PORT HENRY — Champ film producer Richard Rossi and a team of scientific researchers are headed for Port Henry next summer to mount an intensive hunt for the legendary lake creature.
Rossi is co-author with Kelly Tabor of “Lucy and the Lake Monster,” a best-selling children’s novel and film adaption, and they recently revealed that the book’s success is supporting a search for the story’s fabled cryptid in Lake Champlain.
SEARCH TEAM
Some of the scientists coming to Lake Champlain have worked on the search for Nessie in Loch Ness, Scotland, Rossi told the Press-Republican.
“We are working on a full list of those participating, but we are still waiting on some RSVPs,” he said. “Some in Scotland and the U.K. are working on getting passports, meeting with embassies, and so on. The qualification of Champ searchers tends to be their passion, dedication, and enthusiasm.”
David Lindsay, a member of the Nessie study group, said he can’t make it but believes Lake Champlain is actually better for a prehistoric throwback like a plesiosaur than Loch Ness because the lake is so much larger.
Lindsay has worked with Champ Search Executive Director Katy Elizabeth of Port Henry and Florida, who said she’s taking a trip to Loch Ness next June to look for Nessie.
‘A WONDERFUL CONNECTION’
Steve Feltham, who heads up the Nessie search group, is also on the list of those invited, along with group member Dot Mackenzie.
“It’s a wonderful connection between Champ and Nessie, between New York (mountains) and the Highlands,” Mackenzie said by email.
She reciprocally invited Rossi and Tabor to Scotland to screen the “Lucy and the Lake Monster” film there when it’s done. Rossi produced and directed the film version of the book, which filmed in Port Henry in 2022 and is slated for early 2024 release.
“The people we are meeting in the Loch Ness exploration groups who we’re inviting to come, and people that have achieved some recognition in the field of cryptozoology and looking for cryptids, may not be qualified scientists in the conventional sense, because some scientists do not believe in cryptids,” Rossi said. “Cryptozoology is considered pseudoscience, rather than actual science.”
Rossi, who lives in California, said they plan to arrive in spring 2024.
“There will be some preliminary scouting of the lake in the fall before it freezes over, however the big search will not be until next year,” he said. “Ric Lewis from the Moriah Chamber of Commerce suggested April through June as a good time, because the lake will not be as full with boats and many sightings are reported during that time. Kelly has done studies over the years charting out sightings, which seem to be occurring mostly in summer months.”
‘CHILDLIKE FAITH’
He’s more of a skeptic, Rossi said, than his fellow author.
“My writing partner, Kelly Tabor, has that childlike faith,” he said. “She has searched for Champ for over 50 years, longer than anyone else I know. That’s what inspired me to ask her to write the book and film together with me about Champ.”
Tabor grew up in Crown Point, and at one time when she was a child believes she saw Champ swimming toward her while standing at her parents’ home on the lake.
“We want people to join together, a coming together of communities along the lake.” Tabor said by email. “A fun time. Old friends getting together to search for Champ and the chance to make new friends with others, from our communities, and from other parts of the world.”
CONJOINED EFFORT
The researchers will stay in the area, Rossi said, and he has boats lined up to take them out on Lake Champlain for the hunt.
“We have friends we met in the filming process with boats who can take us out,” he said. “Kelly Tabor and I will be there with bells on.”
Tabor said they will release a definitive date and list of participants in the near future, but the search is open to all.
“People are free to look for Champ or his offspring anytime, but we thought it would be great to have a conjoined effort together,” Tabor said. “We want communities all along the lake to join in, even Canadians from over the border. Even people without a boat can look. We invite all to join the quest.”