit of the lake and it protects this valley from one end to the other,” ~ Pat Raphael of the Westbank First Nation
What is Ogopogo?
Claimed to be a distant cousin of the Loch Ness Monster and is said to reside in Lake Okanagan, near Kelowna, BC. Ogopogo is to Kelowna what Nessie is to Loch Ness: a yet-to-be-identified cryptid that reputedly resides in the lake’s depths and surfaces just often enough to keep the legend alive.
Per the Kelowna Tourism Board “Stories date back thousands of years where the Interior Salish First Nation people spoke of N’ha-a-itk, the spirit of the lake. Stories of N’ha-a-itk changed over the years as European settlers transformed the stories they heard into a creature, which later became known as Ogopogo, and the purported sightings over the years continue to strengthen the legend.”
What am I searching for?
Descriptions vary, but certain characteristics have been repeated through the decades:
- Ogopogo is green with a snakelike body.
- About length 15 to 25 meters.
- Looks like a horse, others say that it is reptilian or goat-like.
What are eyewitnesses seeing?
- Dark and multi-humped, with green, black, brown or gray skin.
- The head is said to look like that of a snake, sheep, horse, seal or even an alligator.
- Some eyewitnesses say it has ears or horns; others don’t.
- Length: 15 to 25 meters long.
- Many sightings simply describe a featureless log that came alive.
Oddly enough, quite the similar description to when I posted about Manipogo!
Not to be confused with:
- A giant sturgeon
- An aquatic serpent
- A wave
- A floating log
- A river otter
- A beaver
It was 17° and partially sunny in Kelowna a couple of days ago when I was out and about, the weather was perfect! To scope out Ogopogo, I decided to take a walk down by Kelowna City Park and the Waterfront Boardwalk. The park/waterfront/marina area is a beautiful location to go for a walk and enjoy the scenery of Lake Okanagan. I loved breathing in the fresh air and soaking in the moments. People were out today and maintaining/respecting the social distancing measures of COVID-19. I also searched out Oggy while taking a hike up on Knox Mountain.
Around town, Oggy takes the form of a cartoonish 15-foot-long green and cream coloured statue placed along Kelowna’s waterfront walk. I also spotted another Oggy down at the Parkinson Recreation Centre at the kids water park (not open due to coronavirus).
If the Okanagan is on your places to visit list … make sure to keep your camera/phone ready, your eyes peeled, and your minds open …. you may be the one to spot Ogopogo!
Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack – Season 2 Episode 17 – Full Episode
This episode includes: Thanks Captain Sharp, Harold and Ma, Over the Edge & UD and Ogo Pogo.
My Better Life 