American Bestiary

Named Tahoe Tessie as Lake Tahoe's direct, affectionate equivalent to Scotland's Nessie.

It is an enormous serpent-like monster with smooth, gray or turquoise skin. Sighting estimates claim it stretches over 600 feet in length and possesses a head 14 feet wide.

Inhabits the deep, 1,645-foot waters of Lake Tahoe, which straddles the California and Nevada border. Biologists suggest its massive ecosystem of rainbow trout and kokanee salmon could easily support a large, undocumented predator.

An elusive swimmer that rarely surfaces, preferring to remain hidden within subterranean lake caverns. When it does surface, it creates a massive wake and noticeable whitecaps.

Its roots tie into ancient Washoe legends of powerful water spirits, specifically the Water Babies and a giant bird called Ong. Modern scientists attribute the dark, moving shapes to wind patterns creating optical illusions, or the presence of exceptionally massive, prehistoric-looking sturgeon.