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Ogopogo Spotted on Google Earth?
"Who would-a thunk it" that the quest for Lake Monsters would be given a significant boost by Google! This morning, Lon's postings including a marvelous satellite photo of what could be Ogopogo! It is difficult to determine a complete outline for the animal in the enlarged picture because of glare from the water.
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To clarify the picture for my own satisfaction, I brought the color image into Photoshop, cropped down to the main shape, and turned the picture to grayscale. Then I hit the image with adjustments for contrast and brightness.
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The animal, and indeed it is an animal because it exhibits bilateral symmetry, is viewed with its port side towards the land.
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What shows up very clear is a pair of crescent-shaped flippers "astern" and close to the surface. There is a suggestion that there is another pair of flippers further forward where there is the suggestion of a shoulder "hump" just under the water. Forward of this possible second pair of flippers is a lengthy grey area that could be a long neck and head, pointing straight ahead.
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About flippers: Flippers will appear to change shape as an animal in the water moves them to propel itself. Also, some whales have distinctive, crescent-shaped flippers, although those are of different proportions to the whole animal as compared to the flippers of the animal in the Google satellite photo.
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Could it be a giant seal? The flippers to the "aft" just don't match up with what we have all be seeing in the zoos, circuses, and on PBS TV of the "steering ends" of seals and even walruses.
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Could it be a whale? There are two sets of flippers, not one big pair. The back end of the animal is obscured, so it cannot be seen if there is a tail with flukes. That obscuring of the end of the tail is another point to consider.
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It appears that the water deepens rather quickly off shore under this animal. If the animal we see is of basic plesiosaur configuration (see Wikipedia for variations, also the copious number of photos from Loch Ness, Lake Champlain, and others) assuming that the four paddle-like appendages are visible -- what is that huge dark shape coming up behind it, obscuring the tail? What is that blobby dark shape coming up from the "starboard" side of the head?
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I don't want to read too much into the image, but my conclusion is this: The animal has the "classic" Nessie shape of the compact body and moderately long neck, with logically proportionate and well-placed flippers. Compared to the size of the fishing piers, it's a "whopper"! Is it Ogopogo? It is a living animal with bilateral symmetry. And it is in a place where the Ogopogo is known to appear. I'll leave it at that.
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Plesiosaur morphology: As I read in various books on dinosaurs, the plesiosaur body with the small head and large neck way out in front of a very powerful body is ideal for catching fish. The fish are only "vaguely" aware of the smallish head in murky waters. Then "chomp", the neck shoots forward and the fish is "gone".
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Has Ogopogo Been Spotted on Google Earth?
(click image for larger version)NOTE: I received the following email tonight:
Let me start by saying that I really enjoy your blog, as for the subject of the image attached; I was going through your July 09 archive and one of the posts was about the Okanagan Lake monster, and since I had some free time on my hands, I decided to use Google earth to try and scan the lake from above, and to my surprise, I stumbled upon this monster/snake/big fishing net thing that is about 280 meters long and could well be the thing they saw on that day (due to it's proximity to the boat dock).
Thank you and keep up the good work.
Abdulaziz, Kuwait
Well, I looked at the image and the anomaly that Abdulaziz mentioned...but, then I noticed a shadow in the water about, my estimate, 150 feet offshore. I screen captured the shadow and attempted to enhance it a bit. The shape is similar to a plesiosaur or a serpentine creature, but with 1 pair of flippers (possibly, another pair hidden). I realize it's just a shadow or silhouette but the shape is intriguing. Could this be Ogopogo?..Lon
Denmaster |
Latest page update: made by Denmaster
, Aug 2 2009, 4:17 PM EDT
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Keyword tags:
Champ
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Ogopogo
Plesiosaurs
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| BerserkerSwe | Previous images ?? | 1 | Aug 27 2009, 5:53 PM EDT by BunkieLA | ||
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Thread started: Aug 27 2009, 5:43 PM EDT
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I dont know if the "view previous images"-functionality in Google Earth is to be trusted. That said, going back to the only previous image available not only gives you a more blurry image, but also the cars are gone (as they should). But the supposed Ogopogo is still there.
Have a look and think about it. /keep up the great work! |
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| Denmaster | Ogopogo | 0 | Jul 29 2009, 9:55 AM EDT by Denmaster | ||
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Thread started: Jul 29 2009, 9:55 AM EDT
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Hi Bunkie...I have added your excellent perspective and image (with copyright) as part of an update on Phantoms and Monsters. Look at it and LMK what your think. Lon
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