Crater Lake National Park, Orego

Overwhelmingly yet sublimely beautiful. Moody.

At times brilliantly blue, ominously somber; at other times buried in a mass of brooding clouds.

The lake is magical, enchanting - a remnant of fiery times, a reflector of its adjacent forested slopes, a product of Nature's grand design.

Provided by the National Park Service

Few places on earth command overwhelming awe from observers, but Crater Lake, in south central Oregon, certainly does. Even in a region of volcanic wonders, Crater Lake can only be described in superlatives. Stories of the deep blue lake can never prepare visitors for their first breathtaking look from the brink of this 6 mile wide caldera which was created by the eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama almost 7,000 years ago. Even seasoned travelers gasp at the twenty-mile circle of cliffs, tinted in subtle shades and fringed with hemlock, fir, and pine: all this in a lake of indescribable blue.

Crater Lake National Park is host to a diverse array of activities. While enjoying the natural scenic wonders, park visitors may hike in old growth forests, participate in a variety of interpretive activites, camp out or stay in an historic hotel, or even cross- country ski during the eight month long winters which are experienced here in the high Cascades.

Preserving this environment for the continued use and enjoyment of the public is also a major goal of the National Park Service. Resource managers are invloved in studies on lake ecology, forest ecosystems, geologic processes, even the role of fire in maintaining healthy relationships between the forests and the land. Their work yields valuable data on the natural systems which have created and maintained that which we fondly call Crater Lake National Park.

Crater Lake National Park has been recommended as a wilderness preserve, a place where we may forget ourselves for a time and enjoy a surge of healthy outdoor exploration. Here, we may rediscover ourselves and learn that material things do not necessarily constitute our richest possessions. This blue gem of the Cascades certainly moves us deeply when we imagine the awesome power which created this wonderful place.

Visitors to the park enjoy multiple opportunities to explore the caldera and enjoy all the spectacular view points on the 33 mile long rim drive. A peaceful guided boat tour, hiking trails and interpretive programs are offered in the summer and Ranger lead snowshoe walks and many trails for cross-country skiing in the winter.

Crater Lake is widely known for its intense blue color and spectacular views. During summer, visitors may navigate the Rim Drive around the lake, enjoy boat tours on the lake surface, stay in the historic Crater Lake Lodge, camp at Mazama Village, or hike some of the park's various trails including Mt. Scott at 8,929 ft. Diverse interpretive programs enhance visitors' knowledge and appreciation of this national park, 90% of which is managed as wilderness. The winter brings some of the heaviest snowfall in the country, averaging 533 inches per year. Although park facilities mostly close for this snowy season, visitors may view the lake during fair weather, enjoy cross-country skiing, and participate in weekend snowshoe hikes.

Park History

Local Native Americans witnessed the collapse of Mount Mazama and kept the event alive in their legends. One ancient legend of the Klamath people closely parallels the geologic story which emerges from today's scientific research. The legend tells of two Chiefs, Llao of the Below World and Skell of the Above World, pitted in a battle which ended up in the destruction of Llao's home, Mt. Mazama. The battle was witnessed in the eruption of Mt. Mazama and the creation of Crater Lake.

The Klamaths revered the lake and the surrounding area, keeping it undiscovered by white explorers until 1853. That year, on June 12, three gold prospectors, John Wesley Hillman, Henry Klippel, and Isaac Skeeters, came upon a long, sloping mountain. Upon reaching its highest point, a huge, awe-inspiring lake was visible. "This is the bluest lake we've ever seen," they reported, and named it Deep Blue Lake. But gold was more on the minds of settlers at the time and the discovery was soon forgotten.

Captain Clarence Dutton was the next man to make a discovery at Crater Lake. Dutton commanded a U.S. Geological Survey party which carried the Cleetwood, a half-ton survey boat, up the steep slopes of the mountain then lowered it to the lake. From the stern of the Cleetwood, a piece of pipe on the end of a spool of piano wire sounded the depth of the lake at 168 differnt points. Dutton's soundings of 1,996 feet were amazingly close to the sonar readings made in 1959 that established the lake's deepest point at 1,932 feet.

