Orleans man delves into sea serpent `mystery'
Wicked Local Cape Cod
Posted Jul 20, 2011
ORLEANS —
During the 1800s and early 1900s eyewitness reports and newspaper articles about a sea serpent in the waters off Gloucester and the South Shore abounded. The serpent, said to be 100-feet in length, so fascinated folks that a scientific commission was formed to study it.
No credible explanation for the accounts ever surfaced and in the last 60 years there has been little mention of the creature.
But a man looking out his enormous plate glass windows that provide a panoramic view of Nauset Beach may have unraveled the mystery late last month.
Edward "Kin" Carmody, who lives on Callanan's Pass on a bluff overlooking the beach, is a talkative, engaging man who has found time for various hobbies since he retired as a top marketing man for Kraft Foods 10 years ago. And if he isn't working in his garden or creating new varieties of day lilies he'll relax by sitting in a particular white wicker chair in his living room, look out at the Atlantic and watch for whale spouts. And on June 29 around 3 p.m. he saw something that is now etched in his memory.
"I saw, slightly to left," he said pointing, his binoculars on the table beside him. "Quite a commotion of whales."
He knew they were minke whales because they have a dorsal fin.
That was when he saw a common animal exhibit and uncommon behavior. It was a behavior that just may explain why people over the centuries have sworn they have seen a snakelike creature swimming in the water.
"As soon as I saw it I said `Oh my God, that may be the answer to a 1,000-year old mystery'," Carmody recalled.
Then taking out a pad of paper on a recent sunny morning he sketched out what he saw that day: a chain of minke whales, nose to tail, whose backs looked much like the coils of the iconic sea serpent.
"They were in a chain line, they curved. It was synchronized exactly," he said. "It was just like a gigantic snake."
And then he pulled out another drawing.
"That is the classic sea monster that people see," Carmody said, having quickly sketched the undulating body and dragon-like head.
The obvious difference between the two pictures is the missing head and tail in the whale drawing, but, said Carmody, the mind is a powerful thing. It will often create what you want to see, as evidenced by various mind games where your brain fills in missing words and the famous unreliability of eyewitness accounts.
First he thought the six, maybe eight, whales were playing, but then thought that was something that happened often. This ritual would need to be unusual, so he believes it may determine who the leader of the pod will be.
"That's my hypothesis," he said.
Scott Landry, director of the disentanglement program for Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, said there are an abundance of minke whales around. But, he explained after the caveat that the whales are poorly studied, they are usually solitary creatures – mainly because they have to eat so much a day – and don't have a herd structure.
Still, it's quite possible that the minke whales were in a group because there was a lot of fish or sand lance around. The line could have been "coincidental," Landry said.
Sightings such as Carmody's are probably one of the reasons myths develop, he added.
Carmody's fascination with the sight may have stemmed in part from his knowledge of paleontology, another of his hobbies. (In fact he has a few fossils in his basement.) He knows there is no fossil record of anything resembling a sea serpent and he also knows that when snakes swim they swim left to right, just as they coast across the land. They don't propel themselves up and down as a sea serpents have been depicted.
Carmody isn't professing that he is made one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the century; he is in fact concerned, he admitted with a chuckle, that his wife will be less than pleased that he has given folks the opportunity to say he is a little nutty. But there has been nothing that has been able to explain why so many people have thought they have seen a sea serpent.
Until now perhaps.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/capecod/news/cape_cod_news/x1797075497/Orleans-man-delves-into-sea-serpent-mystery#axzz1T2aAEAfN
Showing posts with label sea serpent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sea serpent. Show all posts
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Mystery Mersey ‘monster’ baffles marine life experts
by Laura Jones, Liverpool Echo
May 25 2011
A MYSTERY sea creature spotted in the Mersey has experts baffled.
The “monster” was snapped off Seacombe Ferry at 9am yesterday by photographer Mark Harrison.
Paul Renolds, from the Blue Planet Aquarium, who studied the photos, said: “It is virtually impossible to actually identify, but this is the time of year when large numbers of basking sharks, the second largest shark species in the world after whale sharks, head towards waters off the Isle of Man.”
He added: “If it is not a basking shark, it could be a smaller species of whale or a dolphin because there are around 23 different species in UK waters.”
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/05/25/mystery-mersey-monster-baffles-marine-life-experts-100252-28758710
May 25 2011
The “monster” was snapped off Seacombe Ferry at 9am yesterday by photographer Mark Harrison.
