Lake Champlain is a long, deep freshwater lake on the border of New York, Vermont, and the Canadian province of Quebec. It is about 120 miles long and over 400 feet deep at its lowest point. For hundreds of years, people who live around the lake have reported seeing something large swimming through its waters. They call it Champ.
According to witnesses, Champ has a long neck, a small head, and a humped back that pokes out of the water. The descriptions often sound like a plesiosaur, the kind of long-necked marine reptile that lived during the age of dinosaurs. There have been over 300 reported sightings, and a few blurry photos and videos have been taken over the years.
What is strangely cool about Champ is that he is officially protected by law. Both Vermont and New York have passed laws making it illegal to harm Champ if anyone ever finds one. The local minor league baseball team in Vermont is even called the Vermont Lake Monsters, and their mascot is, of course, Champ.
