As one would expect, the high seas were not the only bodies of water to have seemingly supported such creatures. Throughout the world, sea beasts are found in nearly one hundred lakes that dot the landscapes of six continents in the world. Many sightings were made, here on our homefront, North America. The Great Lakes sightings were also prevelent during those periods of time and up to the present date. Many types of creatures unknown to main stream science, occasionally rise from the out of the murkey depths to shock and surprise, only to slink away into seclusion once more.

One of the very first sightings to have taken place in Lake Erie, was near Buffalo, New York. The year was 1873, in the summer month of July. As reported in the Buffalo Express newspaper, a 20 foot long, 20 inch wide sea serpent was seen by a gang of railroad workers. One of the workers was to heard to say,"It must have been part whale, because occasionally, it would spout water from it's nostrils as high as 20 feet above his head." Added to this statement,"it's eyes were small and piercing and it's mouth was broad with two rows of teeth." The estimated travel rate was given to be about 10 miles per hour. It was also said to have had a tail, that looked like that of a fish. This 'monster' was seen to disappear as quickly as it appeared, right before the eyes of the curious onlookers. One of the odd occurrences, that happened post sighting, was a few days afterwards, calves, sheep and fowls, began to turn up missing. No one could explain it, until one of the locals discovered some unidentified tracks that looked as if the animals had been dragged to the lakeshore, and then out in the water. Not happy with losing their livestock to this creature, a posse was formed, in order to hunt down, find and kill the anomalous water beast. Armed with shotguns and rifles, the men chartered a tug boat and went in search of the creature. Coming to a spot in which the creature was most often seen, the men lay in wait for the opportunity to rid themselves of the beast that was taking away their livelyhood. Seeing movement, the men fired a battery of shot and bullet into the water. Almost instantly, a bubbling was seen, along with an ungodly noise. They had hit their target, and as the serpent rose out of the water, it's eyes were said to be 'blazing like coals' and briefly struggling violently, the sea beast sank once again to Davey Jones locker. A subsequent story in the Express, editorialized that all the monster sightings of late, were the result of either alcohol or hoaxes. In my estimation, if that were the case, Buffalo had many more alcoholics than even the town assumed. Another point, why would a person perpetrate a hoax, in the water, knowing alcoholic men with shotguns and rifles are going to be looking for you. Not too bright, if that is the case. As we will see, Buffalo would not be the last town to witness such a sight.

The very first sighting to take place in Lake Erie, near Cleveland, was made in 1793, by a party of explorers from the sloop 'FELICITY.' This took place while on excursion to Middle Bass Island, which is situated north of Sandusky. It seems the Captain had wandered away from the rest of the men, in order to snare dinner. His objective was shooting the ducks, whose flock was numerous in a little pond that was on the the island. As reported in the log, he had come running back, out of breath, and gasping for air. He reported to the men a curious story. He had walked to the shore line, and spotting some ducks, he had raised his firearm and took a shot at them. Startled by the roar of his gun, a monstrous snake, which he estimated being 'more than a rod in length' (16 1/2 feet), rose out of the grass and chased him more than 100 yards. Even if this were not a true sea serpent, the fact that a snake that large inhabited Middle Bass Island, would be cause for excitement none the less.

This would not be the only sightings reported in the Lake we know as Erie, on many occasions the great serpents were sighted time and time again. One such sighting occurred on July 3, in the year 1817. A sea serpent was seen swimming three miles off shore by the crew of a passing schooner. One crewman described the beast as being no less than 35 to 40 feet in length and at least a foot in diameter. The skin of the serpent was seen to be almost black. A naturalist on board the schooner, could not tell if it was a fish or a reptile, but described it as looking like a great eel.

On July 30, 1880, thirty miles from Erie Pennsylvania, the crew of the schooner General Scott reported seeing a sea serpent that was 35 to 40 feet long. The creature was swimming very close to the schooner, and the crew were able to observe it in detail. Having a neck which was 10 to 12 inches in diameter, and skin the color of dull mahogany, which was nearly black. The crew mentioned the water was completely still and they were able to observe the creature for more a full minute.

From a local Toledo, Ohio newspaper reported in July of 1892, comes a tale of a sea serpent spotted by the Captain and crew of the schooner MADELINE. The Captain, whose name was Woods described seeing a terrible commotion in the water, as if something large was fighting with something equally large. His attention was drawn nearly a mile ahead of the schooner by the lake being lashed into a foam. When the commotion had died down, the serpent lay across the water at full length, which was estimated by the Captain as being 50 feet. The circumference being not less than four feet. The serpent was described as being a 'frightfully vicious looking object, with sparkleing eyes and a very large head. Also seen, were large fins, seemingly large enough to propel the creature with ease through the water. The color was uniformally brown in nature throughout the length of the body.

These are stories which happened many years ago, but there have been recent sightings of the creature of Lake Erie, known by the locals as South Bay Bessie. In 1993, during the summer months, no fewer than three sightings of Bessie were reported. One family of four, who were out for a fishing trip, reported sighting the creature near the shore at Lowbanks, Ontario. This is the eastern lake section. Moving rapidly with ease through the water, it was seen to be about 30 feet in length, and described as snake like. Earlier, that same day, another fisherman had seen the same snake like creature near Kelley's Island. Five days after this sighting, a different group of fishermen saw the exact same creature in the same area around Kelley's Island.

