The Chazy Reef, which has been called the oldest reef in the world,
is located on Isle La Motte, a Vermont island on Lake Champlain.
However, there are two even older reefs on the island, which are the
subject of study by scientists.

UVM Professor of Geology, Charlotte Mehrtens, says that the oldest
reefs are found around “The Head” of the south end of the island,
slightly younger reefs are found at the Fisk Quarry and the youngest
(the famous coral reefs) are located in fields to the north. Together,
these three sites provide a unique narrative of events which took place
over 450 million years ago in ocean in the Southern Hemisphere, long
before the emergence of Lake Champlain – 20 thousand years ago.

Wikipedia Entry

In the summer of 2006 I was the department head of canoeing and
kayaking at Brown Ledge Camp on Colchester Bay in Vermont. I was on
the dock every morning at 9am. This time of the day the water was
always flat and there was rarely any boat traffic. One morning I was
on the dock with several other staff members when I saw a strange set
of waves in the middle of the bay. About 300 yards out in the bay I
saw a set of five or six small waves travelling away from the outlet of
the bay in toward Colchester Bay, towards the boat launch. The lake
was perfect glass except for those waves which all traveled in unison
across the bay until they went out of sight around the point. There
were no boats on the lake and it was completely silent. There was no
wind and nothing that could have possibly caused a disturbance of the
water. Further more the waves travelled in a manner where they all
stayed together in perfect space from each other, never spreading apart
or moving like normal chaotic waves. This same thing happened twice that summer.
I am not a nut or some guy that believes in aliens or anything like
that, I call em’ as I see em’ and thats what I saw. I had no
explanation of what it was in the water, naturally people around were
asking me what it was. I spent every day on that dock and saw all
sorts of different conditions but nothing like I saw those two
mornings. I have been around water all my life kayaking, sailing,
fishing and motor boating I know what all wakes look like and how waves
form. I don’t know if what I saw was Champ but what I have heard
other (normal, sane, nice) people say lines up startlingly similarly to
what I saw that summer. I believe something unexplained cause those
waves and from a very experienced water person they really were like
nothing I have ever seen. Lake Champlain is enormous and I really do
think that there is a very real possibility that there is something in
there that we don’t officially know about. Again I am a regular guy like anyone out there, I came in from Bozeman, MT as a kayak instructor at this summer camp and
this is what I saw, never have I seen anything in my life that simply
escaped explanation.

If you are serious about snapping a photo of Champ, consider purchasing a pair of Binoculars with a built-in digital camera. There are cheaper models available, but you probably don’t want to risk not being able to capture a once-in-a-lifetime image of Champ.

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Hi Andrew,
Thanks for the giving me the opportunity to answer your Champ questions, my responses are inline below.

When did you start getting interested in the lake monster?

I first became interested in Champ when I moved to Vermont and started hearing all the stories about the monster in the lake. Initially I laughed it off but I kept seeing and hearing more accounts. I really began to get interested when I heard about the video that eventually ended up on ABC News. I put up the site within a couple days of seeing the video and have been flooded with traffic ever since.

What kinds of research have you done regarding the champ phenomenon?

I will admit that I have not done enough on-lake research in the last couple years, this is mainly because I had no boat or access to one. I did just purchase a small boat and plan on spending time on the lake this summer. I have spent a lot of time doing research on the web and reading books on the subject. The best information has come from eyewitness reports of sightings from reader of this site, I have been able to learn a lot by discussing the experiences of the dozens of people that have seen Champ in the last couple years.

I have never seen Champ, but I always keep my eyes peeled when I am on the lake. I have seen things that look like they could be Champ, unexplainable waves, things sticking out of the water, etc. They never end up being Champ when I take a second/third glance. I will continue to keep my eyes peeled, and hopefully will spot our friend this summer.

From your experience, do people take this legend seriously or do you yourself often face ridicule from people who don’t believe?