William Gladstone Steel devoted his life and fortune to the establishment and management of Crater Lake National Park. His preoccupation with the lake began in 1870. In his efforts to bring recognition to the park, he participated in lake surveys that provided scientific support. He named many of the lake's landmarks, including Wizard Island, Llao Rock, and Skell Head. Steel's dream was realized on May 22, 1902 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill giving Crater Lake national park status. And because of Steel's involvement, Crater Lake Lodge was opened in 1915 and the Rim Drive was completed in 1918.

HOW TO FIND CRATER LAKE

From Roseburg - Route 138 east to the park's north entrance.
From Bend - Route 97 south to route 138 west to the park's north entrance.
From Medford - Route 62 north and east to the park's west entrance.
From Klamath Falls - Route 97 north to route 62 north and west to the park's south entrance.

*The park's north entrance is typically closed for the winter season from mid-October to mid-June.

DRIVING DISTANCES
Bend, OR - 119 miles
Klamath Falls - 57 miles
Los Angeles - 785 miles
Medford - 77 miles
Portland - 250 miles
San Francisco - 450 miles
Seattle - 422 miles

Did You Know?

Because Crater Lake is filled almost entirely by snowfall, it is one of the clearest lakes anywhere in the world. Scientists using a reflector called a Secchi disk commonly record clarity readings of 120 feet. On June 25, 1997 scientists recorded a record clarity reading of 142 feet.

A small volcanic island, Wizard Island, rises 764 feet above the surface of the lake on its west side. A small crater, 300 feet across and 90 feet deep, rests on the summit.

Crater Lake was named for this beautiful, symmetrical crater by James Sutton, editor of the Oregon Sentinel in Jacksonville, in 1869.

Scientists have identified 157 species of phytoplankton and 12 species of zooplankton in the lake. The density and diversity of these minute life forms is restricted by low concentrations of nitrogen in the lake. Large colonies of moss circle the lake at depths of up to 400 feet. At the bottom of the lake, communities of bacteria grow around at least two areas of hydrothermal activity. Two species of fish, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon, also thrive in the lake, the result of stocking between 1888 and 1942.

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Sinnott Memorial Overlook and Museum

Built in 1930 and 1931, the Sinnott Memorial Overlook is located below the caldera rim at Rim Village. A short but steep path begins near the Rim Visitor Center. The Overlook and its accompany museum are available to visitors as staff is available. Exhibits focus on the history of research on the lake and the geologic history of historic Mt. Mazama. Ranger talks relating the formation of Crater Lake are given from the Overlook daily at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m from June 26 through September 5th.

Boat Tours

The boat tours are accessible only by hiking the one mile Cleetwood Cove trail located on the north side of Crater Lake. It climbs 700 feet in elevation and is recommended only for those in good physical condition. It is not recommended if you have heart, breathing, or leg problems.

Temperatures on the lake may be much cooler than those at the trailhead so bring extra clothing and a hat. There is no water available at Cleetwood Cove. You will need to bring your own. Composting toilets are available at the boat dock. A vault toilet is available at the trailhead.

Tickets are purchased at the top of the trail. No reservations are taken. Allow at least one hour to drive from Rim Village to Cleetwood Cove parking area and to hike down the steep trail.

What can we learn from Crater Lake? Why is it important geologically and ecologically? And when's the last time you were inside a caldera? This two hour, ranger lead tour is operated by the Xanterra Parks & Resorts in cooperation with the National Park Service to provide visitors with an expanded knowledge of the lake and its resources, whether visible, submerged, or intangible. Boat tours are scheduled to begin in early July - however, inquire at the park visitor centers to insure correct information.

Cost: $20.00 for adults $12.00 for children 11 and under and free for those 24 months and under. Prices Subject to Change.

Wizard Island Options:

Boats stop at Wizard Island. It is possible to stay on the island and take a later boat back. However, your return journey is dependent upon available space on returning boats. You are not guaranteed a ride back until the final tour of the day, possibly arriving at the Cleetwood Dock as late as 6:30 p.m. There are two hiking trails on Wizard Island. There is no camping allowed on the Island. Keep in mind that Wizard Island is a remarkable place: an infant cinder cone with all the expected hazards: extremely rough lava, loose cinder, and dry conditions. Use caution when hiking. A pit toilet is located at the dock area. There are no other facilities provided for the public on Wizard Island.