One of the most fascinating reports of Bessie happened on August 24, 1993. It seems a 38 foot sailboat was crushed like an 'eggshell' by a creature reported to have been 200 tons. Of the five boaters, thankfully, none were hurt beyond scratches and bruises. Now comes, the smoking gun. It seems an airplane that was flying low across the lake, had noticed the action, and with camera in hand, one passenger snapped the action as it was happening. This picture was printed on the front page of the WEEKLY WORLD NEWS! Shortly thereafter, a group of businessmen, from Huron offered a reward for anyone who could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this creature existed. The reward which totaled $102,700 dollars in cash and prizes, has never been collected.

If that is not incentive to look for this creature, then I don't know what is. There have been other sightings of this creature as recently as 1998, near South Bass Island, by a party of two fishermen. Lake Erie is a large lake,in which I believe lurks one of the most famous of the recent sea serpents to be sighted, maybe you will see Bessie yourself sometime, when you least expect it.

Reprint from CREATURE CHRONICLES #14; Oct. 1991

Ron Schaffner: Editor

"SOUTH BAY BESSIE"

A Monster in Lake Erie

A listing of the alleged sightings

Lake Erie's western basin has become a host of yet another aquatic serpent in the world. Not surprising as the student of cyrptozoology is aware that the majority of these inhabited inland waterways within the northern hemisphere lay claim to some sort of monster.

There have been many explanations to the sightings; most notable is the prehistorical sturgeon, which can easily grow up to 300 pounds and have been known to reach 20 feet, 200 pounds and 100 years old. However, it must be noted that they are bottom fish and rarely seen on the surface. But, how often could one see a serpent?

"South Bay Bessie", as dubbed from a local contest has stirred quite a wonder in northern Ohio since the mid 1980's. The battle lines have been carved from the believers and skeptics alike. "Monster-mania" has taken hold in all the local communities. (A more than familiar common thread with all Fortean events of this type.)

John Schaffner, editor of the Ottawa County Beacon (no relation to this edi- tor.) has been the focal point of data collection with his toll-free hot line. I wish to thank him for the material he has sent along to us. His hot-line has produced reports dating back 30 years .

The majority of reports depict the same basic description: A 30-50 long snake-like about as round as a bowling ball. The reported creature seems to appear when the water is calm.

So, without further oration, let us begin the listings of "Bessie". We will have no further comments on origin or explanations.

1960 - Ken Golic was fishing off a pier in Sandusky when he heard two rats. He decided to throw a couple of rocks at them when he saw the creature. He stated that it was cigar-shaped and came out of the water about 1-1 1/2 feet. It was about 11:00 PM on a clear, calm night.

1969 - Jim Schindler stated that a ser- pent came within 6 feet of him near South Bass Island. Although he did not see the length, the width was about 2 feet. The animal appeared to be about 1 foot under the water.

9/1981 - Theresa Kovach of Akron saw a snake-like reptile that "was so large that could easily capsized a boat. It seemed to be playing." She watched it from a house on the Cedar Point Cause- way.

1983 (app.) - Mary M. Landoll told John Schaffner about her encounter with Bessie off Rye Beach in Huron. Mary went out to the front porch just before dawn when the lake was quite placid. From the left end, she heard a rowing sound and saw what looked like a capsized boat. It was a greenish-brown color about 40-50 feet in length. Landoll realized that it wasn't a boat, but an animal of some sort. It had a long neck and an eye was visible on the side of the head with a grin going up one side The creature appeared to be playing in the water, but still put a scare into the witness.

Summer, 1985 - Tony Schill of Avon, Ohio was boating with friends north of Ver- milion when they reported the serpent. It was dark brown and had a flat tail. Tony stated that "5 humps came out of the wa- ter. No way it was a sturgeon."

Dale Munro, of Lorain was also boating when he came face-to-face with it. He stated that it had 3 humps and was black. He also reported that it was twice the size of his 16 foot boat. The location was in calm waters just off the Lorain Coast Guard Station and his sighting lasted 3-4 minutes.

May or June, 1989 - Gail Kasner obtains a graph from a boat owned by Ken Smith, of Streetsboro. The fishfinder appears to show a sonar reading of a cigar-shape apparition about 35 feet in length at a depth of about 30 feet.

July 8, 1990 - Susan seeson, of Salem witnessed the creature 2 miles from Cedar Point. Her description basically matched other reports.

September 3, 1990 - Bob Soracco was jet skiing off Port Clinton when he thought he spotted a porpoise. (Porpoise in fresh water? Oh well, Bob had just moved from Florida.) He told reporters that he saw humps with grey spots. "It was very long as I moved closer and it was going down.

September 4, 1990 - Harold Bricker and his family were fishing north of Cedar Point Amusement Park when a serpent type creature swam by their boat about 1000 feet away Their description- 35 feet long with a snake-like head. It moved as fast as their boat. Later, the Bricker's reported their sighting to the ODNR rang- ers at East Harbor State Park.