Some people are very serious about Champ and some people see it as a huge joke. That is the main reason that I am so dedicated to finding concrete evidence of this species/creature. If there is something in the lake we need to take steps to protect it and its Lake Champlain habitat. Based on the accounts of others, I am a firm believer in Champ. I try to keep an open mind so that I can be objective on the topic… of course this will all change if I ever see him.

I believe that Champ is a population of landlocked creatures that have lived in Lake Champlain since the time that it was giant sea. When the lake gradually began losing its salinity, this species was able to gradually evolve with the surroundings. From accounts I have heard I would guess that it is related to the plesiousaur and can breathe underwater. I believe that this species spends the majority of time in the deepest parts of the lake which accounts for the lack of sightings.

I started my website in the summer of 2005 after hearing about the Champ video that ended up on ABC News. It started as a joke, but it soon became apparent that there were a lot of people who had seen Champ and believe 100% in his existence. I have recently done a total redesign of the site to allow guests to comment and participate in discussion.

I see from your website that you’re offering a $1000 reward for video
or photographic evidence of champ, how has that been going? Have you
received anything that you would say is really conclusive and that
warranted the reward?

I have only received one photo which only showed a large wave on the lake. People that are serious about photographing Champ should invest in a pair of binoculars with a built in camera… your regular digital camera is not going to cut it. The offer still stands and I am looking forward to paying the reward.

Do you think that people are more likely to share their stories if
money is involved, it sounds like an obvious question, but many of the
people I’ve spoken with are not at all afraid to come forward and talk
about sightings even if they think people will look at them differently?

I think that most people that see Champ are quick to tell their friends and others because it is usually a very surreal experience. I put the reward up in the hopes that it might encourage people to bring their camera to the lake with them so that their experiences will be documented. I have received countless sighting reports from people who are frustrated that they were without a camera. If you are a reputable person and have a detailed and consistent account, most people will believe you.

The Champ Tour plans have changed a bit this summer so that I can spend more time researching. I am planning to partner with one of the Lake Champlain cruise companies to offer literature on Champ and publicize the $1000 reward. The whole goal is to raise awareness and to encourage people to have their eyes peeled and camera at the ready.

I have been amazed by how many people purchase Champ items from the online store. I use the profits to offset costs and hope to eventually set up a nonprofit organization. It really just goes to show that there are a ton of people that believe in Champ or are fascinated by the legend. When I first set up the site, I was shocked to find that there weren’t others dedicated to Champ, I am sure that once we have proof that will all change.

-Signing Off
Charlie Champ Chaser

Champ is on Myspace and really wants to be your friend…

Clark’s clear and professional writing style has only improved over
the years. A sly, very subtle wit frequently emerges (“perhaps wisely,
he takes this vague idea no further”). Although it’s evident Clark’s
mind is open to most of the phenomena explored in the book, for the
most part he keeps his opinions to himself, opting instead to let his
reader make his or her own judgement based on the information available.

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Excellent webpage about a research trip to Lake Champlain from Jordan of TrueAuthority.com

Mac a fun loving nine-year old will have the adventure of a lifetime
when he uncovers the world s biggest secret: Mee-Shee a loveable water
giant. Together Mac and his enormous new friend will have to outsmart a
team of evil hunters who threaten to take Mee-Shee away forever. With
incredible monsters and amazing special effects from Academy Award
winning Jim Henson s Creature Shop Mee-Shee the Water Giant will swim
into the hearts of your whole family!

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North America is home to a wide array of fearsome beasts including
hairy monsters, flying monsters, lake monsters, reptilian humanoids and
other unexplained phenomena. The Monster Spotter’s Guide to North America
geographically catalogs more than one hundred legendary monsters
reported to inhabit the continent. From the mythical Sasquatch of the
Pacific Northwest to the vicious Mexican Goatsucker known as El
Chupacabra, you’ll read about the legends and major sightings of the
most widely feared creatures reported to exist–plus a few you might
have never heard of.

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This won’t be much help in finding Champ, but at least you can show your friends that you believe!

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