Ogopogo Quest, The Search Continues- Report Sightings

THE LEGEND HUNTERS- THE SEARCH FOR OGOPOGO

Geological history of Lake Okanagan

Located at 49 degrees 50 minutes N latitude, 119 degrees 32 minutes w longitude, Lake Okanagan is situated in the interior of southern British Columbia, Canada, about 400 kilometers from Vancouver. It is approximately 120 kilometres long; 3.5 kilometres wide and is 235 metres at its deepest point.

Lake Okanagan has had a fairly unique geological development. Some of the factors influencing its origin include tertiary volcanic and sedimentary activity, fault rupturing, regional tectonic forces, stream dissection and deep erosion. These glaciers and interglacial streams were the main causes behind the deepening of formation of the original valley. Because of this activity, Okanagan Lake has been referred to as a fiord lake, which may have been open to the sea at one time and many of these streams may have been interconnected.

Bill Steciuk's motivation - his first sighting

Bill Steciuk was crossing the bridge from the west side of Okanagan Lake in October of 1978 towards Kelowna. He caught a movement in the lake and immediately stopped his car. All the traffic behind him also stopped and he was soon joined at the rail by about 20 other onlookers. All 20 or so people saw what appeared to be a head with three black humps behind it perhaps 60 metres away protruding out of the water. Bill and the onlookers watched the creature 'swimming' for nearly a minute, after which time it disappeared beneath the water's surface, leaving a substantial wake. This sighting made a believer out of Bill and he vowed to try to one day search for Ogopogo.

2000-2001 expeditions

In 1999, Bill Steciuk began to assemble a team of researchers. They were ready for their first expedition in August 2000 and also mounted a second one in august 2001. A third expedition was planned for August 2003 but had to be postponed due to the Okanagan Mountain Park fires which restricted access to the area. Bill and his associates are planning another search in the near future.

Click here to read more about each of the 2000 and 2001 expeditions.

Documentary video available on this site
in both DVD and VHS format.

MEMBERS OF THE 2000 AND 2001 EXPEDITIONS - The Legend Hunters
Bill Steciuk Expedition Leader	Bill Steciuk, a local Kelowna realtor and avid fisherman, became the expedition leader in charge of the logistics of the expedition, such as obtaining equipment, personnel and sponsors for both the 2000 and the 2001 expeditions.
Len Melnyk	Len G. Melnyk President of Can Pro Productions and Can Pro Diving Services, joined our team in June 2000. Len's R.O.V. (Remote Operating Vehicle) could reach depths of 305 metres and was equipped with a video camera and underwater lighting unit to send high quality pictures to the main vessel. Len, a master scuba instructor and commercial diver, was the underwater equipment and diver co-coordinator for the 2000 and 2001 expeditions.
Neal Klose	Neal Klose, Manager of Can Pro Diving, led many of our underwater searches as he organized the underwater video shooting.
Tara Lechasseur	Technician Tara Lechasseur, a graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology in their Fish, Wildlife and Renewal Resources program, was in charge of our on-board sonar operations.
Jay Sinclair	Jay Sinclair was the main vessel pilot as well as an experienced scuba diver and underwater cameraman. He was also in charge of maintenance of the electronic equipment.