Champ Crunch

One month ago, the Eric Olsen-Lake Champlain phonecam footage of “something” was revealed through YouTube, and first discussed here at Cryptomundo, before it was even mentioned in a couple Vermont & New York newspapers.

Unfortunately, we are no closer today than then to knowing what is shown in the moving images. Clearly, I think, we know what it is not. The traits, shape, and behavior of the “something” does not appear, despite critics of the footage, to match a young moose, a dog, a deer, or even an elk (which are not even found in that location). Nor is it a diver underwater holding up a boot, heard from one clown.

I journeyed over to Lake Champlain last week. Part of my time was spent being recorded by Comcast out of Philadelphia. They interviewed me for forthcoming programs in their series “American Monsters,” to be shown on their “Comcast-On-Demand” cable selection option. I discussed the Lake Champlain Monsters. Following that, I shared info on cryptozoology in general and Bigfoot.

I also explored Oakledge Park on my own and with an associate separately, doing some on-site investigations.

I interviewed park rangers, divers, and other locals about Champ, about Eric Oslen (shown above), and about his footage. Digital photos were taken.

The wind was high, the water was choppy (conditions were unsafe for boating out to the buoys), and conditions were much different than the calm during the day of Olsen’s “filming,” which are reflected in the earlier image above. It was actually not safe around the lake during this week. For me, as it developed, I wasn’t even safe on land, making my assessments of the “filmsite.”

Unfortunately, my time was cut short when I fell on the very ledge where Olsen stood, severely twisting, bruising, and causing small fractures in my right foot. In the language of the street, I broke my darned foot. I remain in pain a week later, and my three middle toes and various spots above & below on my foot now have turned a nice shade of purple, perhaps matching a dinosaur replica or two. (I know, TMI.)

A right broken foot. Not mine, but comparative to how mine looked in the first 48 hours after my crunching encounter in pursuit of Champ; image for illustrative purposes only.

The small city park is on the edge and in Burlington proper, very directly. Just beyond the borders of the park you find yourself right in a densely inhabited residential area. No moose, deer, or even otters are known for that area of the city or in the park.

Any animals which come out onto shore in that area would be regularly seen by the visitors to Oakledge Park – or the nearby residents. Nothing unusual, such as an elk teleported from Montana, have been viewed there, or even moose, baby or otherwise, recently.

Secondly, and significantly, the distance to the buoy and the actual area encompassing this event are much smaller than at first assumed by the footage. Foreshortening appears to be occurring, and what seems to be far away in the footage is closer than it appears.

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 new re-examination of the footage by Al gives a more realistic take on these distances. This YouTube video has not been posted at Cryptomundo before and these new dimensions agree with my fix on the new Olsen footage distances.

I was also able to meet up with “Deep Throat,” who had supplied me with early info on the footage. This individual is Mark Gould, who works in the local media there. Although I had just injured my foot, perhaps in shock, I continued exploring the park after Mark’s arrival.

There has been some confusion about the actual location of the Olsen footage. Along with the rangers, Gould and I were definitely able to determine and confirm that the Olsen ledge is the one at the far end of the park, away from the entrance.

Mark and I took reverse angle photographs from the sight-line from the other side of where the “something” would have been.

The following stabilized version of the Eric Olsen-obtained video was produced by John Donald Carlucci of Darke Media.

I’m still not saying I know what was digitally captured by Eric Olsen’s phonecam, but it is not as large as it looks. That it may be an otter remains a real possibility, all joking aside.

Bernard Heuvelmans’ Super-Otter (above) compared to an image from Eric Olsen’s new footage (below).

Thanks for enhancements and photos from Edward Shephard, Yakcam, Impossible Visits, Sean Viloria, John Donald Carlucci, BoyInTheMachine, Jason Ficks, Sam Hemingway, Mark Gould, during this process, and, of course, Eric Olsen.

Loren Coleman 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.

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