Hiking and Biking

This national park has over 180,000 acres of which only 11,500 are taken up by the lake. The remaining 93% is land based, most of it backcountry. In fact, portions of the park await designation as wilderness. There are approximately 90 miles of hiking trails in the park -- with each one offering the visitor a chance to take a closer look at nature or study a geological feature. You can hike for several days or wander quietly as long as you like. In addition to the many trails that start inside the park, there are several connections with paths in the surrounding National Forests. A good example is the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs all the way from the Mexico to Canada and passes through Crater Lake's backcountry.

No bicycles are allowed on any park trails. Bicycling is allowed only on paved roads, the Grayback Motor Nature Trail, and the dirt trail entering the park on the east side near the Pinnacles.

Start your trip at the information desk located in the Steel Center in Munson Valley or the Rim Village Information Center. Park staff will also issue free backcountry permits for overnight stays and inform you of the regulations designed to protect these areas.

Bring plenty of food and water. Wear comfortable shoes or boots. If you plan on drinking stream water, you need to treat it with a reliable purification system. You should also be prepared for any extremes of weather. Temperatures can change dramatically in the course of a day. Snow has fallen in all twelve months of the year here. This information should be helpful in planning your trip to Crater Lake. Take time to enjoy the spectacular views of the lake but include time to relax and enjoy the green forests, cool mountain streams, and other magnificent features of Crater Lake's backcountry.

The following is a partial list of day hikes at Crater Lake National Park. The list is organized according to estimated time length for completing the hike. Please note that steep terrain of Crater Lake means time, length and difficulty are not directly related. Times are given are estimates of how long it will take to complete the trail and return to the trailhead. Trails listed as strenuous should be taken only by people in good physical condition.

▪ Sun Notch View - Time: 20 minutes, Length: 0.25 miles one way, Elevation: 7000 - 7115 ft., Difficulty: moderate, Trailhead: 4 miles east of Park HQ on East Rim Drive, marked by a sign. Feature: Overlook of Crater Lake and Phantom Ship, scattered wildflowers, dry meadow. Use caution near steep edges.

▪ Godfrey Glen - Time: 30 minutes, Length: 1.00 miles, Elevation: 6000 - 6050 ft., Difficulty: easy, Trailhead: 2.4 miles south of Park HQ.

▪ Castle Crest Wildflower Garden - Time: 30-45 minutes, Length: .4 mile loop from Rim Drive, 1 mile loop from Park HQ, Elevation: 6400 - 6500 ft., Difficulty: easy but some uneven ground and rocks, Trailhead: 1) East Rim Drive, 0.5 miles from park HQ, or 2) Across road from Park HQ parking lot. Features: Small brook, lush vegetation, and spectacular blooms of wildflowers in summer months.

▪ The Watchman - Time: 1 hour, Length: 0.7 miles. one way, Elevation: 7400 to 8056 ft, Difficulty: difficult, steep, Trailhead: "The Corrals", 3.7 miles northwest of Rim Village on West Rim Drive. Features: Panorama of surrounding area, overlook of Wizard Island, a historic fire lookout and an interpretive map of local peaks and landforms.

▪ Annie Creek Canyon - Time - 1 hour and 15 min, Length: 1.7 mile loop, Elevation: 5800 to 6000 ft., Difficulty: moderate, Trailhead: Amphitheater at Mazama Campground. Features: Deep stream cut canyon, creek habitats, wildflowers and occasional animals.

▪ Cleetwood Cove (lake shore trail) - Time - 1 hour, Length: 1.1 miles, one way, Elevation: 6850 to 6176 ft., Difficulty, strenuous, 11% grade, Trailhead: Parking area 4.5 mi. east of North Junction. Features: Access to lake shore and boat landing.

▪ Garfield Peak - Time: 2 to 3 hours, Length: 1.7 miles, one way, Elevation. 7050 to 9060 ft, Difficulty: difficult, Trailhead: Rim Village Parking Lot. Features: Panorama of surrounding area, excellent views of Crater Lake, occasional small animals, wildflowers, and an overhead view of Phantom Ship.

▪ Mt. Scott - Time: - 3 hours, Length: 2.5 miles. one way, Elevation: 7450 to 8929 ft., Difficulty: - strenuous, Trailhead: 14 miles east of Park HQ, across East Rim Drive from road to Cloudcap junction.

Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

Spring at Crater Lake National Park- is a very long season or merely a heartbeat, depending on your perspective. With the disappearance of the several feet of snow that blankets the area until early summer, wildflowers bloom, transitory birds return, trees bud, and animals play in the abundance of summer. The largest park residents are the deer and elk that roam the woods of the park from June until October. A herd of pronghorn antelope also migrate across the Pumice Desert in the northern end of the park in early summer as the snow finally leaves the ground. These ungulates, a word used to describe hoofed animals, indicate that summer is here; that the plants and trees are in the midst of their growing season.

Pine martens, mice, squirrels, and rabbits are just a sampling of winter wildlife who stay active by feeding on pine seeds, hemlock bark and other gifts left by summer's vegetation. Deer must migrate to lower elevations, sometimes traveling up to thirty miles to the Rogue Valley where a food supply is still available. Deer and elk feed mainly on different types of grasses and lichens, as well as twigs and bark of hemlock, lodgepole pine, and Douglas fir. Carnivores, or meat eaters, don't suffer the same food loss as deer when plants are snowed in.

Elk are the largest of the park's animals, with females weighing as much as 700 lbs. and males weighing up to 1100 lbs. They commonly come into the south and western areas of the park as snow allows, usually around mid-June. The species native to the park, Roosevelt Elk, were hunted nearly to extinction in the park by early settlers. To help the population, 15 elk were from Wallowa County, Oregon. Oregon's first state game warden, William L. Finley, brought in 15 elk from the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1912, to live in a protected enclosure at Billy Meadows north of Enterprise. Another 15 were brought in 1913. The Crater Lake elk are descendants of these. The effort was successful; today, more than 160 elk (approx) have been counted within the park in recent summers. Deer winter with elk and generally live in the same regions.

All of these beautiful animals travel in both daylight and during evening hours. Please obey all speed regulations and be very watchful as you travel park roadways for your safety and theirs. Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Perhaps what moves us in winter is some reminiscence of far-off summer. The cold is merely superficial - it is summer still at the core, far, far within." It is the wakeful summer core that maintains the sleeping winter of Crater Lake. Deer and elk are a welcome indication of this transition.

Camping

There are two developed campgrounds at Crater Lake. Mazama Campground is located near the Annie Springs Entrance Station. Lost Creek Campground is accessed by taking East Rim Drive to the Pinnacles road. Campsites are all on a first come, first served basis. No reservations are taken. Camping opportunities are also available at several locations outside the park.

Mazama Campground - This 198 site campground is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Call 541-594-3704 for prices regarding sites per night. Fresh water, flush toilets, a dump station, pay showers, and laundry facilities are available. There are no utility hookups. Fires are permitted in designated fireplaces only. Firewood is available for purchase at the Mazama Store. Campers are allowed to collect only dead and downed wood. Mazama Campground is open from June 11 to October 4, 2004, weather permitting.

Lost Creek Campground - A 16 site tents-only campground is operated by the National Park Service. It normally opens in July and closes for the season in mid-September. Check at the park visitor centers at 541-594-3100 for exact opening and closing dates & rates. Sites are first come-first serve, they do Not Reserve by phone. These sites fill by early afternoon, so campers should select sites upon arriving in the park.

Visitor Services

Food and Beverages - Crater Lake National Park offers three types of dining. The Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room is located in the Crater Lake Lodge and offers fine dining featuring Northwest regional cuisine. The Lodge Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from May 26 to October 17, 2004. The Café is located adjacent to the Gift Shop at Rim Village and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Café is open year-round with decreased hours in the winter. The Watchman Buffet is upstairs from the Café and offers a dinner buffet. Its hours are 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. from June 11 through September 12, 2004.

Lodging - The historic Crater Lake Lodge, perched on the rim of Crater Lake, has 71 rooms and is open from May 26 to October 17, 2004 The Mazama Village Motor Inn is located at Annie Springs, near the Route 62 junction. Two units are designed for wheelchair accessibility. The Motor Inn is open from June 4 to October 4. Check in is at the Mazama Village Store. To reserve rooms in advance, contact 541-594-2255 ext. 3705.