September 11, 1990 - Fire inspectors, Jim Johnson and Steve Dircks, of Huron saw the creature from a third story window facing Lake Erie. They decribed it as dark blue or black at about 30-45 feet long. He further stated that he saw three parts of the creature above water. "It laid there motionless for three to six minutes and was flat on top."

Week of September 16 1991 - Dennis Szececinski, of Toledo saw Bessie near Toledo's water intake structure three miles offshore in Maumee Bay. He was fishing in the bay when something long and black slithered in front of him.

The Beacon, Ottawa County, 9/90 Dayton Daily News, 10/7/90 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 9/23/90 Columbus Dispatch 9/26/90

Credit: Ron Schaffner of Ohio

For over half a century the Lake Erie Monster has been seen by residents of both sides of the United States - Canada border. Local businessmen in the lakefront city of Huron, Ohio, are offering a reward of $100,000.00 for its capture.

Reports go back at least as far as 1817. It was described as being between 35 and 60 feet and to have bright eyes. The monster has been seen as recently as summer of 1993. One sighting was about 2 miles off Kelly's Island. That critter was estimated at 15 feet to 25 feet. Typical of lake monsters, it moved with an up and down motion (which indicates a mammal, most likely, rather than a reptile or a fish). You might want to contact Tom Solberg, the owner of the Huron Lagoons Marina. Apparently, he is some sort of spokesperson for the group which has offered the $100,000.00 in prize money for the creature "delivered alive and unharmed". Also, marine biologist Dr. Charles Herdendorf thinks the monster may have been photographed by a satellite.

Recently, three teenagers, who wish to remain unidentified, were in a small boat that was towed for five miles, after their anchor became wrapped around the neck of the lake Erie Monster! "That was the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life", said one of the boys. "It pulled us through the water like a water-skier. The thing was so big it looked like a mountain. I thought we were all going to die."

The anchor held by a half inch nylon rope was eventually cut in two by the jaws of the legendary monster. The boys, drifted aimlessly for hours, not sure if the monster would return or if they would be rescued! A great lakes freighter finally spotted the boys adrift and radioed the Coast Guard for help.

Biologist Dr. Richard Clarke, who has studied the Lake Eric Monster said, "What didn't happen to those boys proves beyond a doubt that the monster is not a threat to anyone who leaves it in peace." "With the anchor line wrapped around its neck, if the monster had dived to the bottom, it would have pulled the boys' boat down like a toy. Or it just as easily could have eaten them…one after the other."

A local charter boat captain said, "We have a lot of people out there looking for the monster. Chances are it will get caught eventually."

A monster was reported in Lake Ontario as well, at least according to a German science journal in 1835. Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior supposedly have generated reports, although I can't tell you much about them.

Lake monster reports specifically from Michigan have come from: Alpena at Thunder Bay in the late 1880s; Cheboygan in the mid 1970s (see GRAND RAPIDS PRESS for 6/25/1976); Muskegon in 1892, although now considered a hoax; Petoskey in 1892, although a possible hoax; Au Train Lake and Basswood Lake; Swan Lake in 1946 (although it may have been a swimming cow); Nichol's Lake; Narrow Lake; William's Lake; the Paint River; and Trout Bay in the mid 1920s.

It may also be worth noting that there was a book written by Jay Gourley called THE GREAT LAKES TRIANGLE which the "splash" on the cover claimed was "Deadlier Than The Bermuda Triangle". I don't think it used lake monsters as a possible explanation, however.

(By DANA MILBANK Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal)

HURON, Ohio - Memphis has Graceland, San Antonio the Alamo, Huron's main attraction is an uncooperative population of sea monsters.

Based on a handful of sightings of a serpent-like creature swimming in Lake Erie," the town's government in 1900 proclaimed Huron the "National Live Capture and Control Center for the Lake Erie Monster."

A local zoologist with a twinkle in his eye produced a seven-page report concluding that there are 125 green and scaly Monsters in the lake, each 35 feet long, weighing two tons and able to swim at 220 miles per hour.

A Huron businessman provided a pond in which to put a monster (once one Is caught) and lined up pledges more than $100,000 for its capture. Citizens have contrived ways to anesthetize and net the beast, or at least net some tourist dollars.

Lake Erie monster resurfacing? HURON, Ohio - New reports are renewing speculation that a creature makes Lake Erie its home. The sightings first were reported in the mid-1980s. Officials thought the mystery was solved in 1987 when an odd shaped 40-foot-long pontoon washed up on Catawba Island, near Port Clinton." Three boaters on two separate occasions recently reported seeing part of "the Lake Erie monster" between Huron and Maumee Bay. "I know what I saw", said John Liles, a Huron charter boat captain. "The thing is huge. I didn't see the head, just the tail flopping in the water toward the end of it." Liles and his wife, Holly, said they saw the snakelike creature: about two miles from Kelleys Island on July 12 while aboard the 52-foot charter boat they run. Holly Liles said it moved up and down, not side to side like a snake. It was black or dark brown and humped its body about 18 inches above the water. From 175 to 200 feet away, they estimated its length to be15 to 25 feet. Nine days earlier and about 5 or 10 miles away, a fisherman reported seeing a serpent measuring between 30 and 40 feet. The legend of the serpent led 10 area businesses to pledge a reward of $102,000 in cash and prizes. Tom Solberg, owner of the Huron Lagoons Marina said more than half the reward was cash. The creature must beat least 30 feet long, weigh at least 1,000 pounds and be an unidentified aquatic species for the finder to collect the prize.

