Beth Spotswood is Alta's digital editor, events manager, and a contributing writer. Maybe the bodies of unlucky gamblers who crossed the Mafia in 1950s Reno. It seems certain that Tahoe has claimed some bodies. A person who says he was born in Carson City and lived there his whole life writes, regarding the mob dumping bodies, "My grandparents lived in Tahoe for 30+ years, and Grandma would always say that back in Tahoe's hey day when the Rat Pack was running around there, the mafia they were connected to would do the same things to people they wanted to 'get rid of.'". Im not going to poo-poo it, Murphy said. Byers said those in the diving group were startled to see Windeckers motionless form. Philippe Cousteau The temperature of the water in which they are found is 128 degrees Fahrenheitalmost scalding hot. In the end, he served his country militarily. The rumor (weve all heard it) is that there are layers of murdered people, who were dumped in the lake and remain there, floating in a thermocline, which keeps them perfectly preserved and awaiting discovery. Some drowning victims, though recovery efforts are made, are never found, said Sergeant Helen Thomson, a Placer County Sheriff. This means that not only are there hundreds of bodies tied together but that they are all preserved because of the cold temperatures. Jacques Cousteau & Lake Tahoe - YouTube Source: https://youtube.com/c/HiddenFiles_"Discovered in 1844 by John C Fremont, Lake Tahoe in between Nevada and California is shrouded in. Jacques Cousteau never, as rumor has it, investigated the waters of Lake Tahoe. When he came to the suface he siad " the world is not ready for whats at the bottom." I have heard numerous storys of what it might be. 1 What did Jacque Cousteau discover in Lake Tahoe? But in the mid-1980s, a researcher at UC Davis proposed one possible explanation for the legend of Tessie: shes a really big sturgeon. Name: Jacques Cousteau Birth Year: 1910 Birth date: June 11, 1910 Birth City: Saint-Andr-de-Cubzac Birth Country: France Gender: Male Best Known For: Jacques Cousteau was a French undersea. Jennifer Hollander explains why they often don't float. "When we die, our bodies stop breathing and the bacteria kick into gear breaking down our bodies. For weekly updates, interviews and profiles from a Tahoe insider, sign up for our Tahoe newsletter here. Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news. In 1897, San Franciscan I.C. The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau was a huge television hit in the 1960s and 70s. It might look like big fish depending on how many beers a guys had.. Is Tahoe Tessie a creature thats been living in the lake since the Ice Age? If so, please email it to us at letters@altaonline.com. People dress in cartoonish Tessie costumes for parades, races, and events, and tourists buy Tessie toys. His piece was picked up by newspapers far away from Virginia City. Depending on who is telling the story, Cousteau either encountered a Loch Ness-type monster that locals have dubbed Tahoe Tessie or came upon a bunch of dead people. It even throws in a video presentation about "sunken treasures" that are hidden beneath the water's surface. Some in the region insist that famed diver and naturalist Jacques Cousteau explored the lake in a mini-submarine in the mid-1970s and emerged pale and shaken. In 2011, Donald Christopher Windeckers body was recovered and identified after dying in a diving accident 17 years ago. var obConfig = { footer: '' }; Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. Resident Bob McCormick took advantage of the popular legend and nicknamed the creature Tahoe Tessie, a nod to the famed Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, of Scotland. I think a lot of people are very sincere about believing there never was any Cousteau expedition to Lake Tahoe. Another aspect of the rumor speculates that, not only are they floating, gathered and preserved, but are shrunk in on themselves as well, due to the pressure. Once I looked it up, I found out it was not a rare occurrence.. Here are two of the most famousmysteries surrounding the famous Lake Tahoe: Weve all heard of the Loch Ness Monster, but did you know there is a similar creature thatsbeen spotted in Lake Tahoe? Lake Tahoe may hold mysteries. Jun 1, 2021. Bodies. We are not fully aware if these reports are true, but it was said that powerful people put a stop to further missions and explorations of bodies at the bottom. Famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau brought a mini-submarine to the lake, and did several dives in search of the 1,600-foot bottom. According to the RGJ, independent filmmaker and explorer Jacques Cousteau,received some deep sea diving equipment and found the location where all these bodies supposedly were. Clair lowered the plug.. According to the RGJ, independent filmmaker and explorer Jacques Cousteau, received some deep sea diving equipment and found the location where all these bodies supposedly were. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. M.S. Nearly dying led him to his lifes purpose. Asked what he'd seen and filmed. According to the RGJ, independent filmmaker and explorer Jacques Cousteau, received some deep sea diving equipment and found the location where all these bodies supposedly were. Sport fishermen who dock at Tahoe Keys Marina and have a combined 52 years experience fishing Tahoe said theyve never seen any fish bigger than the 20-pound range. "They are anaerobic, meaning they thrive without oxygen. The surprising condition of the body is attributable to the 35-degree water and the increased pressure at the 265-foot depth, Byers said. He wrote under the pen name Dan De Quille. Former Nevada state historian Guy Rocha wrote in 2006 in the Reno Gazette-Journal: "The truth is that Philippe Cousteau, Jacques' grandson, visited Lake Tahoe in April 2002, but there is no record of Jacques seeing the jewel of the Sierra, much less his being involved in an underwater expedition. Legend of Lake Titicaca: With Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Rod Serling. It is said that Cousteau emerged from the dive and claimed "the world isn't ready for what was down there." What the heck did he see? Required fields are marked *. The story was so compelling with eyeless fish, followed by greed, scandal and murder it became folklore, circulating across the United States for two decades, with multiple writers adding their own spin to the tale. As a biologist I knew nothing about it. Following the gold rush, when white settlers pushed their way west and grabbed land around Lake Tahoe, murmurs of curious scaly monster sightings began to pop up in local loreand in the news. Theres a possibility there might be a giant sturgeon that was introduced accidentally to the lake, said Goldman in a recent phone conversation. Hed rather have been up in the air than under the water. In 2006 a family vacationing near Tahoe sighted a large, black, scaly looking creature similar in appearance to a sturgeon with an upturned white nose. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. ", Something else that can break down dead bodies in Lake Tahoe is marine life, which brings to mind the not-tasteful quote from the book "Animal Crossing -- Wild World": "Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. They insist the tunnels are the result of volcanic activity. An animation shows a family watching TV. |. Dixie II Emerald Bay Sightseeing Cruise that promises to share the fascinating history of Lake Tahoe. Do you have a photo of the real Tahoe Tessie that youve kept secret for decades? The other native crocodilian is the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). In 1937, Cousteau married Simone Melchior. In "The Godfather 2," a character is killed on Lake Tahoe and dumped overboard. "So the rumor states that not only are there hundreds of people down there all tied together but they are perfectly preserved because of the cold temperatures. This logical explanation is about as satisfying as that Dixie cruise. 1979 was most likely the worst of times for Captain Jacques Cousteau. we all know Jimmy Hoffa is somewhere on the bottom in his cement diving boots! But Antonucci has a different take. Due to the near-freezingtemperatures at the bottom of the lake, the bodies would be highly preserved. I am pretty sure that The depths were found when two men used fishing line with a leaded champagne bottle on the end. A hell of a lot! What did Jacque Cousteau discover in Lake Tahoe? But Cousteau never explored the lake. The prehistoric bottom-feeder can grow as large as 12 feet long, weigh up to 1,500 pounds, and have a back covered in scales. the mid 1970's renowned french oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, supposedly lead an expedition to explore the depths of Lake Tahoe. He notes that during Frank Sinatra's time at Tahoe in the early 1960s, he and his associates were scrutinized closely by the authorities, making killings and body disposal risky. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Jean-Michel CousteauPierre-Yves Cousteau Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The victims were thrown in the lake and due to a special combination of pressure, temperature, altitude and current unique to Lake Tahoe, remain there today. What did Cousteau see? In Davis tale, a San Francisco stock investor named William Meeker was boating on Lake Tahoe, near Carnelian Bay, when he noticed circular movement in the water, like a whirlpool. According to the writer, the body unrecognizable came from a hole at the bottom of Lake Tahoe. Although El Dorado County authorities say he had no close relatives, those who counted him as a friend are thankful this mystery has been resolved. . Golmitz says its light shines about two to three feet wide. The lake's maximum depth has been measured at 1,949 feet (594 m), which fluctuates slightly as the weather changes. The rock underneath the lake sank down to form a flat-bottomed basin called a graben. Former Nevada state historian Guy Rocha wrote in 2006 in the Reno Gazette-Journal: "The truth is that Philippe Cousteau, Jacques' grandson, visited Lake Tahoe in April 2002, but there is. 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His family said his death was due to a heart attack following a respiratory infection. Apparently, years ago, Cousteau went scuba diving in Lake Tahoe. According to most official reports, Jacques Cousteau did not submerge the bathyscaphe 1,645 feet into Lake Tahoe. This essay was adapted from the Alta newsletter, delivered every Thursday.SIGN UP. During the more than 30 years Goldman has studied the lake, people have told him repeatedly theyve spotted something large and hard to identify in the lake. Tall tales and myths have shaped Lake Tahoe, like they have American history. When such stories happen, myths about bodies at Lake Tahoe also resurface. She's a biology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. I havent ever seen one, Mitchell said. Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified this month 17 years after the Reno city planner died in a Tahoe diving accident. Family said his death was due to a heart attack following a respiratory.! 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