The Loch Ness Monster: Facts and Theories
Statue of "Nessy" in Scotland
© Carl Christensen
by Trevor Mendham
The Loch Ness Monster - known affectionately as "Nessie" - is probably the most famous cryptid in the world. Unlike many other strange creatures Nessie is tied to a single geographic location, albeit a large one. As such it has spawned a massive tourist industry.
Solid information on the Loch Ness monster is hard to come by, however we can at least say that in 1975 Nessie finally received an shiny new, official sounding scientific name: Nessiteras rhombopteryx.
Loch Ness
Loch Ness is one of a group of interconnected lochs that are found in the area of Scotland known as the Great Glen ("Glen Mor"). The other lochs in the group are Loch Lochy and Loch Oich
Loch Ness is huge - the largest fresh water body in Britain. It is over twenty two miles in length and over a mile and a half at its widest. Total surface area is approximately 21 square miles. Loch Ness is also deep and goes down almost 800 feet. It is estimated that the loch could hold the entire population of the world ten times over.
More than enough space for a whole family of monsters!
Nessie Sightings
Sightings of the Loch Ness monster have been reported for centuries. The earliest on record is from 565 when St Columba saved the life of a local who was being attacked by a monster in the river Ness (though some spoilsports insist it was actualy a wild boar).
The modern Nessie era began in 1933 when a local paper - the Inverness Courier - reported a sighting by a local a couple, the Spicers. Whilst driving along the loch side between Dores and Inverfarigaig they spotted a large creature crossing the road in front of them. The creature disappeared into the bushes in the direction of the Loch.
This report was taken up by the national press in London and the Nessie ball began to roll.
The next year, 1934, the most famous photograph of Nessie was allegedly taken by surgeon R. K. Wilson. This, the "surgeon's photo" has been the focus of intense debate since it was first taken. Over the years several people have "confessed" to being involved in faking the surgeon's photo.
Sightings continue to be reported and every few years an expedition obtains funding to "prove" the truth once and for all. In 2003 a BBC expedition surveyed the entire Loch using sonar. They concluded that no monster exists.
It should be remembered that it is logically impossible to prove that something does not exist - only that it has not been found.
Nessie sightings continue to be reported every year, some with photographic evidence. Many reports come from tourists who have been enjoying the justly famous Scottish hospitality.
What Is The Loch Ness Monster?
So, what is Nessie? Despite all the research, Loch Ness monster hunters are still unable to agree on the nature of the beast.
The first point to make is that there is no single "Loch Ness monster". It is infeasible that any creature, cryptid or otherwise, could have survived long enough to explain all the sightings over the centuries. There must be a family or small herd of creatures. That herd must be large enough to survive yet small enough to have escaped discovery, a balancing acts many skeptics consider impossible.
Assuming that Nessie exists then the most common explanation is that the creature is a dinosaur that somehow survived extinction. The plesiosaur is the usual candidate.
Another option that seems to have support locally is that the creature is not a dinosaur but some kind of giant eel.
Nessie Hunting
The world-wide fame of Nessie has brought commercialisation to the Loch. However the area remains one of great beauty and once in the centre of the vast loch the peace and the atmosphere are wonderful.
There are many "Nessie hunting" boat trips available for tourists. My advice would to be to try and book one of the smaller operations where the skipper has been working the Loch for years. With luck you will be treated to a wealth of interesting stories - true or otherwise!
Until you manage to visit Scotland in person, you can do your own monster spotting at one of the Loch Ness webcams that have been set up by Nessie hunters.
Article © Trevor Mendham, Wyrdology.com
Loch Ness Monster Photo © Carl Christensen (used by Permission)
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