Trouble is, three years into monster mania. Huron has failed to convince many people that even one serpent, let alone 125 of them, actually dwells in Lake Erie. With its monster still at large and locals losing some of their initial enthusiasm, Huron is struggling to keep any tourists at all in the monster's thrall.

The effort just doesn't get much encouragement. Ohio wouldn't play along and grant an application for a permit to hunt the monster. In Scotland, the town of Inverness (home of the Loch Ness Monster) rejected Huron's request to be a sister city. Inverness already has three sister cities. "I'll be honest with you," says George Sheard. a retired bread salesman who is Huron's $300.00-a-year mayor. "We're not getting people coming to the lake to see the monster."

Needed: A Selling Point

A sad thing too, for Huron a bedroom community of 7,000 where the Huron River meets the lake 50 miles west of Cleveland. Its coal and ore industries collapsed more than a decade ago. To judge from the welcome sign at the edge of town, Huron's major distinction seems to be that it is the "Home of Jim Springer, State High School High Jump Champion, 1988 and 1989." Or, if you'd prefer: the "Leading Ohio Builder of Steamships-in the 1830s."

Huron really does have a monster - a 35-foot, four humped. spike-tailed construction with red fluorescent eyes, floating on 300-foot leash in the Huron River, in full view of highway traffic. "Outriggers under the water keep him stable, " says Tom Schofield, watching his plastic and plywood creation from his front porch. The thing broke loose once and Mr. Schofield caught it weeks later heading for deeper water.

The living, breathing monster, on the other hand, has been sighted just this month, so monster mania is rearing its ugly head again. Charles Douglas, a recreational boater from Cleveland, seriously claims to have seen the critter on July 3 while walleye fishing. "There was something there and it didn't want us to get close to it," says Mr. Douglas.

But for the most part, monster or monsters have been making themselves scarce, which is just as well given all the jet skis buzzing in the Huron harbor and the boats crowding the Huron basin. During the recent Huron River Festival, children had to content themselves with drawing fanciful likenesses In the Lake Erie monster Chalk Drawing Contest, as parents urged them on. Said one: "Take your green and make eyes, big, big eyes. Give him humps on his back. Now. make him a long tail."

A Beast to Emulate

Huron's is a monster-come-lately in the U.S. Dozens of other lakes and lake towns had first title on beasts, from Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York, to Flathead Lake (Poison, Mont.). In Scotland, the daddy of 'em all, the Loch Ness Monster draws 1.5 million tourists to the lake each year, bringing to the Highland region more than $100 million. The Scottish monster had a considerable jump on Lake Erie's. It was first spotted in the year 565 and has been actively pushed since 1930. It has one other thing going for it that Huron lacks: believers. "Trying to launch a monster is more difficult in this day and age, "says Allistair Macpherson, tourism director for Loch Ness area tourist board. "We live in a more skeptical age."

For over half a century the Lake Erie Monster has been seen by residents of both sides of the United States - Canada border. Local businessmen in the lakefront city of Huron, Ohio, are offering a reward of $100,000.00 for its capture.

Witnesses:37 year old male farmhand

1 year old female border collie/labrador retriever

Date:July 1 1996

Location:about 4 miles west of the harbour of Port Bruce in Elgin County

Weather:light breeze 5-10mph wind from SW,waves 1/2 to 3/4 foot high

The boat:a 1987 Grumman johnboat 12 foot long,light green in colour with a 6 hp Johnson outboard motor

Lifejackets aboard: 2 orange PFD's and one floatable boat cushion

How did you get the boat in the water:I trailered it to Port Bruce and parked the truck beside a bridge near a little used canoe launching spot beside Catfish Creek.I then slid the boat over the mud and grass into the creek,which happened to have a low water level at the time.After spending 20 minutes pulling supplies off the pickup truck and storing them in the boat,I was ready to motor up the creek.

The creek was congested with an assortment of watercraft because of the Canda Day holiday weekend.Thus the trip up the creek was slow going.

When I finally got to the harbour entrance I found the lake waters were running high and flowing into the creek.Thus it was a bit choppy and I had to fire up the motor a little more to push my way through the current and into the Lake.I then swung to the west and quickly passed the red navigatinal buoy.

Most boaters had gone far offshore to fish,but because this was a cartopper in a rough lake i stayed relatively close to the shoreline. The boat seat kept bumping on the seat of my pants because of the rough waters and Heidi the dog crawled to the bottom of the hull.

There was a beach running along Port Bruce's west side and there were swimmers in the water so I motored along slowly till i was safely away from the beach area.I then throttled up to somewhat below cruising speed ,trying to adjust the speed to keep my flat bottomed boat from knocking too hard on the waves.

