Olsen Champ Video: Part Two
Posted by: Loren Coleman on June 6th, 2010
Due to the slow loading of all the elements of this posting, I’ve broken it into two parts. Here’s the second section.
In John Carlucci’s stabilization of the Olsen footage, please note the flexibility of the animal’s neck, and notice especially, in the last still image, the water between the head and the rest of the visible body/neck.
Click on image for full size version.
The buoy in the image is this big:
This July 2009 video analysis of the length of the object in the water was from Al.
Calculating Champ size based on triangulation of videographer location and reference points.
Frame 1022 used to establish creature size for all the 3 frames used in this calculation from Olsen Video.
Click on image for full size version.
For reference, recall that the tennis court in this photo is 36 ft x 78 ft. The arrow for the “creature” should be closer to shore.
The following July 2009 re-examination of the footage by Al gave a more realistic take on these distances.
Click on image for full size version.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
I had a little time on my hands this evening and had another look at the data supplied – actually, hidden in the video. I just worked from the still frame Loren posted called “champ21” and a daytime photo from last year showing “the” buoy and a couple of people sitting on rocks on the shore.
I have assumed the nearest cribs haven’t moved and are still 1083 ft / 330m from the photographers location.
I have assumed that the person on the beach with arms on her hips is 31 inches / 80 cm wide at her elbows ( like me) and that the buoy really is 10 inches / 25 cm diameter.
Using GoogleEarth as my mapping source I measure the angular separation (clear water) between the two nearest cribs to be 2.11 degrees and use that as a reference in the Champ21 photo.
From here on, it is just a matter of solving triangles. The buoy is measured as 1.128 degrees down from the cribs and so 310 ft / 94.3 m away from Mr Olsen, and the “object of interest” a further 1.172 degrees down from the buoy, which equates to a range of 54 metres or 177 ft.
I calculate the object to be 1.93 metres or 76″ long, and that the photographers camera was 2.6 m / 8.5 feet above water level.
The accuracy is based on the rear view of the female in a bikini, and I will be happy to study further samples if required 🙂
After his corrections above, Al’s estimate of object length was 6.4 ft, while mine, obtained using different methods is 6.33 ft.
Do we get a cigar each, or do we have to share?
Well. Can’t see the video above since I need a friend-rquest… But must I agree that if this is a real living thing then it’s a mammal. Probably a moose?
E: Just a piece of advice ~ If you can’t see a video, it’s probably not a good idea to tell us that and then leave an opinion of what you think it might be. Especially down to the species level!!
6ft? I seem to remember Loren’s field trip report informing us the subject in footage was disappointingly small. Like otter size.
Let me preface my opinion by saying that I have read both articles concerning this video, have seen the stabilized version and has, in the past, actively been familiar with images of other “lake monsters”. While I submit to the audience that this video is not clear evidence due to the detail recorded, what has been captured is of substantial size, of which “wuffing” has above labelled to be 1.93 metres long. Due to the size of the object depicted I also submit my hypothesis that this creature is an infant. It has been written earlier that this video was recorded at sunrise. If all lake cryptids appeared in broad daylight, it is a safe guess that their future would be grim due to the exposure. Another sense of rationality demonstrates the there is some comfort in hiding within the blackness underwater. It is also common knowledge that underwater creatures such as the octopus, demonstrate a high level of thinking and intelligence and that these are not vegetable creatures beneath the surface. Hence it is my hypothesis that this is a juvenile, unfamiliar with the unwritten rules of survival, who has attempted to take a peek during the daylight and was recorded in that process.
If you compare this object with swimming deer and moose, you will note:
Deer/moose continue to swim in deep water steadily towards their goal; they don’t stop when their legs do not touch the bottom. While swimming, they leave a larger wake than that seen here.
When you see deer/moose swimming in deep water, you see only their head; they do not stop, rise out of the water, turn their heads, raise their backs out of the water, and drift slowly towards shore. They actively swim when in deep water.
Still a log, sorry.
Loren: Was talking about the other video actually 😉 Those I could see. It it looked elk-sih to me… So why don’t you make the video from this post public?
I really have no idea what “E” is talking about. Videos posted on here are public. Perhaps “E’s” internet provider, filter, or someone controlling his computer is blocking something? Don’t have a clue here.
I agree with Professor Coleman, links to videos have been provided and by clicking on any YouTube embedded video you ‘should’ be taken to the host sight YouTube. To add to my above hypothesis, I believe that just because we live in a world of technology able to map the planet we call home, we should believe that we are aware every single life form below the surface of a lake, loch, or ocean. Patience is a must for this field, and as elusive as the creature(s) of Lake Champlain may be, there appears to be intelligence below those cold waters should we accept the authenticity of the video which opens up another metaphorical jar of critical responses including how technology has provided us with a double-edged sword to map and create.
Snapping Turtle. Although they are usually very shy and rarely poke more than their nose above water, I personally have witnessed them either fighting or in a mating ritual were they protruded way above the water. When I witnessed it, I couldn’t understand what was in my pond; it appeared so foriegn. It wasn’t until I zoomed in with the video camera that I realized it was snapping turtles. If you assume that the left-side point used for the length measurement was actually a light reflection off the wake, the size is about right. Certainly the profile is near identical to what I saw. Also the rising and submerssion in the water is a near duplicate. Perhaps the turtle was driving off a competitor who had strayed into his territory or was attempting to attract a mate.
After viewing the videos, my personal opinion is that if this is a moose or deer, it is either drunk or very, very limber.
My comment is pretty simple, I think you guys did a lot of work figuring this out and I am impressed. I am glad there are people like you out there, if the world had to rely on me to figure out stuff like this we would all be in big trouble.