Welcome back, Champ
TO THE EDITOR: Vermont-shot footage of something initially dismissed as a swimming moose, but since determined inconclusively mysterious. Several days later, a wondrous group-sighting at Plattsburgh's own Wilcox Dock.

Welcome back, Champ, blowing away life's homo sapiens-inflicted doldrums yet again. Nobody does it better.

During the summer of 1993, upon reviewing "Jurassic Park" for the Press-Republican, I deemed the movie "enjoyable but wholly eclipsed by the excitement of having the real thing nearby." For that was a period of extraordinary Champ sightings, including a reputed fish story-proof angler's close encounter with a very large, unclassified marine reptile per his description, including a penciled sketch.

Hardly a sturgeon.

Enough, already, with Champ debunkers resorting to this wafer-thin rationalization. The physics of even the largest sturgeon operate on a whole different wavelength (no pun intended) than that of the breeding colony of prehistoric throwbacks collectively designated Champ, as evidenced by the famed 1977 Sandra Mansi photograph.

The notion of a sturgeon mutated enough to resemble plesiosaurs is too silly for even the most desperate of vintage nuclear-paranoia monster flicks to have bothered with. In time, someone's chance but decisive, history-making cellphone video will save Champ the effort of waddling into town to convert any skeptics beyond the shadow of a doubting Thomas.

Meanwhile, in the absence of an official theme song for these amazing creatures, why not give the eerie, Nessie-inspired lyrics of "Synchronicity II" by the Police a regional twist: Many miles away, there's a shadow on the door, of a cottage on the shore, of a northern New York lake.

In light of recent events, we may be in for the most eventful "Summer of Champ" since that of 1993.

Bring it on, and welcome one and all to the realization of what sturgeon in general have known for a long, long time.

Andy MacDougall

Plattsburgh

Seeking Champy
TO THE EDITOR: Our endangered species, "Champy," has surfaced again. When he, she, or they are not in 400 feet of water, where are they? My theory is: 1. they are egg-layers, 2. like Ridley turtles, 1 out of 100 eggs survives, 3. they are laying eggs in swampy areas where the mulch heats and hatches them.

This is where we need a motion camera like those used in deer runs.

The really difficult thing that researchers have to do is follow where "It" went, find the eggs and protect them from predators until they hatch.

"Champy" was spotted in the late '60s by a man at night. I'd very much like to talk to him or someone that knew him. I can, with help, find that nest, if the adult is still laying eggs there.

More recently, "it" was spotted at Button Bay in Vermont.

For those people with an "open mind," can you imagine I'm right?

Mark Bechard

P.O. Box 322

Penn Yan, NY 14527

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