About 1 mile west of the harbour entrance I came across one other boat,a sailboat which lay anchored near a nearby cottage.It was a 20 to 30 ft boat with a cabin.I continued along for another 2 miles, being mindfull of logs floating in the water which could punch a hole in the hull.The shoreline changed from a beach area to 50 to 100 cliffs of sand which stood pretty close to the shoreline.There was no signs of human habitation around in this desolate stretch of Lake Erie

I throttled down the outboard and left it idling while I moved forward to a cooler where I had stored a bottle of coke,a bag of chips and some cookies.It was around noon so I had lunch.While I relaxed a OPP boat came by to ask if everything was alright.I said it was and showed that I had lifejackets and the necessary safety equipment aboard.The OPP boat then left the vicinity and motored east.After I had finished my lunch and had fed Heidi some cookies I moved back to the back of the boat to resume my cruise.The water was choppy so I had to crouch down as I moved from the front to the back.

I engaged the shift lever and slowly resumed my trip.I was on the lookout for logs.as the choppy weather was pushing logs ,weeds and other debris closer to shore.I noticed a large brown log rolling in the waves about 200 feet ahead and to the left of my bow.I turned the boat slightly to the right to give the log a wide clearance.

I was still running at below planing speed and when I checked on whether the log was safely behind me I received a surprise.The log was not behind me but was advancing towards me and was approaching the side of the boat from a 45 degree angle.The log suddenly put on a burst of speed and was within a boatlength from me when it raised it's head about 1 foot out of the water.The head looked like the blunt head of a rattlesnake,with the eyes set forward and no ears discernible.it looked at me and the dog for a few seconds before it lowered it's head My next response was to jam the tiller hard to left to avoid a collision.

The johnboat was still moving at about 5 to 7 mph,just below planing speed,but the turn was so sharp the hull tilted a bit in the water and I had to grab for the sides of the boat in order to avoid falling out.I had my PFD on,but falling in the cold lake water with lo temperatures wasn't too appealing.The dog was scrabbling on the boat seat with it's claws to avoid sliding overboard.It moved to the back where I sat and sat on my lap,whimpering in terror.I had to push it off my lap several times,as it's body was interfering with my grip on the motor's control handle.

I headed directly for shore,and the minute the bow scraped on the pebbly beach the dog leapt over the bow and ran up the beach about 20 feet and started climbing up the short ledges which crossed the sandy cliff.I looked back and saw that the creature was still a ways off(I had run the engine at full throttle to reach the shoreline as quickly as possible)When i stepped out over the bow i stepped in the water and discovered that the water lay knee deep .The pebbly beach dropped off pretty quickly into the water and I briefly panicked for a few seconds.

I then grabbed the front handle of the boat and dragged it's bottom along the stones until the boat lay about 8 feet on the beach. The remaining 4 feet still hung in the water,with the prop of the outboard still down in the water.

I then ran up the beach and climbed up a ramp of sand till I was on a ledge about 6 feet above the beach.I then turned around and observed the creature from a safer vantage point.By this time Heidi the dog had climbed up the surface of the sand cliff till she was halfway up.From this vantage point she started barking at the creature.

The waves in Lake Erie were splashing against the transom of the boat and I could see sprays of water falling inside the hull.Out on the lake the creature was riding up and down on the waves left by the boat as it had headed ashore.The waves came slapping up on the beach and were rocking the boat up and down.The creature lay immmobile in the water,drifting in with the tide until it was only about a dozen feet away from the beach.It then bent over it's body and rolled over to face away from the boat.It briefly raised it's head again and I noticed that the tiny portion of it's underside showing was of a pale whitish brown colour.It then swam away in an undulating motion heading west-southwest.I'd say it was about 20 feet long and about 1 foot in diameter.

After 5 minutes I advanced onto the beach and pulled the boat further ashore and shut off the motor at the same time.I then climbed partially up the sand face to coax Heidi down.We sat there for about 20 minutes and finished off what was in the cooler.I then prepared the boat for the return trip to Port Bruce.The fuel tank was about half full and after bailing out some of the water in the boat I prepared to push off.I called to Heidi but although she stood beside the bow she refused to jump in.Staying on the beach seemed the preferable option to her.A large wave suddenly came and sucked the boat off the beach,leaving Heidi stranded by herself on the beach.

She howled and then advanced into the water.The boat had been pulled back about 30 ft from the shore and I was concentrating on restarting the motor .Heidi swam up to the boat,but finding no easy way to clamber aboard,swam around the back of the boat and headed back to the beach.Although I called to her,she refused to swim close enough for me to lean over and haul her aboard.After restarting the motor I landed at the beach and this time Heidi ran up and clambered aboard.She was happy to not be left alone on that lonely isolated beach.

As I slowly headed back into the lake I looked to the west and south to see if there were any signs of that log.There weren't.I did however note a slit in the sand cliffs a few hundred feet west where a stream exited out into the lake.The stream entrance was all silted over and I could see the debris of washed out trees,bottles,white marina floats which had piled up at it's entrance.I later looked at a road atlas and discovered there was one creek lying 4 miles to the west of Catfish Creek.

