5 Facts about Nessie the Loch Ness Monster

1. St Columba and Nessie

It is said the first recorded sighting of Nessie was by St. Columba. St. Columba a sixth century monk who brought christianity to the Scottish Picts. One day he came across a funeral of a man who had been attacked by a creature in the river Ness. A ‘Water Beast’. St. Columba set his disciple on a mission, to swim across the dangerous River Ness.  The Water Beast reared up in order to pluck the man from the water, but St. Columba made the sign of the cross and told the beast to “Go no further, do not touch this man”.

And surprisingly the beast retreated. The Picts were so impressed with St. Columba that it is said that their chief then started to believe in Christianity!

2. The Most Famous Nessie photo is called the Surgeon’s Photo

The Surgeon’s Photo was taken in 1934 was published by the Daily Mail and features the famous blurred head of what could be the monster.

It was reportedly taken by doctor Robert Kenneth Wilson. 60 years later, in 1994, a gentleman called Christopher Spurling confirmed the photograph was indeed, a hoax. It was infact a model of a monster’s neck placed on a toy submarine and that the doctor had been chosen due to his reputation as a doctor. It was felt that he would be believed!

3. BBC sponsored a search for Nessie

In 2003 even the BBC sponsored a search for Nessie. The used over 600 sonar devices to search every inch of the 22 square mile Loch.  What they did find was an abandoned prop from a 1970 Sherlock Holmes movie, similar to the shape of Nessie.

Unfortunately, despite all their technology, Nessie was too clever for the BBC. After all she has been living in the Loch for millenia and knows this Loch better than any group of scientists. The Scientists involve din the BBC expedition declared that Nessie was a myth. Luckily for us, we know that this isn’t true!

4. Official Sightings Record of Nessie

The Official sightings website of Nessie has verified sightings of our beloved monster dating back to 1985. If you visit the website you can find links to webcam images and further information of the creatures and odd shapes (Nessie) recorded on the Loch.

Another absolute believer in Nessie is Steve Feltham a gentleman who has dedicated his life to searching for Nessie. Not only that but Steve is in the Guiness Book of Records for his commitment to searching for Nessie, his title? The Longest Continuous Vigil for the Loch Ness Monster.  Steve has been hunting for Nessie, full time, since 1991. With his campsite on the shores of Loch Ness, opposite Urquhart Castle at Dores, Steve has been on the look out for our most amazing monster for decades. Steve makes amazing Nessie models from clay to support his quest.

Watch Steve’s amazing Video diary ‘ Desperately Seeking Nessie’ (1992).

5. CSI technology used to Find Nessie hunting for rouge DNA

Professor Neil Gemmell, of the University of Otago used DNA technology to take samples from Loch Ness. Taking 259 samples from the waters these were then subject to DNA profiling in the hope of establishing if there were any unexpected gene sequences in the waters of Loch Ness. Now bare in mind that Loch Ness contains 7,452 million cubic metres of water, therefore 259 samples for such a large, constantly replenishing body of water, is not a lot. Nonetheless the results are indeed interesting.

The survey did not find any DNA from large fish species (e.g. sharks or catfish), it also did not find DNA of otter or seals. This is very interesting, as we have seen Otters on Loch Ness, so we know for certain they are out there. And although we haven’t seen seals, their are stories for old fishermen, in the days when salmon were plentiful, of seals swimming up the River Ness into Loch Ness, for a  week of so of feasting, before returnign to the salty water.  What did the DNA show? Lots of eel DNA, maybe even Huge Eels!

We of course know that Nessie is real! We see Wee Nessie on most of our kayaking trips out on Loch Ness.

What are you going to have the adventure of a life time and join us on the Worlds Most Famous Monster Hunt?