Sean Viloria has a series of digital images that may be the latest proof of Ogopogo‘s existence in Okanagan Lake
“Even to this day, I‘m not saying I‘ve captured the Ogopogo on film. I‘m saying I‘ve taken these pictures of something physical, moving, swimming in the lake and I don‘t know what they are,” said the Kelowna resident.
“A biologist said the object could have been at least 40 feet in length, which is gigantic for anything that could be living in the lake.”
Some images possibly show a back with bony ridges, a head and neck, or appendages.
The colour appeared to change from his initial sighting of something black to something red, leading to speculation that pollution may be affecting the creature‘s skin or there could be more than one, perhaps a thriving population.
“Something is most definitely there, something unknown to science that has made its home in Okanagan Lake. There are so many reasons why this could be the truth and there‘s so much evidence pushing for that. I think it definitely deserves a bit more serious look from the scientific community.”
Kelowna Ogopogo author Arlene Gaal, expert John Kirk and noted Toronto biologist Dr. Edward Bousfield can‘t explain what Viloria photographed, other than to speculate it‘s some kind of unknown aquatic creature. Even a biologist in the provincial fisheries department said it would be unusual to find anything like it in the lake.
Viloria shared three or four photos with the TV show MonsterQuest and didn‘t want to release them
publicly until after the Ogopogo segment aired, which occurred recently in the U.S.
“I feel blessed that we saw anything, that we were part of anything. I think it‘s important that this information is made public. I have nothing to fear; I have nothing to hide. I saw what I saw and the camera doesn‘t lie. It‘s just a matter of time before we collect something factual, something that scientists can look at and study,” he said.
“Just hearing about this or reading about this, if it will take a few people out of their daily rat race routine and make them think that maybe there is a little something more out there, I don‘t think that‘s such a bad thing.”
The Aug. 15, 2008 sighting occurred on Highway 97 between Peachland and Summerland: “black cresting humps that were coming in and out of the water, kind of your stereotypical sighting. It was a fair distance away, probably a third into the lake, but you could tell the girth and size of this thing.”
He accidentally turned his digital camera off, but did get an image of something dark in the water, all but submerged.
The second sighting occurred on Aug. 23, 2008 when they stopped for the Highway 97 widening project just south of the first sighting. Viloria saw a “thrashing, big movement in the water” and took 11 more photos.
“There was something there. I was kind of floored because I had no explanation for them whatsoever,” said Viloria.
Viloria joked he will never swim or waterski in Okanagan Lake again. He is contemplating a mini-expedition at the end of summer. As an artist, he has scuplted a 30-centimetre long prototype of an accurate Ogopogo representation. City council may be approached with the concept of a bronze statue at some point.
Anyone who has seen anything on the lake or would like to contact Viloria can email: ogopogotruth@gmail.com.
