Encounter Atlas

Creature index / Lake and sea monsters

Champ

Also called Champy, Lake Champlain Monster, Tatoskok

America's Loch Ness: the long-necked creature of Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain is 120 miles long and over 400 feet deep. In 1873 a railway crew reported a huge serpent near Dresden, New York, and P.T. Barnum offered $50,000 for its carcass.

In 1977 Sandra Mansi photographed what looks like a head and neck rising from the lake near St. Albans, Vermont. The Mansi photo is still the centrepiece of the Champ story, and Port Henry, New York keeps a roadside sightings board.

What witnesses report

  • Long neck and humps
  • Dark, snake-like head
  • Large wakes

Famous cases

  1. 1977Mansi photograph
    Lake Champlain, Vermont

Seen the Champ?

Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.

Report a Champ encounter Not sure what it was?

Related

Loch Ness Monsteraka Nessie, NiseagScotland's long-necked lake monster, the world's most famous cryptid.Ogopogoaka N'ha-a-itk, NaitakaCanada's famous lake serpent of Okanagan Lake, BC.Bessieaka South Bay Bessie, Lake Erie MonsterLake Erie's serpent, reported by sailors since the 1790s.Chessieaka Chesapeake Bay monster, Chessie the sea serpentA snake-like sea serpent said to wind through the Chesapeake Bay.Memphréaka Memphre, Memphremagog monsterThe cross-border lake monster of Quebec and Vermont, honoured on a Canadian coin.