Automotive Needs - Gas is available Seasonally. Unleaded gasoline, oil, and some basic automotive needs are available at the Mazama Village Store. Regular and Diesel fuels are not available. There are no mechanics available in the park. Tow services come from Chemult or Prospect, Oregon.

Mazama Village Store - The store is located at the Annie Springs Entrance near the junction with Route 62. Convenience store items, a coin operated laundry, and shower facilities are available. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from June 4 to June 11; 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. from June 11 to September 7; 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from September 7 to closing on October 4, 2004

For more information about Crater Lake please call 541-594-3100 or you can visit this website at www.craterlakelodges.com

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Blue Baby Blue

Baby blue is a baby who was murdered by his psychotic mother. Nobody knows his real name. His mother murdered him by shattering a mirror and stabbing him to death with a shard of glass.

To summon baby blue, you go into the bathroom (i suggest with at least one other friend) and fog up a mirror. You know how the mirror gets all foggy after you take a shower or something? You can do the same thing by turning on hot water for a while.

Write "Baby Blue" in the mirror fog. Turn off the light and wait a minute. Hold out your arms like you are going to carry a baby. One of you will feel a weight in your arms, like a very heavy baby. You have to hold him for a while, then you can pass him to the next person. if you drop the baby while holding or passing him, you’ll get a scratch on your arm. Drop him twice, get another scratch. Drop him three times…he’ll shatter the mirror and stab you to death.

My friend Bailey and I decided to test this out. Bailey turned out the light and I held out my arms. I felt a very heavy weight in my arms. My hands were sweating and I was so nervous that I dropped Baby Blue. I felt a sharp pain through my arm. I passed the baby to Bailey. Bailey was freaked out that she dropped Baby Blue immediately. I heard her whimper, so i knew she’d gotten a scratch. A few minutes later, i heard another whimper and knew she’d dropped the baby again. "Turn on the light!" she squealed. I flipped on the light. We looked down at our arms and saw bright red scratches on our arms. One for me and two for Bailey.

There is also another version of the story. In this version, you enter the bathroom with the lights off. You should say the phrase "Blue Baby" over and over for thirteen goes whilst pretending to rock a baby. After you finish chanting, a baby will appear and scratch you. You should drop it and run out of the bathroom as quick as you can otherwise a woman will appear and scream "GIVE ME BACK MY BABY". If you are still holding her baby then she will kill you.

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"Bownessie" - Lake Windermere monster

Windermere is a town of about 2300 population within the Lake District National Park in the North West England shire county of Cumbria. Windermere town center is half a mile from Lake Windermere, England's largest fresh water natural lake. Lake Windermere has been summer and holidays cottage country since for the middle of the 19th century when a railway branch line gave the city-folk from central England access to the area's beauty.
The town of Windermere does not touch Lake Windermere. But it has grown together with lakeside town of Bowness-on-Windermere. The odd combined town retains two distinct town centres. The Windermere railway station continues in operation today.
While there are a many cultural attractions in the Wingemere area, none can match the beauty of the natural environment. The mountains of Cumbria surround the lake basin, at the center of which lies the ten and half mile long ribbon lake: long, narrow and deep. Ribbon lakes were formed during the last ice age and are canyons with a river at either end. A glacier would have dug a glacial trough through a vein of soft rock, creating a canyon surrounded by the harder rock of the mountains. Boats from the piers in Bowness sail around the lake. There are 18 islands in the lake, the largest of 40 acres and privately owned. Two other villages are along the lake shoe, Ambleside and Lakeside. Sailing from one to the other is an excellent way to while away a summer's day.
Since the 1950s there have been isolated reports of somethin odd in Lake Windermere. The story, documented by Centre for Fortean Zoology, was not much known until 2006, when a man and wife reported seeing something large swimming about 30 yards from shore. This focused local attention on the Lake and later in the year a photographer named Linden Adams took some photos that were picked up by wire services and cable news network. The pictures have never been proven inauthentic.

