Monster of Loch Ness

The main reason I have chosen this subject is because I am very interested in strange things which have no logical explanation for the human mind. I am also very impressed how a simple and ordinary story such as The Monster of Loch Ness could convert this animal in a multimillion dollar industry. Half a million tourists go to the loch each year hoping to catch a glimpse of the monster.

The first time I heard about the story of The Monster of Loch Ness I thought it was only a tale that people invented to attract as many tourists as possible to the loch. After a while I got curious and I started investigating more reading books such as 'Loch Ness Monster' by Tim Dinsdale or 'The Loch Ness Story' by Nicholas Witchell. These books completely changed my way of seeing things and made me think more about the things that humans cannot discover so easily.

Firstly, I have to say that I believe that there may be something in the loch, but cannot be certain. I am very interested in the researches that have been made during the years to find out the truth about this thing which gives people so much trouble.

What is more, it would make good sense to learn a little about the area. Even though there has been proof which demonstrate that something does exist in the loch, we cannot be absolutely sure that there is indeed a monster. This uncertainty makes me want to know more about The Monster of Loch Ness and whether it exists or not.

Furthermore, I find all the scientists' opinions about this fact very compelling and I would very much like to learn about their work and I think writing about this subject is a good way of doing this.

All in all, this matter about the existence of the monster of Loch Ness drew my attention especially because I like to get knowledge of bizarre hidden things with which we deal nowadays. I would like to believe that Nessie really exists and that it is another misterious creature which has not yet been discovered by humans.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Loch Ness is Scotland's (if not the world's) most famous lake (or 'loch' in Scotland). The lake, created by a glacier, is the largest body of fresh water in Britain. It is almost 2 km (1 mile) wide and 39 km (24 miles) long. It has been estimated that the loch contains a volume of 263 billion cubic feet of freshwater. To a person standing at one end, the lake would appear to go on forever. The depth has not been determined but is estimated to be as much as 274 m (900 ft). The water becomes very murky at around 10 m (30 ft) and practically impenetrable by light. The murkiness is generally caused by peat from local bogs. Due to its great depth Loch Ness never freezes. About a mile wide at most places it is the purported home of the Loch Ness monster, a possibly mythical creature, which dwells in the Loch and is occasionally spotted by locals and passers-by.

There have been thousands, maybe millions of sightings, since recorded history. How can there be so many sightings of the same creatures by people from every race and walk of life? The only answer can be, the creatures are real.

Loch Ness is certainly a great place for monsters to hide and live, it is the largest of three lochs located in what is called the Great Glen which divides the North of Scotland along a line from Fort William to Inverness. Loch Ness is 23 miles long and a mile in width, and averages 600 feet in depth.

The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid (a creature whose existence has been suggested but that is unrecognized by a scientific consensus, and whose existence is moreover often regarded as highly unlikely) that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The most frequent speculation is that the creature represents a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next.

Popular interest and belief in the animal has fluctuated since it was brought to the world's attention in 1933. Evidence of its existence is anecdotal, with minimal and much-disputed photographic material and sonar readings. The scientific community regards the Loch Ness Monster as a modern-day myth.. Despite this, it remains one of the most famous examples of cryptozoology. The legendary monster has been affectionately referred to by the nickname Nessie.

Although, many people claim to have seen the monster in recent years, the cameras installed show movement in the lake but no clear shots of Nessie and nobody has claimed the reward yet, but Nessie's enthusiasts keep watching the lake religiously.

In the United Kingdom, the confirmed existence of Nessie is irrelevant because the monster has a mythological meaning to the British people, but particularly to the Scottish that do not need proof to believe in the monsters existence. Modern urban legend or traditional Celtic myth, there is a popular belief rumored from person to person by way of legend saying that a certain hornpipe melody has the ability to attract Nessie to the surface, however only a few people that know the music are still alive today.

Chapter 1: History

1.1 Saint Columba

The earliest report of a monster associated with the vicinity of Loch Ness appears in the Life of St. Columba by Adomnan, written sometime during the 7th century. According to Adomnan, writing about a century after the events he described, the Irish monk Saint Columba was staying in the land of the Picts with his companions when he came across the locals burying a man by the River Ness. They explained that the man had been swimming the river when he was attacked by a "water beast" that had mauled him and dragged him under. They tried to rescue him in a boat, but were able only to drag up his corpse. Hearing this, Columba stunned the Picts by sending his follower Luigne Moccu Min to swim across the river. The beast came after him, but Columba made the sign of the cross and commanded: "Go no further. Do not touch the man. Go back at once." The beast immediately halted as if it had been "pulled back with ropes" and fled in terror, and both Columba's men and the pagan Picts praised God for the miracle.