Legends of Lake Champlain's own version of the Loch Ness Monster have persisted since Samuel de Champlain sighted what he described as a serpentine creature 20 feet long, as thick as a barrel and with a head like a horse. Occasional sightings of the elusive creature, affectionately named “Champ,” still occur, but whether or not a distant cousin of the Scottish sea serpent really resides in the lake remains a matter of speculation.