What's in Okanagan Lake?

To celebrate World Water Day, KelownaNow went in search of what's really down in Okanagan Lake.

Most tourists will tell you the Ogopogo, but if he is down there, the elusive monster rarely makes an appearance.

But the glacier created lake is certainly home to great fishing and also makes for an excellent training ground for learning to scuba dive.

"I enjoy using it as a training ground for teaching people to dive," said Freeda Wilson, a dive instructor and owner of Kelowna's Dive Centre.

"There's quite a bit of variety in terms of visibility, temperature and current so it offers lots of opportunities to experience different aspects of diving."

Wilson has been diving in Okanagan Lake for the better part of the decade and says there certainly are some interesting things to see in its depths.

"The lake has a huge variety in terms of dive sites," explained Wilson.

"We have sites with easy access and sites that have quick deep access. Off of Fintry Campground there's a 200 foot barge, which is a nice dive because the barge is a piece of history that's not too deep at about 30 feet."

While there are plenty of intriguing sites to explore in Okanagan Lake, sometimes divers come across items that don't belong in nature.

"I see a lot more garbage then I would like to see down there," said Wilson.

"World water day is a good reminder for people that when they do use the lake for whatever reason, just to take a second thought and make sure your always double checking to be sure you aren't leaving anything behind."

In her time underwater exploring the Okanagan's largest lake, Wilson has seen plenty of fish and says there may even be some weight to the rumors of the famous Ogopogo.

"I promise you there is an Ogopogo in the lake, but it's only for divers, so you have to learn to dive and go find it."