New Delhi: The year was 1933. Aldie Mackay, manager of the Drumnadrochit Hotel, was driving with her husband along the road to Inverness when she witnessed a “water beast” in Loch Ness.
As said in Scottish folklore, the large, long-necked creature named Loch Ness inhabits the Scottish Highlands’ Loch Ness, which is Scotland’s one of the largest lakes in volume. It’s a deep, cold freshwater lake in the Scottish Highlands, about 170 miles from Edinburgh. Its official depth is 754 feet, though a tour boat captain reported recording a depth of 889 feet in 2016.
Affectionately called Nessie, the creature became popular and rose to fame in 1930 after some purported sightings.
According to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register, the first sighting of the monster is believed to have taken place in 564 AD. Since then, Nessie has been sighted 1,149 times.
The biggest search for the creature in 50 years will be organised by the newly revamped Loch Ness Centre, located at the old Drumnadrochit Hotel.
A huge number of Loch Ness Monster enthusiasts are gearing up for the massive organised search next weekend. Amateur sleuths and fans of the supernatural creature will gather in Scotland to hunt and find evidence of the country’s biggest mystery.
The Centre said the Nessie researchers will be provided with modern technology for the hunt. They’ll be equipped with high-tech devices like drones with infrared cameras and hydrophones to record acoustic signals underwater.
Though there’s no evidence of the monster’s existence, the myth – like that of the Yeti and Bigfoot or Sasquatch – has endured for decades and has always sparked researches, explorations, and discoveries.
Alan Mckenna from the Loch Ness Explorations will be guiding the volunteers every morning on what to look out for and how to record findings and gather evidence. “It’s always been our goal to record, study, and analyse all manner of natural behaviour and phenomena that may be more challenging to explain,” said Mckenna.
He added that they hope to inspire a new generation of Loch Ness enthusiasts. “By joining this large-scale surface watch, you’ll have a real opportunity to personally contribute towards this fascinating mystery that has captivated so many people from around the world.”
The myth started to gain the world’s attention after the Inverness Courier newspaper reported about Aldie Mackay spotting the creature. The centre said she reported seeing a “whale-like fish” or beast in the water.
Many ‘expeditions’ have been organised over the years to find proof that the Loch Ness Monster actually exists. The Loch Ness Investigation Bureau was set up in the 1960s and, in 1972, undertook the biggest search to date.
In 2018, a team of academics from New Zealand and Scotland did a DNA survey of the Loch to look for evidence of its existence.
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