The "Sea Monster" of Lake Memphremagog

Lake Memphremagog is a very scenic lake situated internationally - part of the lake resides in the Unites States, part in Canada. Part of the lake is in the American state of Vermont, part it is in the Canadian Province of Quebec.

The local aboriginal natives "The First Nations' of the area , had great legends of a Sea Serpent. Indeed the first European white settlers were warned by the aboriginals not to swim in the lake due to the presence of this monster. Several reasons have been given overall for the preponderance of the stories of the The "Sea Monster" of Lake Memphremagog. These stories were often regarded as a culture fable, poems or a long lost legend. In each of these fables the strange Sea or Lake Creature is usually given some character role - in the tale- whether it be the major or a more minor role. The Sea Monster is said to reside rather quietly on a distant shore on the lake or in a cave at the base of Owl's Head mountain .

Regardless of all accounts one thing is for certain - there have been more than a numerous number of reports and sightings of the marine creature sometimes referred to as the Lake Memphremagog Monster", "Memphre" and the local "Anaconda".

One of the earliest documented reports , outside of folklore was from 1847 when the Stamstead Journal newspaper proclaimed in an article that an animal "Something of a Sea Serpent exists in Lake Memphremagog"

The earlier and wholly consistent tales of the native culture should not be discounted , even though they are not written down in the western tradition. It has been shown time and time again that the verbal records and stories of the aboriginal cultures of North America are stunning for their accuracy of events and detail - even many hundreds of years later.

Among these tales and legends , the author, Norman Bringham wrote "The Sea Serpent Legend" early in the 19'th century where an aboriginal legend was detailed. The deciding role was played by the serpent in a tragedy involving two First Nation lovers. The beauty of the tale is that it reveals in detail a description of the Serpent

" They saw a monster dark and grim. Coming with coiling surge and swim. With lifted head and horn, fierce as the spirit in Hades born"

Dark coloured , threatening look, the Serpent swims with a powerful spiral type movement towards the unfortunate victims, his raised head equipped with a horn and tusks as threatening as the noxious spirits of hell.

"The Serpent's e're now in the depths did roam. Under Owl's Head to his cavernous home. After digesting this horrible meal. His snakeful majesty did out gain reel. Next to appear to Uncle Ri Jewett, in one of his visions that made him a poet.

Again and again the "Monster" was seen and observed. It is said that to date more than 355 sightings have been reported and documented. Most of the numerous sightings have been well documented. These accounts are not simple hearsay rather careful documentation and notarized reports. Indeed there are approximately eight sightings in themselves that have number in the ranges of 20 distinct individual witnesses of the serpent..

One such qualified account involved two experienced fisherman, heading for the Newport area when they distinctly observed a large black creature measuring in the range of 20 feet long.

The duration of sighting was in the range of almost a minute. The description of the serpent was of having a round back and indescribable head. In addition the serpent bellowed a most bizarre and strange vocalizations.

Then in July 1996, a group of 4 witnesses were able to catch a good glimpse of the serpent for more than a minute. The description was of a creature with several humps, again approximately 20 feet long. The sighting was in within a distance slot of 50 yards - placing the serpent between their boat and the shoreline. Then several hours later ( approx 3-4 hours ) another sighting occurred some 10 - 12 miles away . This time the sighting group was three men. Again it was not a sighting by a solitary individual but rather a group. The members of the group concurred with the description by the other group and indeed the three humped creature was exactly the same as a report done in July 2004 given by a group of fours persons spread across two not one boat.

" The weather was overcast, the lake was calm with not a wave. No wind was observed for at least 3 to four minutes from each of their two man boats. An object 40 to 50 feet long was observed from each of the two boats, shaped long like a wave and shaped like three humps and black in color . ( International Society of Dracontology of Lake Memphremagog) The sighting ended when the serpent just swam away shortly thereafter.

It is strange that in these sightings that the creature size varies . This may be that the whole size of the creature has not been seen in entirely. It may be that the creature is seen in different vantage points or at different extents of stretch of the serpent. It may be that the serpent was not fully extended when stretched.

However one should not miss the basic fact that there most likely a brood of these creatures - lake monsters , or serpents. It would be most unlikely if the one last creature - after all this time was happily cruising the lake all by itself. More than likely - in fact a certainly there are a number of serpents in this brood , rather than one solitary surviving serpent creature. Not only would there be a number of these lake monsters inhabiting the lake in order to maintain the genetic viability of the species , but also there would be birth , death and growth of the individual serpents as they grew from hatchling to adulthood. It is most surprising that both - more variation has not been noted both in size ,shape and appearance of the monsters. As well it is interesting that no eggs have ever been found or perhaps they were not recognized for what they were.

Fish Lake Manitoba Narrows

Duck Hunt Lake Manitoba