Loch Ness

Quick Facts for Loch Ness

• The first actual account was by Saint Columba
• One of the greatest searches was when the monster was searched for by big game Hunter named Marmaduke Wetherell.
• The supposed foot prints found by Wetherell turned out to be hippo prints.
• The best photo of the monster, the Surgeons photo, is an admitted hoax.
• The Surgeons photo was a photo of a toy submarine with clay.
• Sonar has been used to search the lake, but nothing has been found.

Theories
• Nessie is a plesiosaur, the last survivor of a colony that lived in the sea.
• Nessie is a sea monster, who lives in the Loch to stay away from humans
• Nessie is just trash.
• Nessie was a military submarine
• Nessie is just a log.
• Nessie is rocks.
• Nessie is an amazingly large fish.

Loch Ness is one of the oldest legends in today’s world. It has been under debate in many countries for thousands of years. The animal was depicted on carved stones near Loch Ness, by the Picts. There are many of these carved stones, suggesting that the Picts were fascinated by animals. All of the animals that are depicted on the stones are recognizable…all but one, that is. The strange animal had a long beak or muzzle, a head with a locket or spout, and instead of feet, flippers. It has some times been referred to as a swimming elephant. It has been said to be a water horse, a water demon. It is said to lure children to ride on its back. Once the child is aboard, their hands would become stuck, and the horse dragged them down top a watery grave. It was said that the children’s livers would wash ashore the next morning.
The first actual account of the monster was in the Biography of Saint Columba, who was supposed to be the man who brought Christianity to Scotland. While he was on his way to see the King of the Picts, he saw a monster about to attack a swimmer. He called upon God, telling the monster to “go back with all speed”. Apparently, the monster spoke English or Latin, because it obeyed, and the swimmer was saved.
The interest of the people grew gradually in the spring of 1933. It quickly picked up however, when there were a couple of sightings of the monster lumbering across the land. In October, several of the London papers had sent reporters to Loch Ness, and radio programs were even interrupted to bring in fresh news of the “beastie”. Circuses offered rewards for the capture of the beast, and because of this, the loch shore was soon crowded with boys and men, trying their luck.
The excitement reached a peak in December. A news paper hired an actor, director, and a big game hunter named Marmaduke Wetherell to catch the beast. After the first few days, Wetherell claimed he had found fresh foot prints of an animal with four toes. Just before Christmas, a cast of the foot was made, and people awaited the scientist return to get an analysis.
When the scientists of the Natural History Museum of London returned, crowds were disappointed when the prints were proofed to be that of a hippo. It was never clear if Marmaduke Wetherell was the victim of the hoax, or if he had created it. Either way, after that downfall, the scientists abandoned the search. Even so, more than 4000 people say they have seen the monster of Loch Ness.
Another expedition was led in the 1970’s, by Robert Rines, a young patent lawer. Under water photos were taken, one of them looking like a rhomboid fin.

Evidence against
Despite all of the sightings and photos, the probability of an actual monster is small. The most popular photo of the monster, the Surgeons photo was proved a hoax. Angered at being tricked, Marmaduke Wetherell enlisted the help of his son in law, Chris, his son, Ian Wetherell, , an insurance agent named Maurice Chambers, and a surgeon Robert Wilson.Using a toy submarine and some clay, the men made a convincing hoax. However, the son-in-law later admitted to helping create an illusion.The lake has been searched with sonar many times, revealing nothing, although scientists admit that the lake is so wide and deep, that perhaps the monster has hidden.

Theories
Some scientists believe that the Loch Ness could be, or could have been a plesiosaur from the age of the dinosaurs. Descriptions fit the build of the long necked, finned, small headed creature. People also think it might be logs, a submarine, a sea monster, and garbage.. Although there are many theories, none of them had been proved. Perhaps Loch Ness will always remain a mystery.