A massive search for the legendary Loch Ness Monster is set to unfold, with the participation of hundreds of volunteers, marking the most significant effort in over half a century.
Organized by the Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit and a research team called Loch Ness Exploration, this weekend-long endeavor aims to capture natural and potentially unusual sights on Loch Ness from vantage points on land.
Close to 300 individuals have committed to monitoring a live stream of the search, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The fascination with Nessie, as the monster is affectionately called, began nearly 90 years ago when a hotel manageress, Aldie Mackay, claimed to have spotted a creature resembling a whale in the loch.
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This sighting was reported by The Inverness Courier in 1933, coining the term “monster” for the elusive figure. The Nessie legend has since captivated imaginations, inspiring literature, television shows, films, and fostering a thriving tourism industry.
The upcoming search will involve drones equipped with infrared cameras flying over the loch, and a hydrophone deployed to detect unusual underwater sounds.
Volunteers will be responsible for observing the loch’s surface, looking for anomalies and reporting natural behaviors.
Alan McKenna from Loch Ness Exploration emphasized the need to distinguish genuine phenomena from optical illusions, stating, “Not every ripple or wave is a beastie. Some of those can be explained, but there are a handful that cannot.”
Loch Ness Centre General Manager Paul Nixon expressed excitement over the global interest in the initiative and encouraged participants worldwide to join the live stream and potentially spot anything enigmatic.
This event is anticipated to be the largest-scale search for the monster since the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau conducted its study in 1972.
The bureau, established in the 1960s, aimed to uncover evidence either supporting or refuting the existence of a large aquatic creature in the loch but disbanded in 1977 without definitive conclusions.
The myth of Nessie dates back to the Middle Ages, attributing an encounter between Irish monk St Columba and a mysterious beast in the Ness river, connected to Loch Ness.
Previous attempts to locate the creature have yielded inconclusive results, with various theories proposed, including the possibility of giant eels as the source behind repeated sightings.
