Bennie, the Monster of the Bay of the Sirens

On August 17, 1965, something strange happened at Lake Garda.

It was mid-August, at the peak of the Italian summer holidays, and the lake was buzzing with tourists and boats. Around Punta San Vigilio between Torri del Benaco and Bardolino, in the scenic Bay of the Sirens, about thirty tourists — British, Germans, and Italians, Americas— claimed to have witnessed something unusual.

They described a long, snake-like creature, roughly ten meters in length, with a diameter of about twenty centimeters and four distinct humps. Brown in color, it moved with a smooth, undulating motion across the surface of the water — quietly and steadily.

They said it was nearly ten meters long — about the length of a delivery truck, only this one moved like a wave and had humps on its back.

The next day, the bay filled with curious onlookers. Some arrived with cameras. Others rented boats to get closer. A few refused to go anywhere near the water.

Meanwhile, lakeside taverns were crowded — and doing excellent business. Everyone had the same question:

What exactly did they see?

Local fishermen were, as always, the most trusted voices on the lake. And one of them, Luigi Malfer, didn’t offer a theory — he reported a fact. That same month, nets left overnight in the Bay of the Sirens had been torn apart, and more than 500 kilograms of sardines had been devoured. By what, no one could say.

Some started calling it “the Dragon.” And from there, the story took on a life of its own.

What kind of creature could it have been?

Lake Garda is home to some surprisingly large fish — including wels catfish (pesci siluro) and occasionally large sturgeon. Wels catfish, in particular, can grow to over 2.5 meters long, and in murky conditions might resemble something monstrous.

But according to experts, these fish are harmless to humans, and far smaller and differently shaped than the creature described by those thirty eyewitnesses.

With no further sightings, and no physical evidence, the “monster” eventually faded from the news — but never really left the lake.

From memory to myth

The creature was later given a name: Bennie, Lake Garda’s own version of Nessie. Years later, the case was investigated by CICAP (Italy’s scientific committee for investigating unexplained phenomena), co-founded by journalist Piero Angela. Their conclusion?

“There is no physical proof of any such creature in the lake. The most likely explanation involves shadows, waves, driftwood, or even floating logs — all magnified by the human imagination.”

However, the story remains. Without any conclusive explanation, the tale of Bennie has become part of the lake’s cultural folklore — passed down not through books or museums, but through conversation. A mystery born on the water, and kept alive by those who remember.

Bennie has never been seen again

And maybe that’s fine. Because legends like this don’t need to be proven to be powerful — they just need to be told. So if you ever find yourself at the Bay of the Sirens, pause for a moment. Watch the water. You probably won’t see a monster. But don’t be surprised if the locals still call it the Dragon.