Could Shuswaggi Be More Than a Legend?
In response to “Mysterious Shuswap Lake Sighting Captured on Camera Goes Global,” published on page 64 of the June 2026 North Shuswap Kicker.
The recent article described an unusual sighting near Celista. The incident, along with an interesting video of another unexplained object shown on the television program The Proof Is Out There, raises questions about what may occasionally be seen in our lakes and rivers.
Before concluding that these sightings involve an unknown lake creature, I believe it is necessary to consider and, where possible, rule out the most plausible alternative explanations.
The Shuswap Lake sighting included eyewitness descrip- tions and a video of something moving through the water. The other incident, recorded near the Thompson River, also ap- peared to show an object moving on its own. This would seem to make an inanimate object, such as a boulder or submerged log, a less likely explanation.
White Sturgeon are known to live in the Shuswap Lake and Thompson River systems and grow to a considerable size. It is therefore understandable that a sturgeon would be suggested as a possible explanation. However, I do not believe a sturgeon necessarily explains either sighting. Sturgeon generally remain near the bottom of the water column, and the size and appear- ance described by the witnesses do not seem entirely consistent with a sturgeon.
In the Celista-area sighting, Taryn Bell and Cory Nielsen watched from a viewpoint near their home. They described see- ing something large moving beneath the surface of Shuswap Lake. Their observations and video attracted attention from viewers around the world, with some suggesting a giant sturgeon and others wondering whether it could have been Shuswaggi.
Of course, we cannot say with certainty what was seen. However, I believe unusual observations such as these deserve thoughtful consideration rather than immediate dismissal.
Perhaps there is still more to learn about what may live beneath the surface of Shuswap Lake.
- Rodney Chilton
