$500 Reward Offered for Picture of Sea Serpent

Monster With Sheep’s Head Often Seen in Okanogan Lake, British Columbia.

Okanogan, Wash. [sic] — With a standing offer of $500 for a snapshot of the strange creature noticed repeatedly in Okanogan lake, across the line to Canada, local residents and many adventurers are living along the shores watching daily for the expected appearance of Ogopogo, as Indians have designated the monster.

The sea serpent report emanating from the northern lake is not a fairy tale, for affidavits of well known people are on file at Vernon, B.C., to prove they observed Ogopogo, with its sheeplike head and long, serpentine body. From time to time there have been stories of a strange denizen of the lake, to which was attached a general incredulity. Some folks said nothing for fear of ridicule, but others having seen it compared notes found to possess common points.

Of the numerous eyewitnesses of the deep water creature J. L. Logle, a resident along the lake for 20 years, prepared a statement for a newspaper, describing his observance of Ogopogo:

“On our way from Summerland, driving along the lake, we saw quite a ripple and a swell ahead of us, close to the shore, but the lake itself was perfectly calm. Driving about 25 miles an hour, we soon came abreast of the swell, when instantly a strange looking animal appeared, exposing about three feet of its body. The head looked very much like that of a sheep, but different from a seal, having a pointed nose. The body was dark, but no fins were above the water.

“As it swam a foot high swell was developed, showing the animal possessed weight and power. Diving suddenly, it again came to the surface 30 yards farther out. Hearing out voices, it then disappeared.

“In no story or picture have I ever read or seen anything like this. I am of the opinion there are several in the lake. Apparently they are getting more bold and expose themselves while playing or fighting.”

Okanogan lake is 20 miles long and 7 miles wide, and is said to be very deep. There is room for large creatures to live without exposing themselves to man except on rare occasions.

One photographer declares he will stay the entire summer, that he may be the first to record the inland sea serpent.

Source: Millard County Progress
Millard County, Utah
Date: August 19, 1927
Archival Research Credit: Jerome Clark

+++Notes+++

“Indians have designated the monster” as “Ogopogo” happens not to be true. “Ogopogo” is a later, comic name concocted by white Canadians. The Native name for such creatures was “naitakas”. – Jerome Clark.

It appears either the reporter writing this article or an editor “corrected” the location to say “Okanogan” throughout, which is the right spelling for the town in Washington State, but not the name of the lake inhabited by Ogopogo. The lake with the monsters in it is Okanagan, of course, in British Columbia, Canada. – Loren.