Igopogo

In Canadian folklore, the Igopogo is a mythical creature said to dwell in Lake Simcoe, Ontario.[1] The creature's name is ostensibly based on the Ogopogo, of Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, and also the title of the 1952 book I Go Pogo, a slogan often mentioned in the comic.[2] Other nicknames for the Igopogo include Beaverton Bessie, after Beaverton, Ontario, and "Kempenfelt Kelly" after the bay that extends from the lake into the city of Barrie, Ontario.[3] The city of Barrie erected a sculpture of the Igopogo at the waterfront.

Igopogo
Photograph of Igopogo, taken by an observer in 1976.
Sub groupingLake monster
Other name(s)Kempenfelt Kelly, Beaverton Bessie, Simcoe Kelly[1]
CountryCanada
RegionLake Simcoe, Ontario
DetailsFound in water

Appearance

E. J. Delaney, described it as a creature with two long antennae, four octopus-like arms, three pairs of legs, and six gill-like appendages with feathers.[1]

Some writers have speculated based on this appearance that the sightings were actually of pinnipeds, such as otters or seals.[1][3]

Alleged sightings

David Soules, an early settler, is credited with the first alleged Igopogo sighting in 1823. While tending sheep, Soules reportedly saw a long creature leaving a wake in the water and a trail in the mud. Another major sighting took place in 1952 by four witnesses including Wellington Charles, chief of the Georgina Island First Nation.[1] In 1983, sonar operator William W. Skrypetz reported spotting a large animal with a long neck,[1] although some have disputed this account, claiming the reading could have instead been a school of fish.[3]

Other alleged sightings include reports in 1903 and 1906, and a 1991 video recording of "a large, seal-like animal."[3] In 2016 John Kirk of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club claimed on The Shirley Show to have a tape of the creature, though he did not show it.[2]

See also

References
Look up Igopogo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  1. R. Fee, Christopher; B. Webb, Jeffrey (August 29, 2016). American myths, legends, and tall tales : an encyclopedia of American folklore. ABC-CLIO. p. 500. ISBN 978-1610695688.
  2. Urquhart, Rod. "Lake Simcoe's Own Monster". Lake Simcoe Living. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  3. Nickell, Joe (14 October 2005). "Investigators Search for Canadian Lake Monster". Live Science. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
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