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Lake ‘monster’ sighting

A BIZARRE swimming incident on Windermere coincided with the announcement that a paranormal investigator will plumb the lake’s depths in search of a giant creature. Thomas Noblett, 46, was swimming the lake this week when he was suddenly swamped by a three-foot wave of unknown origin. A spate of eyewitness sightings reported by The Gazette during 2006-2007 described a 50-foot long serpent-like animal surfacing on Windermere. Psychic Dean ‘Midas’ Maynard, who came to prominence by accurately predicting sports score lines and X factor winners, will hunt for the beast in September. Mr Noblett trains on the lake for four hours every day in preparation for a channel swim. Never having had to deal with anything more than the odd passing trout, the 46-year-old said he had since reconsidered the legend of the Windemere monster. “I didn’t entertain it before. Now when I’m in the lake it has my full attention,” he said. Mr Noblett, managing director of The Langdale Chase Hotel, was swimming close to Wray Castle at 7am on Wednesday morning when the 3ft swell hit. He and swimming trainer Andrew Tighe – paddling in a boat beside him – were the only people on the lake. “We had gotten up early and Windermere was crystal clear. The lake was totally empty apart from us and all I could hear was the slapping of my arm against the water,” explained Mr Noblett. “All of a sudden this wave just hit us. Andrew said ‘where the hell did that come from?’ and it made the boat rock from side to side,” he continued. Treading water, alone, in the centre of the lake, Mr Noblett watched as two large waves sped towards either shore. “It was like a big bow wave; a three-foot swell at least. There was two, as if a speed boat had sped past, but there were no boats on the lake,” he said. Previously an escape from the jellyfish he dodges while training at sea, Mr Noblett said the lake’s depths were not so inviting anymore. “I always look forward to swimming in Windermere, now I’m starting to get the fear. Twice I have looked down and seen fish, but only small trout. The reeds sometimes scare you, because they suddenly appear like triffids.” Dean ‘Midas’ Maynard will search the lake for the monster in September. Mr Maynard, with a background in ghost hunting, is currently searching for a sonar-equipped boat to use in the search. “It’s a fascinating subject. I’m not saying there is or isn’t something down there. Most eyewitness accounts describe some sore of eel, which if living in open water can grow very big,” said Mr Maynard. Mr Noblett is swimming across the English Channel in mid October. He hopes to raise £10,000 for Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle and the Cyctic Fibros is Trust.

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From the Westmorland (Eng.) Gazette: 18 Aug. 2006
A HOLIDAYMAKER has spoken of his horror at seeing a Loch Ness-type monster’
emerge from the depths of Windermere, report Paul Duncan and Peter Otway.
University lecturer Steve Burnip and his wife, Eileen, were shocked at seeing the serpent-like creature surface from the waters as they stood at a well-known viewpoint.
"I was absolutely flabbergasted, I just stood there and couldn’t believe what I was looking at," said Mr Burnip, who has been holidaying in the area for 13 years with his family.
He claimed the creature was about 15-20ft long with a little head and two small humps following in its wake. "It was like a giant eel."
Mr Burnip, who is 51 and from Hebden Bridge, was looking out from Watbarrow
point that looks across the lake to Waterhead.
Ian Winfield, a fish ecologist for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Lancaster University, believes Mr Burnip could have seen a catfish, as they have been introduced to a lot of lakes for angling.
"The Wels catfish comes from mainland Europe and can grow to about 500cm and weigh up to 306kg and there have been numerous records of catfish washing up dead in Cumbrian lakes," said Mr Whitfield.

When I got wind of this story, I must admit I was absolutely thrilled to bits at the possibility that there was a cryptid yet to be found in English waters. I happened to have booked a stay in the town of Windermere itself from August 22 to 24 and was going to spend a fair chunk of time visiting the lake and nearby Coniston Water where Sir Donald Campbell died while attempting to break the world water speed record aboard Bluebird in 1967 so I had the opportunity of checking Lake Winderemere out.
People often say that if there is a cryptid in a lake why haven’t more people seen the creature and more often as well. If the body of water is anything like Lake Windermere, I can fully understand why this creature would be so rarely seen. Unlike North American lakes, access to the shore around Lake Windermere is extremely difficult. True, there are a number of piers from which you can board tour boats of the lake, but most of the shoreline – particularly at the southern end – is inaccessible.
The witness, Mr. Burnip, was very fortunate that he was in a location that afforded a good view of the lake. Watbarrow Point is the home a famous local castle so it is not surprising Mr. Burnip and his family were in this area. As the report indicates you can see Waterhead very well from this spot so the witness description of his sightlines is accurate.
Although it is certainly possible there are Wels catfish in Lake Windermere, what Mr. Burnip saw and described is nothing like a catfish. He is adamant that he saw head and two humps and this is certainly not an aspect that one could possibly expect a catfish to exhibit. Richard Freeman and the gang from the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) in Devon, also checked out the lake, as I did, after Mr. Burnip’s sighting and they hypothesized what Mr. Burnip saw might have been a large sterile eel. Now, that is a hypothesis I could live with. It is possible that Mr. Burnip saw an eel swimming on its side (this does happen and I have seen footage of it myself) which would account for the creature. It would have to be a very large eel to be 15 – 20 feet long, but it is a possibility with some merit to it.
Neither the CFZ crew or our British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club (BCSCC) field work team saw anything out of the ordinary at Lake Windermere, but I am fairly excited about the prospect of revisiting the lake to ascertain whether this unknown creature is a cryptid or an extraordinarily large and unusual eel.

