Lake Erie Monster — Bessie

Lake Erie's version of Nessie — known locally as 'South Bay Bessie' — has been reported since 1793, when the crew of a sloop reported a copper-colored serpentine creature thrashing alongside their vessel. In 1993 a $5,000 bounty was offered by Huron businessman Robert Scharchuk, who himself witnessed a 35-foot serpentine creature. The Lake Erie region's enormous storm systems and murky waters have frustrated scientific investigation. Most reports cluster in the Sandusky Bay and South Bass Island areas during summer months.