Terrified by the log that 'summons storms'

When researchers tied a log upright in the middle of Crater Lake in Oregon, USA, they were terrified to see a sudden storm of wind come, forcing them to untie it.

A log stands upright in the middle of Crater Lake. Photo: NPCA.

According to Earthables, a 9-meter-long floating log has become famous in Oregon for decades and is known as "The Old Man of the Lake Crater." The first person to report the log in 1902 was geologist Joseph S. Diller. The log, 0.6 meters in diameter, rises 1.2 meters above the water's surface, its bark fractured and faded by the sun.

In 1988, scientists launched a small submarine into Crater Lake to study geothermal activity. They decided to use a log as a navigational marker and secured it near the abandoned Wizard Island in the middle of the lake. But the sky immediately darkened and a storm rolled in, frightening the research team and forcing them to quickly untie the log. Afterward, the sky cleared and the clouds dispersed. Following this incident, many locals came to believe the log had the ability to control the weather.

At 450 years old, the log seems to defy all laws of physics, remaining upright while constantly floating. It has traveled thousands of kilometers since it was first spotted, according to the National Park Service.

Naturalist John Doerr spent three months tracking the log's movement in 1938. He noted that the log traveled very far and sometimes at extremely high speeds. From July 1st to September 30th, 1938, the log traveled over 100 km, and on windy days, it moved more than 6 km.

Researchers believe the log initially broke off during a landslide on the lake's edge. It fell into the water, and the soil and rocks mixed with the tree's long, wide root system, helping to secure the base of the log. Logs like this usually float and then sink after a few years. However, Old Man is an exception, and scientists have yet to figure out why. The log also hasn't rotted or decomposed.

Dave Grimes, a park ranger at Crater Lake National Park, suggests that the lake's cool, clean water helps preserve the log, while the denser wood floating on the surface allows it to maintain its balance.

According to VNE