I took the boat about 1-1/2 miles into Lake Erie and swung it east back towards Port Bruce.I was thinking more about half filled fuel tanks and the fact that I was several miles away from the harbour then I was about mobile logs.Thus I opened the engine up and pounded along the waves,planing at about 15 mph.Once I passed that anchored sailboat I slowed down and prepared to reenter the harbour.The pier along the west side of the stream was getting crowded with people who were fishing and one fisherman had anchored his cartopper a little too close to the entrance.I dimly watched while he waved me away and shouted at me.I was sufficiently rattled I just kept moving in and didn't stop long enough to see if I had run over his fishing line.I must have been close because Heidi was barking at him.

Once I was inside the calmer waters of Catfish Creek I slowed down the motor to just above idling speed and cruised back to the canoe launch spot near the bridge at about 2 mph.Many boats were moving both up and downstream and I avoided having to deal with the rules of the road by hugging the creekbank.

Once I arrived at the canoe launch spot I pulled the boat onto the mud,tied the dog to a nearby tree and took a break.After loading everything back on the truck and trailer I headed back to my home in Norfolk.That night I wrote down quick notes of what had happenned that day.Later I checked out some books on the area and discovered that I wasn't the first person to see something unusual in Lake Erie.

An author by the name of John R Colombo had written a book titled "Mysterious Canada " where he described a Great Snake which had been sighted in Lake Erie several times in the past.

Rand McNally Ontario Atlas Roadmaster Map 8 Reference 28e-d

John R Colombo Mysteries of Ontario Page 97

Shockwaves are vibrating through the town of Port Dover, Ontario, Canada, for people are being bitten by an unknown creature whilst paddling offshore of a beach near the Port Dover pump house, which lies about 1 kilometre from the town.

In the just 24 hours three people were attacked by the aquatic assailant. One of these was Port Dover resident Brenda McCormack, 47, who was bitten on the side of her right calf while paddling in the murky Lake Erie water near the beach in the early evening of July.

"I just felt a great big chomp," she said, and was left with three big puncture marks and a circle of abrasions that looked like the shape of a jaw.

Brenda was the creature's first victim. The next day, a man and then a child - who was treated and released from the emergency ward of the Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe - were also attacked by the creature in the same area.

Speculation as to the creature's identity is rife through the town with some people thinking the creature could have been part of a group of piranhas released into the wild after they grew too big for their owner's aquariums.

Dr. Harold Hynscht, however, who treated the man who was attacked, has ruled out piranhas, lamprey eels, snapping turtles and walleye, goby and muskellunge fish. But commented that whatever it was, "it was a big honking fish."

Patricia Hall, the nurse who treated Brenda McCormack, said, "Oh yeah, it's the Lake Erie monster. That's what people are joking about."

Lake Erie boaters have told stories for years about sighting dark green or brown monsters some nine to 12 metres long that swim in a wavy motion.

The only plausible creature it can be, according to Dr Hynscht, is the bowfin, an aggressive fish that grows to be 45-60 centimetres long, and is often called a living fossil because it resembles fish that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. Bowfins, often called dogfish (even though bowfins are not sharks like ocean-dwelling dogfish), usually eat other fish, frogs, small rodents, turtles, leeches and crayfish.

"One of the consistent elements of the stories I've heard is that it happened so fast they hardly had time to react," Dr. Hynscht says.

"Whatever is doing this is doing so because of territory. It's not doing this because it's hungry."

Fishing Magic | Graham Marsden - Aug 13 2001

Unidentified Giant Fish Putting Bite On Lake Swimmers [Original headline: Fish attacks three Erie swimmers] PORT DOVER -- [CP] Dr. Harold Hynscht has a medical mystery on his hands. He treated three patients recently who suffered major bites on their legs after swimming in Lake Erie beside the Port Dover pump house.

All were in about a metre of water when the attacks occurred.

Hynscht, a diver with extensive knowledge of aquatic life, is at a loss to identify the animal that caused them.

The bites were not minor. Six inches separated the wounds inflicted by the top and bottom teeth, suggesting the animal has a large mouth.

"That's a big, honking fish," Hynscht said.

The doctor has ruled out round gobies, lamprey eels, snapping turtles, walleye and other muskellunge-type fish as well as piranhas, which are sometimes released into the wild after they get too big for their aquariums.

The only species that seems plausible, Hynscht said, is the bowfin, primitive, aggressive fish that protect their nests up to nine weeks after spawning.

"One of the consistent elements of the stories I've heard is that it happened so fast they hardly had time to react," Hynscht said.

"Whatever is doing this is doing so because of territory. It's not doing this because it's hungry."

Hynscht is trading information and theories with a wildlife biologist in Toronto in an effort to determine the attacker's identity.

London Free Press / ON - Aug 12 2001

George Repicz believes he has captured some sort of animal swiming in Lake Erie.

