My daughter and her family went camping over Memorial Day weekend at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin. So, of course, I had to look up all the ghoulies and ghosties that might be haunting the lake. To be fair, I did not tell her about them before she left. But now that they are all home safe and sound (and my son-in-law took the awesome photo I’m using), let’s talk Lake Monster!
According to KRFO Radio’s website, the legend of the Devil’s Lake Monster goes back a long way. “The story goes that many generations ago, a Native American Tribe was attacked by a vicious monster in Devil’s Lake. Members of a hunting party were out on a quiet night. The water was still and the moon could be seen reflecting on the water. Suddenly, tentacles shot up from the water and crushed the canoes. Then, the monster’s tentacles pulled the people under the water, and nobody survived. The screams of those being attacked alerted members of the tribe on shore, and they helplessly watched as everyone perished.”
But that wasn’t the last of the monster. Decades later, there was another sighting. “Eventually, missionaries entered the region, and the Nakota Sioux tribe shared their story of the Devil’s Lake Monster. They told another story about how years after the attack, drought had left lake levels so low that it was basically split into two lakes. In the center strip of mud was a huge fish-like creature stuck in the mud. They said the creature had a long neck, small head, and wide body, and it was thrashing, trying to swim free. It eventually did and went underwater.”
Decades after that, in the 1950s, the daughter of a local Marshall found the dead carcass of a creature that was more than twenty feet long and weighed more than 1,000 pounds. It had nine limbs and the body of a cow. (I’m trying to picture one of my cows with nine limbs – nope, it’s not pretty.)
But, hey, that was in the 1950s, so that’s (wait, let me do the math) about seventy years ago. So, nothing current campers have to worry about, right?
Wrong!
In September 2017, Derrick Mayoleth posted on his blog his own recent experience with the monster.
“Stories of giant serpents, octopus-type creatures, cat-faced water spirits, and even a plesiosaur-like cousin of Scotland’s “Nessie” living in Devil’s Lake have been told for many generations, but nothing has ever been photographed. Sure, if you dig around online, you might find a blurry image of what I’m quite sure is a floating log….
Well, let me submit for your consideration this photograph that I took from the park’s south bluff last weekend. I didn’t see the shadow in the water at the time. In fact, I didn’t even see it when I first edited the photograph. It wasn’t until I was about to share it online that I noticed what looked like a black smudge. In going back to correct the image, I realized it wasn’t an ordinary “flaw.” It’s not something created by dirt on the sensor or something on the glass. By zooming in, I could see it looked much more like a shadow of something just above or below the water. Plainly, it’s not above the water or the object casting the shadow would be in the shot. What’s more, I snapped 2 shots just a few moments apart, and in the second photograph, the shadow had gone! Did some sort of mysterious creature rise to follow those kayakers only to sink back down into the depths of Devil’s Lake moments later?? Insert “mystery music” here!!!
Well, now that the park is quieting down for the season, we expect to see a lot more wildlife on the water. I can tell you this much: I’ll be paying a bit more attention to what’s going on out there this autumn! And maybe not kayaking alone!”
You can see the photos Derrick posted here.
Nessie’s Wisconsin cousin, dontcha know? Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent? Or someone releasing the Kraken?
Many believe that the creature is a surviving species from the Ice Age because Devil’s Lake was created when the Wisconsin Glacier melted. There were two glacial “plugs” in an abandoned valley of an ancient river. When the glacier melted, the water was caught between the two plugs and the valley was filled with melted water. (Cue the Jurassic Park music.)
If the name Devil’s Lake seems familiar to you, it could be that it’s the featured background for my best-selling book, Death’s Refrain.
Bottom line – if you’re going to go fishing on Devil’s Lake, you’re going to need a bigger boat.
Happy Friday!!!