The Mjoes Orm

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• The Orm of 1522
• The 1769 and 1770 incidents
• Anecdotes
• Some facts about the Mjoes Orm
• The Mjoes Orm Project
• Myth or reality
  
• Recent sightings list

The story of the orm from 1522  from the lake Mjoesa that has been known internationally story so far. For the first time knowledge about this creature is told outside the lake area. Besides, our creature is really no "sea serpent", it is a lake creature, known from numerous norwegian lakes and rivers. But there are many sightings along the coast to corraborate the fact that this creature may live in both the sea (and to be a sea "monster") as well as in sweet water (and be a lake "monster"). I would prefer to call the creature just a lake creature. However the term Mjoes orm is so well used locally that whatever it turns out to be "Mjoes orm" is what it always will be.

Many of the other lakes with lake serpents are relatively close to the sea. Mjoesa however is situated in the interior of Norway. Both the size and depth of the lake and amount of food proves that a population of these animals could survive without ever having to leave the lake. The river downstream from the outlet passes a few dams. So whatever is inhabiting our lake is literally cut off from ever reaching the sea. Then again there are some stories of these creatures being able to travel over land to some extent. The food source is plentiful with 20 species of fish (if fish is the main diet). There has always been talk of the Mjoes orm among the locals. "Well, maybe it exists. So what if it does!" Many have probably seen it over the years, but very few dares to come forward and tell their stories in fear of being ridiculed. Much more common are the waves that seems to come out of nowhere on the lake and then dies away. Some of these waves may come from the animal going close to the surface. Trolling for lake trout is a very popular hobby, and hobby fishermen now and then see these waves and get a fleeting glimpse of something big passing underneath their boats.

My archives contain more sightings than the ones you are able to read about in this web site. A few stories are so far unsubstantiated and not yet fit to be published. The complete archives are meant to eventually to be published in my booklet about the Mjoes orm. However at a later time I will of course add more stories to the sightings list.

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