The story behind the video follows: "In July 1991 my family and I spent a week at a family camp on Kelley's Island I took my camcorder to film family events and local scenery. On one of the days during that week and after filming all over the camp, I decided to get a good sun set on film. The picture through the lens did not look that great because the camera I was using did not amplify the light like some newer ones do these days. So I decided to scan the bay for something interesting when by chance I came across this (I believe was a swimming creature) moving object in the bay. The bay at the point where I shot the film is about 1 plus miles across. Around the bay is about 3 to 5 miles. The people who were fishing or boating in the scene were close to the state camp grounds across the bay. Im not aware if any of those people saw what I saw. The people next to me could barely see the object in the water with there eyes. The camcorder was zoomed out to max and the object appears closer than it is. When our week ended we went home. That was the last time that we went to that camp.

In 1993 my mother passed away so I tried to gather all possible film clips of her to share with my brothers and sister. It so happened that the scene of the creature was also part of the over all family film that I took. By chance I saw this clip again but soon forgot about it again.

I think in either 1994 or 1995 I saw a program on TV about some a creature in Lake Erie. I remember seeing the wake or wave that people took pictures of that was suppose to be the creature. I remembered that at the end of the clip I took of the swimming creature was the same wake.

At the end of 1997 I happened to be on the net and decided to search for sea creatures when I came across the Cryptozoology zone web site and then discovered your site."

George Repicz

1/20/98

Reynoldsburg, Ohio

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19th Century Sightings On page 484 of the "Museum of Natural Sciences", under October 1817 we find the following references:

4. Lake Erie Serpent. It appears that even large lakes have huge serpents or fishes, as well as the sea. On the 7th July, 1817, one was seen in lake Erie, 5 miles from land, by the crew of a schooner, which was 30 or 40 feet long and one fourth in diameter; its colour was a dark mahogany, nearly black. This account is very imperfect, and does not even notice if it had scales; therefore it must remain doubtful whether it was a snake or a fish. I am inclined to believe it was a fish, until otherwise convinced; it might be a gigantic species of eel, or a species of the above gnus Octijvos. Until seen again, and better described, it may be recorded as a gigantic eel.

5. The Water-Snake of Lake Erie has been seen again, and described to be of a copper colour; with bright eyes, and sixty feet long. It is added, that at a short distance (musket) balls had no effect on him, but it is omitted to mention whether it was owing to having lizard scales (in which case it might be a real snake of the genial Enhydris or Pelamis) or to the poor aim of the marksman.

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On page first page of the Burlington Free Press and Times, May 16, 1887 we find the following article.

Lake Erie throws our Lake Champlain sea serpent into the shade with this monster, alleged to have been seen one day last week near Toledo, by two French fishermen. Their serpent had arms width it flourished in the air. It emitted a phosphorescent light from its whole body, and left signs of its presence on the shore, in the shape of scales as big as a silver dollar. The Ottawa county whiskey seems to be a pretty poor article.

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TOLEDO, Ohio, May 14 - A special from Locust Point on the shore of Lake Erie, near here, says: The French settlers along the lake shore, in Erie township, Ottawa county, a few miles east of here, were surprised and amazed last night over the appearance of an unknown fish of mammal size. Two brothers named Dusseau, both fishermen, were returning from these fishing grounds, when they discovered a phosphorescent mass upon the beach. It was late in the evening, but they succeeded in making their boat fast to the shore, and upon examination discovered a lake monster writhing in agony. The brothers say that was like a large sturgeon in shape, but that it had long arms, which it threw wildly in the air. While they were watching it the great fish apparently died, and the Dusseau boys, badly frightened, hurried away for aid. When they returned with ropes the fish had disappeared. In its dying efforts, it had succeeded in tumbling into the lake and had been carried away by the waves. The marks on the beach indicate that the serpent was between twenty and thirty feet in length. Several scales as large as silver dollars, which were believed to be the monsters, were picked up.

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Lake Erie Monster - USA

Bessie, the large, serpentine creature that haunts Lake Erie in the USA and Canada, has been sighted numerous times. There is an unconfirmed rumor which tells of a lethal encounter with a creature who’s head was the size of a car and killed 3 people in 1992.

Although Bessie is generally benign, a more sinister creature has been attacking swimmers near Port Dover, Ontario, Canada in August 2001. News headlines last week covered three bizarre incidents where swimmers were bitten by an unknown fish - or something. Dr. Harold Hynscht, who treated one of the bite victims, has ruled out some of the theories attempting to put a face to the bite marks.

Released pet Pirranhas, Lamprey eels, snapping turtles, walleye, goby, and muskellunge fish have been ruled out, prompting Dr. Hynscht to suggest the attacks were caused by a Bowfin fish protecting its territory. However, this has not yet been confirmed.

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Underwater Mystery Attacker - USA

Mrs. Darwin Johnson had a terrifying encounter with a strange creature while swimming in the Ohio River in Evansville, Indiana on 21 August 1955. Something with a claw-like hand under the water grabbed her knee. She struggled in vain as the thing dragged her underwater twice. She eventually fought off the unseen attacker with a friend's inner tub. The only evidence of Mrs. Johnson's ordeal were some scratches and a green palm print on her knee.

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Akron Beacon Journal Article

Posted on Thu, Oct. 31, 2002

Strange stories ripple beneath Erie's surface

If Scotland has Nessie, does Ohio have Bessie?

