In honor of the Labor Day weekend, the official end of summer in the American mindset, we’d like to share a story about a lake creature that you just might not be aware of that resides right here in the US. Tahoe Tessie is a Loch Ness monster-like sea serpent said to haunt the waters of beautiful Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border. The 22-mile long, ~1600 foot deep lake might be the perfect home to an aquatic missing link, like a giant coelacanth that enjoys fresh mountain air, stunning vistas and overpriced real estate.
Tessie has been part of the local vernacular since being described by the Paiute tribe in the mid-1800s. Stretching to a length of 60 feet, the shadowy sea creature has been reported to look like an overgrown water snake or giant fish, depending on who you ask.
While less well-known than Nessie, Tessie does have her share of legends and hoaxes. The most famous is a report of Jacques Cousteau exploring Tahoe in the mid-70s and encountering the beast, warning “the world is not ready for what’s down there.” We’ve been unable to verify that Cousteau ever visited the area, but the story has been recounted even in mainstream publications like the San Francisco Chronicle as recently as 2004.
So as you enjoy a holiday weekend, keep an eye out for strange phenomena; you never know where the paranormal might turn up–maybe even in the next camper van over–and come tell us about it here.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:32 am |
Just to clear things up on my side….Tahoe Tessie is more real than you will ever know. She is a feeling when you are in the lake. Her spirit is making sure nobody gets hurt, and for those few times somebody does she makes sure you get to where you need to go without confusion.