Tim Shaffer wrote to us in August 2006:

"Our sighting was a couple of years ago, so the dates will be a little bit foggy, but what we saw will be etched in our minds forever.

It was late September, early October, 2004, and late afternoon, between 3:00 and 5:00.My wife ( Joan) and I had taken our boat out for a test drive, as we just had some major engine work done to it. The lake was like glass, you could see the reflection of the sun and the valley mountains clearly in the water. There was not another boat on the lake( at least from Penticton to Sunoka Beach)

We left the Penticton marina, and headed full throttle towards Sunoka beach. Our line was  pretty much in the center of the lake heading North towards Sunoka. On the west side of Okanagan lake between Penticton and Sunoka there are three small beaches( nicknamed " Pyramids) One of which has a boat launch, the others are just nice picnic areas. Anyway.... as we were heading up the center of the lake, I looked to the west towards these pyramids and saw something very large in the water.  I looked over to Joan and said " what the #!%* is that?" To which Joan replied, " You see that too?!?"

I instantly changed course and headed directly towards this mystery object in the water, probably over a half a mile away. It was very exciting, we both figured that perhaps it was a log, or a flock of water fowl, or maybe even just a wave coming from no where, but I think deep down we both thought we were witnessing the " Ogopogo ".

As we came closer we could now see that whatever it was, it was leaving a very pronounced wake behind it. We could clearly make out three large humps. I started to slow down the boat as we were nearing the object, as we watched it moving parallel with the highway heading South. We were coming at it at about a ninety degree angle. Now we are about thirty feet away and can clearly see a three humped, gloss black snake like creature! As we slowly moved in closer, it just submerged like a submarine starting to go under the water. Just like you see in the movies. Only this was not a sub..... It was something we have never seen before. 

As it's wake was starting to fade, I shut off the boat, turned to Joan, and at the same time we both said to each other" I think we just saw Ogopogo!!" We both were so excited.

Then just as smoothly as it submerged and was gone. It rose out of the water again, approximately twenty boat lengths straight ahead of us. I scrambled to start the boat and drove up along side it. (I mean we were about twenty feet away! )

There,  clear as day we could see the shape of it's body, three humps sticking out of the water, gloss black shiny skin, with scales...... Like a snake, definitely not a fish. We could not see a head nor a tail, but the part of the creature we could see was as long as our boat and that is seventeen feet.

Then just as before, it slowly submerged and was gone.

Again I shut off the boat, and we both looked at each other, and this time there was no doubt. We didn't think we had seen the Ogopogo...... We DID see the Ogopogo. It was amazing. The way this creature was swimming was so smooth, it was like it's body wasn't even moving yet it was somehow propelling through the water, leaving a wake behind.

Well it has been gone now for about one minute. Like I said, we were both in shock I think. The lake looked so beautiful, I dove in for a swim. ( thinking nothing of it) Joan yells to me... " are you crazy???? Going in the water after just seeing what we saw!!!! Well I must admit, I was back on the boat in a jiffy!!!!

After we got back to the marina, we instantly drove up to my Mom and Dads on the West Bench to tell them of our tale. My Mom asks....... " so did you take a picture?" It wasn't until that time that we realized how in shock we were. We had our digital camera with us...... And didn't even think about taking a picture, until then. Biggest mistake we have ever made!!!!

In conclusion...... Before this day we both were very skeptical of the legend. Now we both without a doubt, believe.( and the camera is ready each time we go on the boat !!!! )

So that's our story, hard to believe I know......... But I swear to god....... This story is one hundred percent true.