Paul Renolds, from the Blue Planet Aquarium, who studied the photos, said: “It is virtually impossible to actually identify, but this is the time of year when large numbers of basking sharks, the second largest shark species in the world after whale sharks, head towards waters off the Isle of Man.”
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/05/25/mystery-mersey-monster-baffles-marine-life-experts-100252-28758710
Monday, January 10, 2011
2010's Top Cryptozoology 'Monsters'
Dec 30, 2010 – 7:33 AM
Monsters: They lurk in our fears, our imaginations, and sometimes, in our lakes and forests.
Sea serpents; tall, hairy creatures; unicorns; blood-sucking doglike animals -- they've all been in the news this year. They're either real, myth or simply new and previously unknown beasts that share the world with humans and come under the category of cryptozoology: the study of hidden or unknown animals.
Here's a look back at some of the more interesting cryptozoology stories that we covered in 2010.
Read full article: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/30/2010s-top-cryptozoology-monsters/
Monsters: They lurk in our fears, our imaginations, and sometimes, in our lakes and forests.
Sea serpents; tall, hairy creatures; unicorns; blood-sucking doglike animals -- they've all been in the news this year. They're either real, myth or simply new and previously unknown beasts that share the world with humans and come under the category of cryptozoology: the study of hidden or unknown animals.
Here's a look back at some of the more interesting cryptozoology stories that we covered in 2010.
Read full article: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/30/2010s-top-cryptozoology-monsters/
2010's Top Cryptozoology 'Monsters'
Dec 30, 2010 – 7:33 AM
Monsters: They lurk in our fears, our imaginations, and sometimes, in our lakes and forests.
Sea serpents; tall, hairy creatures; unicorns; blood-sucking doglike animals -- they've all been in the news this year. They're either real, myth or simply new and previously unknown beasts that share the world with humans and come under the category of cryptozoology: the study of hidden or unknown animals.
Here's a look back at some of the more interesting cryptozoology stories that we covered in 2010.
Read full article: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/30/2010s-top-cryptozoology-monsters/
Monsters: They lurk in our fears, our imaginations, and sometimes, in our lakes and forests.
Sea serpents; tall, hairy creatures; unicorns; blood-sucking doglike animals -- they've all been in the news this year. They're either real, myth or simply new and previously unknown beasts that share the world with humans and come under the category of cryptozoology: the study of hidden or unknown animals.
Here's a look back at some of the more interesting cryptozoology stories that we covered in 2010.
Read full article: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/30/2010s-top-cryptozoology-monsters/
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
In search of Nessie in Scotland
By ALICE THERESA SUN - CUA
10/04/2010 | 01:35 PM
Who has not heard or read about the mysterious creature in Loch Ness, Scotland? Our imaginations had been fired since childhood with stories about this long-necked dragon-like sea serpent supposedly living in the deep waters of this Scottish lake.
Many photos were published about her (the gender seemed to have stuck, somehow!) showing a shadowy silhouette of a small head, and a long neck with an undulating back emerging from the center of the lake. And yet nobody could really say what it was, and how it really looked like.
There have been many tales and testimonies since 1933 (or even as early as the 6th century, in written accounts), of sightings in the lake, and some even “seeing" it cross the street before slithering/lumbering towards the water. Based on its long neck and aquatic preference, scientists pegged it as a plesiosaurus, a pre-historic monster.
Named as one of the mysteries of the world, it figured in many scientific and pseudo-scientific studies, and theories abound as well. Some submersible sonar pictures and hydro-echoes showed a live animal, 20-30 feet long, moving and swishing in the lake. Eel, dragon, fish, magic horse, serpent --- the Loch Ness creature’s very identity had certainly reached mythological proportions. Books and articles about the sea creature filled shelves upon shelves but until now nobody really knew what it was— that is, of course, if it really existed.
Thus, it was with great excitement that my husband Alex and I signed up with the Jacobite Tour for Loch Ness at a shop in downtown Inverness. The shop sold cute little stuffed toys of the “monster" called “Nessie," an endearing name for the creature, and many a child came away from that shop clutching yellow, pink and green beribboned smiling Nessies in their hands.
The trip started early in the morning, and our bus driver/tour commentator was Simon, a local Scot who was born and who grew up beside the Loch Ness. Did he himself witness this creature arising from the sea? Well, yes, he answered. Sometimes at night when he had one drink too many, he said, he could certainly conjure up Nessie! It was about an 8 hour drive to the quay where we were to board a motorboat that will bring us to the center of the lake. Remember folks, Simon reminded us, be on the lookout for her, and don’t forget your cameras!
