The Loch Ness Monster: Recent Sightings Mean Reason To Believe?
2022 proved to be a big year for Loch Ness Monster sightings and the visitor center is now hiring Nessie's number one fan.
The Loch Ness Monster. Depending on which side of the Loch you stand, you’re either a believer or you’re not. Even with all the photographic “evidence” produced in the past, many still find it hard to believe that there is an actual “monster” in the Loch (and we aren’t talking giant snakes or UFOs here).
One thing is for certain though, not only do Loch Ness Monster sightings spice up the news cycle, but it causes critical thinkers to raise their voices above the insanity that is the rest of the Internet.
2024 Loch Ness Monster Sighting?
Are we still talking about seeing this thing? You bet. In 2024, there was a “sighting” of the Loch Ness Monster, a report recorded on April 4 by Canadian tourist Parry Malm and his family.
They supposedly observed what appeared to be a head above the water near Urquhart Castle, initially mistaking it for driftwood before thinking it was a living creature moving against the current.
This sighting was deemed compelling enough to be added to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register. Real or fake? You be the judge.
There Was A Massive Hunt For The Loch Ness Monster In 2023
Enthusiasts gathered at Loch Ness, Scotland, marking 90 years since the first modern sighting of the legendary Loch Ness Monster. This event, billed as the largest organized “Nessie” hunt in 50 years, drew people armed with high-tech tools like sonars, thermal-imaging drones, and hydrophones.
Hundreds worldwide joined a livestream to add more eyes to the search. The goal wasn’t just scientific discovery but reigniting interest in this age-old legend for a new generation of enthusiasts.
Alan McKenna, head of Loch Ness Exploration, emphasized that this was about inspiration rather than commercial gain. While the Loch Ness Monster legend could contribute significantly to Scotland’s economy, the focus remained on fun, faith, and exploring the natural world.
A 2020 Loch Ness Monster Sighting Went On Twitter
One instance of this Internet “insanity” happened in 2020 when a man from Southampton named Steve Challice claims he took the photo while on vacation at Loch Ness in Scotland (A Highlander maybe?). He posted the picture to his Twitter account, asking the question, “Is this the Loch Ness Monster?”
As Challice described to the Daily Record at the time, he was standing on the shore opposite Urquhart Castle (where numerous sightings have been claimed) on the banks of Loch Ness when the photo was taken. Steve explains that he never thought that what he saw was Nessie, he thought it was just some kind of 8-foot-long catfish.
When he posted the photos online it was only so he could get help identifying exactly what it was. It was then that people went nuts and started claiming this was proof the Loch Ness Monster exists.
Steve says of his encounter, “It was gone almost instantly so much so I wasn’t sure if I had got it or not. I guess it was something of a fluke shot. I waited about for a bit and took another image but didn’t see the fish again.”
Challice’s photo of Nessie was not immediately debunked by scientists, but a closer look at the picture and one could easily come to the conclusion that perhaps photoshop got a good workout that day. With as much of Nessie that can be seen in the picture, you would think more could be seen right under the Loch’s surface. Then again, we aren’t the experts here.
2022 Was A Big Year For Loch Ness Monster Sightings
We jump forward now and after months of inactivity, 2022 was a solid year for Nessie sightings. The first one came early in the year when in March, veteran Nessie Hunter Eoin O’Faodhagain, found something on the Loch Ness webcam. What he saw, he explained via the Daily Record, were two objects “moving parallel to each other across the middle of the screen.”
When it was pointed out to O’Faodhagain that what he is looking at could easily be a log or some kind of Loch debris, he countered by saying, “The more northerly object takes a sharp turn to the left leaving an unusual wake, you would have to rule out a log or debris, and it is not consistent of a seal to react in such a manner.”
O’Faodhagain’s sighting was just the beginning. One Loch tourist claimed to have captured what he felt was Nessie on sonar cruising around 400 feet below the surface. Another man, local resident Glen Blevins, was shocked when he saw a huge object in the water, especially given that he’s been a resident for 30 years and had never seen anything remotely like what he saw that day.
He was taking a peek at the Loch through his binoculars. “I was near Aldourie Castle on Friday 15th April, working on the banks of the loch when I saw a large animate [sic] object in the water between both banks of the loch at approx 9.30 am.”
And then there was the two-and-a-half minute video that a vacationing couple (who asked to remain anonymous) that has Gary Campbell, the founder and president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, claiming is the “best footage captured for 20 years.” The clip shows what appears to be large humps popping out of the water with something very powerful turning underneath the humps and swimming.
Campbell was truly excited about the video, stating, “This is a really, really good sighting of something that is unexplained in Loch Ness.” Is it Nessie? That is the question and one that probably will never be answered.
The couple that documented the movement in the loch claim to have no strong views on Nessie, one way or the other. They did say that it would be nice for their video to be analyzed because it may help provide a better idea of what is in the loch.
‘We were fairly ambivalent about the Loch Ness monster,” said the unidentified woman. “We enjoyed the stories but didn’t necessarily believe them. We’d definitely love for somebody to analyze the video. If it helps anybody work out what’s down there, then it’d be our absolute pleasure. We would be delighted.”
According to the woman, she had risen at 6 AM and because of how the surface of the loch looked like glass, decided to take some pictures. It was when she spotted something moving on the surface that she went from pictures to rolling video.
The couple estimated the object to have been between 20 and 30 feet in length and gave them jaw-dropping views as it broke the surface. They also claim “Nessie” appeared to have a fin that would paddle just below the surface that was “like an oar.”
Other Photo “Evidence” Has Surfaced In The Past
Over the many years, photographic evidence of Nessie’s existence has come in many shapes and forms. Unfortunately, the one thing we have not seen is a truly clear picture or video, and definitely nothing close up. So, you can’t blame anyone for being hesitant to believe Nessie or anything that large is living in the Loch.
One of the more recent times we were presented with a Loch Ness Monster craze came when an image was pulled from Apple Maps that had Nessie believers frothing at the mouth.
The image claimed to be proof that there was, in fact, a real Loch Ness Monster. Upon a closer review, the picture was finally called out for being something other than Nessie.
Campbell explained to ABC News that there hadn’t been anyone to explain what the picture showed, but he was quite certain it wasn’t “a whale or a basking shark as some people claim because they wouldn’t go in freshwater.”
The eyes and mind will see what they want to see. So, where do you stand on Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster? For generations, going way back to 565 Scotland, there has been mention of something big in the loch. Is there a Nessie and if so, can we please just get one clear picture of it?
A Loch Ness Monster Job Is Available
The Loch Ness Centre is reopening this spring and there is a job available for someone who might just be a huge fan of Nessie. That’s right, they are hiring.
The visitor center is looking to add staff to their location, encouraging people who might have local knowledge or interest to come out and join the team. As part of this they are looking for what they call “Nessie’s number one fan” who will lead the first tours when things get started back up.
Is that you? Are you a huge fan of this mysterious beast? There’s a job opening for you now.
