But Did You Know …

Whimsical:

• Legend has it that Lake Champlain is the home of “Champ,” the Lake Champlain monster. There have been reported sightings of Champ throughout the years, beginning with one by Samuel de Champlain in 1609.
• The record number for vehicles and passengers carried by the ferries was in August of 1996. Due to the Phish concert at the Plattsburg Air Force Base site on August 18, 1996, the traffic on the ferries doubled.
• In July 2003, a baby was born on board the ferry Grand Isle during the crossing from New York to Vermont.

Geographic:

• Lake Champlain was formed 13,000 years ago by receding glaciers. Originally known as Lake Vermont, it was filled by melting ice. Later, as glacial movement allowed the Lake to fill with seawater from the Atlantic Ocean, it was called the Champlain Sea.
• The Lake is named after Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer, who discovered it on July 4, 1609.
• The lake measures 108 miles long and 12 miles across at its widest point.
• Lake Champlain flows north into the Richeleau and St. Lawrence Rivers of Quebec, Canada. From Lake Champlain and the Richleau River you can reach Montreal, or you can travel south and reach New York City by way of the Champlain Canal Lock System.

Historical:

• In 1775, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys fought with Benedict Arnold to capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British.
• Lake Champlain is considered to be the birthplace of the American Navy.
• The Lake holds an extraordinary collection of historic shipwrecks.

Ships:

• Our largest ferry, the Cumberland, though not the fastest, can carry up to 90 tons. This ferry once transported an Abrams Tank across the Lake. It can carry up to 50 automobiles.
• Out of the water, our average ferry weighs approximately 600 tons.
• Our ferries have a combination of stainless steel propellers, reinforced hulls and heavy gears that enable them to navigate winter ice on the Lake.