Comments on: “Ogopogo Photos” Update

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:08:51 +0000

Richard888- Sturgeon are primarily benthic fish, which means they spend most of their time on the bottom. However, they have been known to breach. The exact reasons for why they do so is not well understood, perhaps it is to attract mates or remove parasites.

There are still problems with the sturgeon explanation though. First of all, contrary to leaving a calm surface, a large fish like a sturgeon leaves a huge splash when it breaches, which is not evident in these pics.

Second, there is no indication that sturgeon are even present in Lake Okanagan. I have also never seen a sturgeon with coloration like what we see here.

On the other hand, we do know that windsurfers are in the lake, and we do know that they can be the color we see here.

These are facts. So which is more likely? That we have here windsurfer on a windsurfing lake with colors typical of a windsurfing rig, or we are seeing a sturgeon which are not known to be in the lake and which leave behind a noticeable water disturbance when breaching (which is a rare behavior anyway)?

No cooking of data is required to see that it is apparent where the probability lies here.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:05:18 +0000

We have to watch it or these PHOTOS will become our “cross to bear,” Red_Pill_Junkie and DWA. This could become (if it hasn’t already) one of the great “what could it have beens” in Cryptomundo history. I admit I tend to believe Viloria but I also admit this might be nothing. Let’s not drag this out, Ok???

By: red_pill_junkie

red_pill_junkie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Our cross to bear… with mange

By: DWA

DWA — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:41:20 +0000

Springheeledjack:

Good post. That scoffers don’t recognize true skepticism when they see it – and that cryptozoology is an essentially skeptical pastime – is just our cross to bear. [sigh]

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:58:32 +0000

What is it? I do not know. I do not think Sean was out to hoodwink anyone, and he certainly hasn’t made a ton of money off of it. I think any criticism of him is not warranted. This I do know. The young man should be commended in his efforts in trying to catch a cryptid on film.
His taste in women isn’t bad either.

Doug

By: jocen79

jocen79 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:29:52 +0000

OMGoodness everybody it clearly looks like the side view of a kite obviously being flown from that boat down there. There is not even turbulence to suggest that it is touching the water.

By: Richard888

Richard888 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:09:44 +0000

Does Lake Okanagan have large fish that exhibit breaching behavior? Can sturgeon be white and pink and leap out of the water? I see that as a more likely possibility than a windsurfer. If this was a windsurfer, the water wouldn’t be so calm around the surf board…

By: graybear

graybear — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:55:02 +0000

The “Let’s move on” part of my comment was simply a realization that, unless photos exist that are better and far more detailed than this blobsplash, there is simply nothing more to be gained from rehashing the statements made about it. If the pictures exist, and they are more than more blurry streaks of color, then let’s see them. If not, then all has been said about this that needs to be said; something is there but you can’t tell what it might be. Either more and better information is needed, or the subject has exhausted it’s potential and we should move on.

By: springheeledjack

springheeledjack — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:32:58 +0000

Concerning the “critical comments” received here, I see it is a good thing. Critical doesn’t always mean negative (even though we do get boisterous on this here website), but it is a facet of cryptozoology.

In this day and age of enhanced hoaxing, photo-shopping, and the usual chicanery, cryptozoologists have to always be on the lookout for some idiot trying to dupe us, the public or the like.

It is sad to me, but you have to take a negative stance at the get go, trying to figure out what photos and accounts and video footage could be that is “normal” and then back track from there. Like I said, with increasing technology it’s getting much harder to decipher solid photo evidence from hacked stuff, and you cannot take any photograph or even video with more than a grain of salt until you can scour and scan it over and over to rule out any possibility of fakery.

AND then there are the scoftics: the ones who love to point out every time that a hoaxed photo or piece of evidence fools someone…like it refutes any other real evidence and like it totally negates anyone who falls for a hoax or faking. That one bugs me…like I said, in this day and age it ticks me off that if someone makes an honest mistake, the scoftics come riding in trying to refute every other piece of evidence for a cryptid because one instance happened to be hoaxed. Give it a rest–everyone makes mistakes, and even the bestest-est of us get taken in from time to time.

And so, if we here at Cryptomundo seem harsh and critical of everything that crosses this site, it’s because we have to. We are skeptics, and we have to weed out the real evidence from the crap in the bottom of the bucket, and some days it’s a tough job and hard not to be overly critical…especially at the get go.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:44:23 +0000

I tend to agree with Greybear and PhotosExpert in the sense that this could indeed be “anything.” Too indistinct. It still does not totally looks like a windsurfer. Viloria’s statement that he saw the thing surface and then submerge does add somewhat to his crediblity but not absolutely. I will say it does not look like kite to me. But that’s me.

Still worth discussing here. And I would not necessarily say “let’s move on.” If there are more photographs that Viloria has availbale, then he should share them as well so they can be
evaluated pro/con. Viloria does not sound like a guy who would stick his neck out for possible ridicule unless he was PRETTY sure this was not a kite or windsurfer. Great post, Loren.

Yep—Ms. Weigers is worth looking at!!! Viloria IS a very lucky dog!!!