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

Somewhere below the surface of Lake Erie, she slithers, mysterious and misunderstood.

On rare occasions, she lifts her long, round neck to have a look around, but usually just ends up startling fishermen and sending boaters speeding for shore.

Bessie may have a lonely life, but she's not alone. At last count, more than 250 lakes have resident sea serpents.

Nessie, the granddaddy of all legendary lake monsters, draws 2 million tourists a year to its Loch Ness home in Scotland.

Most other denizens of the deep lurk in relative obscurity. (Can you say Storsjoeodjuret?)

And then there's our own Bessie, whose notoriety rises and falls in cycles.

In the past decade, a group of businessmen offered a $150,000 reward for her live capture, a live cam on the Internet invited people to help monitor her lair, and a newspaper opened a hot line to log sightings. In 1993, she made the cover of the tabloid Weekly World News, which screamed ``LAKE ERIE MONSTER SINKS SAILBOAT.''

Perhaps Bessie didn't care for the attention. She's kept a low profile more recently, and a containment pen in Huron that once announced itself as ``Future home of Lake Erie monster'' remains empty.

Lake Erie's aquatic enigma was christened South Bay Bessie in a contest held by The Beacon in Port Clinton. Others call her (or him?) by an even older name -- Lem, for Lake Erie Monster.

But published reports that go back two centuries simply refer to a ``creature'' or ``serpent.''

Sightings collected

Rich La Monica, an Akron man who collects sightings of unexplained creatures as a hobby, said the earliest story he's heard dates to 1793. While shooting ducks near Middle Bass Island, the captain of the sloop Felicity reported a 17-foot snakelike beast rose from the water.

Bessie's ancestors caused mayhem a dozen more times in the 1800s, including an 1873 disturbance that led to the formation of a posse in Buffalo, N.Y.

One sighting turned up in the New York Times in 1931, when two fisherman claimed to have crated up a 20-foot-long serpent in the Sandusky area. The pair said that when the monster reared its head, they beat it senseless and towed it to shore.

La Monica said many Bessie reports come from ``credible'' people: police officers, firefighters and ship captains.

Marine biologists have suggested what these witnesses are seeing are sturgeon. That's also the view of Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the Great Lakes Historical Society in Vermilion.

``I have seen photographs of fishermen holding 6- and 7-foot sturgeon. They're ugly, and they're big, and they look like monsters,'' he said.

But La Monica said sturgeon are bottom-dwellers and lack necks to lift out of the water. And while he doesn't know what species people have been seeing, he points out that about 70 percent of the Earth is covered in water, ``much of it unexplored.''

``I'm sure there are many creatures existing we haven't seen yet,'' he said.

Lake Erie's monster flirted with exposure for years, but in the 1990s she made the national news.

And, truth be told, it started as a hoax.

A woman called the Put-In-Bay Gazette to come have a look at a funny-shaped log by her dock. What resulted was a fictional story that turned the log into a thrashing monster.

Tall tale spreads

John Schaffner, editor of The Beacon in Port Clinton, reprinted the article because he knew readers in his lakefront community would get a kick out of it.

But then the tall tale started being repeated on radio stations and national wire services as a serious news report.

``All of a sudden, we started to get calls from people saying they had seen it,'' Schaffner said.

When a family on a fishing trip reported a 35-foot-long snakelike creature racing their boat near Sandusky, sea serpent-mania took hold.

Schaffner opened a hot line that fielded dozens of calls, including a woman from Akron who said she saw the creature on a camping trip, and a Port Clinton teacher who stared one in the eye.

``They were dead serious,'' Schaffner said. And that's when things ``got a little scary,'' he said. The callers were calm, rational, respectable, and their descriptions were very similar.

``I don't know what they saw,'' Schaffner said, ``but they saw something.''

Tom Solberg Sr. helped fan the flames of Bessie fever. The owner of the Huron Lagoons Marina joined with a group of local businessmen who offered a $150,000 reward for her capture, ``live and unharmed.''

``We had a retired professor of zoology from Ohio State University as the expert. He would judge anything that came in,'' Solberg said. The criteria: It had to be at least 30 feet long, weigh at least a thousand pounds, and be a new, unidentified aquatic species.

It was about this time that the Huron City Council passed a resolution declaring the city to be the ``live capture control center for the Lake Erie monster.''

Solberg found himself being called in to talk to local students who were concerned about what might be in their back yards.

``I told them the monster was a vegetarian,'' he recalled, chuckling.

Bessie was never caught, and her star has dimmed in recent years. The reward -- partly made of a Lloyd's of London policy that cost the business owners $5,000 a year -- was dropped.

But Solberg said Bessie's holding pen is still available.

``And if anybody brought us a 30-footer weighing a thousand pounds,'' he said, ``I think we'd still be willing to negotiate a large six-figure reward.''

Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or

pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com

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LOOKING FOR INFORMATION

There have been reports of a water beast known locally as the Nettles Lake Kraken or Nettles Lake Monster here in Ohio (Williams County) Should readers have detailed information you would like to submit, please send it to me personally. You will receive all credit for the report. Anything you have is important and I would greatly appreciate it.

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