Comments on: Nessie Sightings

By: Troodon56

Troodon56 — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 05:40:46 +0000

It appears to me that some years have a good amount of sightings, while others are clearly terribly lacking. For example, there was 1 in 2006, followed by a slight rise in sightings, in 2007 & 2008. Then, in 2009, there was only 1. In 2010, there were actually NONE, since I am pretty sure that the Richard Preston photo taken on Nov. 20 really shows the reflection of a building, on the water, rather than being a genuine sighting. Therefore, some researchers, such as Rines, began to believe that the Nessies, or Loch Ness Monsters, might now be extinct.

However, in 2011, there were at least 4 good sightings; Jon Rowe; The Jobes; The Hargreaves; and the Marcus Atkinson sonar contact. I really hope that 2012 also turns out to be an awesome year, for lake monster encounters, too! !

By: silverity

silverity — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:02:09 +0000

“But hasn’t the entire loch been swept with sonar? Aren’t more people than ever looking for Nessie, and finding nothing more than the occasional “dark shape?””

The loch has never been simultaneously swept, rather a curtain slowly makes it way up the loch and the ends and sides of the loch are not scanned. If I was a Nessie, I would not have a problem avoiding the sweep – just stay on the sides where they naturally inhabit.

As for sonar traces, yes, some interesting stuff has been recorded but I am not convinced even the best chart readers can separate the noise from the true “data”.

In summary, Loch Ness is a difficult place to explore.

Roland

By: TheForthcoming

TheForthcoming — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:05:24 +0000

Stoosh

I take it you’re from the U.K., right?

I don’t know if I should take your question seriously since
it was written on April Fools Day (also Palm Sunday) but
I will answer it anyway:

Stoosh opines:

“Forthcoming, why would you write “I have my doubts about Raynor’s opinion on things.”?

I am familiar with Dick Raynor (and what he writes about) for years now.

Granted, Raynor may have some good opinions and thoughts regarding the field of Cryptozoology (among other things) but I disagree with his quote of Loren coming to a conclusion too quickly, as that what he was implying as well as trying to discredit him on this issue it seemed like.

“Have you come across examples of him misrepresenting or falsifying evidence?”

Loren, no. Never. Raynor… Again, no. Both are honest men imo.

“Evidently, you’re not too aware of Gordon Holmes’ ‘experiments’ on the loch either.”

Actually I am. Maybe not as familiar as you, However.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:25:59 +0000

I think anyone wishing to read my comments, and then try to move them into a some kind of negative remarks about Dick Raynor are misreading me severely.

Raynor is a gentleman, whom I shall recall and respect forever due to the generous nature of his hosting of my sons on his boat in 1999. Such little favors go a long way in my book, and Dick is one of the good guys. Intellectual debates pale by comparison to the true hearts and kindness shown by men and women to our families and friends.

Theories and media appearances are minor compared to true actions.

By: fmurphy1970

fmurphy1970 — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:02:02 +0000

I had a Nessie sighting this morning on Google maps! Go to Loch Ness and zoom in to the loch near Drumnadrochit on the 8-bit version of Google maps and there's Nessie right in the middle of the loch. I had heard that Google have placed a number of "monsters" on their 8-bit map including a Yeti in the Hymalayas, although I've not found it yet. If any one does, do let us know. Don't know how long the 8 bit maps will be available for, maybe just for April fools day?

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:59:16 +0000

GU, what you are probably referring to is Operation Deepscan. In 1987, Operation Deepscan said they successfully swept 60% of the underwater area of Loch Ness. Twenty-four boats equipped with echosounder equipment were deployed across the whole width of the loch and they simultaneously sent out acoustic waves. BBC News reported that the scientists had made sonar contact with a large unidentified object of unusual size and strength. Reports indicated three “unknown” large contacts were recorded, although that part of the record was downplayed. The researchers decided to return to the same spot and re-scan the area. After analyzing the echosounder images, it seemed to point to debris at the bottom of the loch, although three of the pictures were of moving debris. Humm. Adrian Shine speculated that they could be seals that got into the loch, since they would be of about the same magnitude as the objects detected. No one was surprised with his quick debunking of the scans.

Darrell Lowrance, sonar expert and founder of Lowrance Electronics, donated a number of echosounder units used during Operation Deepscan. After examining the echogram data, specifically a sonar return revealing a large moving object near Urquhart Bay at a depth of 600 feet (180 m), Lowrance said: “There’s something here that we don’t understand, and there’s something here that’s larger than a fish, maybe some species that hasn’t been detected before. I don’t know.”

By: Genus Unknown

Genus Unknown — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:40:24 +0000

But hasn’t the entire loch been swept with sonar? Aren’t more people than ever looking for Nessie, and finding nothing more than the occasional “dark shape?”

By: silverity

silverity — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 07:47:27 +0000

Loch Ness is indeed small compared to state wide forests but if the peat stained waters of Loch Ness ensure things get pretty dark after 10-20 feet below. A bit like looking for Bigfoot at nighttime, in a dense fog whilst heavily raining (can it be foggy and raining at the same time? ).

A difficult place to explore.

Roland

By: TheForthcoming

TheForthcoming — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:40:57 +0000

I have my doubts about Raynor’s opinion on things.

One of the only sources I trust (besides myself lol) is
Loren Coleman, Chad Arment and a few others in the
field of Cryptozoology and Zoology in general. Loren
has always done a great job reporting about Cryptozoology
with an open and honest mind and is careful not to make
conclusions too quickly imo.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way.

By: Genus Unknown

Genus Unknown — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:15:02 +0000

Is there even any room for reasonable doubt (or rather, I suppose, reasonable credence) in the case of Nessie? At least in the case of Yeti, there are miles of rugged and inaccessible mountain in which it could live. But Loch Ness is a lake. A big lake, but still just a lake. Finding a huge creature (let alone a breeding population of huge creatures) in Loch Ness ought to be like shooting fish in a barrel.

The world may be full of wonderful undiscovered creatures, but Loch Ness isn’t the place to look for them.