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Swarm of Unexplained Earthquake Strikes Litle Rock, Arkansas

Jim Sutterfield was briefly puzzled by a thumping sound that seemed to slam the back of his office chair. But when the small-town Arkansas fire chief turned and saw no one was around, he quickly realized it was just an earthquake — again. "That was only my second time to feel one, but others here have felt them for three or four months now," Greenbrier chief Jim Sutterfield said after feeling the latest tremor on Wednesday. "Now when it happens, people say, 'Well, there's another one.'" Several small earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 1.8 to 3.8 have rattled the north-central Arkansas cities of Greenbrier and Guy this week, and the cause is unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey has reported more than 30 earthquakes in the area since Sunday, including a magnitude 3.8 quake Thursday morning and at least 16 others occurring Wednesday, two of which were magnitude 3.2 and 3.5. More than 700 quakes have occurred in the region over the past six months. Scott Ausbrooks, geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey, said the quakes are part of what is now called the Guy earthquake swarm — a series of mild earthquakes that have been occurring periodically since 2009. A similar swarm occurred in the early 1980s when a series of quakes hit Enola, Ark. Ausbrooks said geologists are still trying to discover the exact cause of the recent seismic activity but have identified two possibilities. "It could just be a naturally occurring swarm like the Enola swarm, or it could be related to ongoing natural gas exploration in the area," he said. A major source of natural gas in Arkansas is the Fayetteville Shale, an organically-rich rock formation in north-central Arkansas. Drillers free up the gas by using hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" — injecting pressurized water to create fractures deep in the ground. Ausbrooks said geologists don't believe the production wells are the problem, but rather the injection wells that are used to dispose of "frack" water when it can no longer be re-used. The wastewater is pressurized and injected into the ground. "We see no correlation between natural gas production wells and earthquakes, but we haven't ruled out injection wells," he said, adding that if production wells were the cause, the earthquakes would be scattered all over the region underlain by the Fayetteville Shale formation and not in just one area. Ausbrooks said the earthquakes are occurring in the vicinity of several injection wells. Guy Police Chief Dave Martini said the locals continue to blame the gas companies for the quakes. "We have a disposal well here just outside of the city," Martini said. "People are suspecting that to be causing it, even though there isn't any proof of that." Martini said the earthquakes started increasing in frequency over the past week and that the disposal well has seen an increase in use recently. Lawrence Bengal, director of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission, said a six-month moratorium was established in January on new injection wells in the area. He said four companies are operating already-drilled injection wells: SEECO Inc., Chesapeake Operating Inc., Clarita Operating LLC and Deep-Six Water Disposal Services LLC. The moratorium, which is expected to end in July, is intended to allow time to study the relationship — if any — between the injection wells and earthquakes in the area. The largest quake of the Guy Earthquake Swarm was a magnitude 4.0, which occurred in October, Ausbrooks said. The region could possibly see quakes reaching as high as 5.0, but he said anything above 6.0 is unlikely. The magnitude scale for earthquakes is logarithmic, meaning a magnitude 3 earthquake would produce waves with amplitudes 10 times greater than a magnitude 2 and 100 times greater than a magnitude 1. Geologists say quakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest felt by humans. "These periods of high activity are not uncommon. I don't think it's anything to be overly concerned about," Ausbrooks said. "We always encourage people to keep tuned in to what's going on and to always have an all-hazards disaster preparedness kit.

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