After about 30 minutes I noticed that the water had become dark, almost black, and Alex said it was because of its depth — the deepest part was around 800 meters. Would we see even part of the creature? Would that day be a special one perhaps, when Nessie would decide to show herself? Would it be like some disaster movie, where a boatful of unwary travelers would be suddenly but silently stalked by a giant sea serpent, its front flippers the size of their puny boat? Everyone was on their toes, scanning the water, the horizon. A little commotion in the water brought little screams of excitement, and laughter. The boat was swift and, in its wake, spumes of water sprayed all over us — a hat brought to cover the face from the sun became a shield in the intermittent showers from the lake.
On and on the boat roared until suddenly from the distance we saw the ruins of a castle nestling at the foot of a hill. This was the Urquhart Castle, a popular place for Nessie sightings as its great tower had a very good vantage point, facing the lake. When we drew near I realized that the castle was made of stones laid on top of each other, and that the remains of the fortress stretched out as far as the eyes could see.
Upon disembarking, we had the grassy knoll to walk around with many loose stones from the castle ramparts lying about, and a fresh wind coming in from the lake. Many intrepid souls clambered up the ruins of the tower fortified by steel bars. From a higher area I traced the curving line of the remains of the fort, the quiet making one pensive, thinking about the people who might have lived here during medieval times. There were many vantage points to look at the lake, and as I stood there by the decaying ramparts of the castle, a cool wind came up to whip against my cheek. I looked out into the loch, and noted its colors changed from time to time, dark greenish blue near the quay, and almost black at the center. From where I was, the water appeared calm, except when the wind blew, riffling the surface. Alas, nothing that resembled a sea creature arose to frighten us.
And where was Alex? I found him in one part of the castle grounds examining something that looked very strange indeed —a tall triangular wooden structure about five stories high, with long arms, round wheels with intricate carvings, and a row of huge stone balls at its foot. An upright detailed description at the side said this was a Trebuchet, considered as an important siege engine during the middle ages, “equivalent to the big guns today".
Using counterweights (think catapult), it could fling missiles (the large stone balls) to a distance at high speed to destroy enemy fortifications. This modern replica —based on the work of Villand de Honnecourt, a 13th century French architect —had a counterweight of “6 tonnes" and the throwing arm was 12.5 meters long; it could hurl a stone ball weighing about 11 kg a distance of 140 meters with good accuracy. Trebuchets went “out of style" after gunpowder was discovered (and traveled to the West). Nowadays, these medieval siege engines were constructed for historical re-enactments or, for their architectural challenge.
There was a Visitor’s Centre built into the hollow of an outcropping rock, and there we learned that the Urquhart Castle was built during the 13th century, and had changed hands so many times when Scottish clans fought and died for it. The castle now belonged to the National Trust of Scotland. We were invited to watch a documentary about the castle and it included clan wars, mainly by the McDonald’s clan to claim the castle. Drawn-out battles, bloodshed, scorching, looting, until finally the castle was left alone, and it fell into ruins. Sometimes people took away the loose stones, too, for their own use. We filed out of the audio-visual room into the bright afternoon sun, replete with Scottish lore, and realized that even if we didn’t really see Nessie herself, she had practically been with us throughout the day. - GMANews.TV
With photos at: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202562/in-search-of-nessie-in-scotland
10/04/2010 | 01:35 PM
Who has not heard or read about the mysterious creature in Loch Ness, Scotland? Our imaginations had been fired since childhood with stories about this long-necked dragon-like sea serpent supposedly living in the deep waters of this Scottish lake.
Many photos were published about her (the gender seemed to have stuck, somehow!) showing a shadowy silhouette of a small head, and a long neck with an undulating back emerging from the center of the lake. And yet nobody could really say what it was, and how it really looked like.
There have been many tales and testimonies since 1933 (or even as early as the 6th century, in written accounts), of sightings in the lake, and some even “seeing" it cross the street before slithering/lumbering towards the water. Based on its long neck and aquatic preference, scientists pegged it as a plesiosaurus, a pre-historic monster.
Named as one of the mysteries of the world, it figured in many scientific and pseudo-scientific studies, and theories abound as well. Some submersible sonar pictures and hydro-echoes showed a live animal, 20-30 feet long, moving and swishing in the lake. Eel, dragon, fish, magic horse, serpent --- the Loch Ness creature’s very identity had certainly reached mythological proportions. Books and articles about the sea creature filled shelves upon shelves but until now nobody really knew what it was— that is, of course, if it really existed.
Thus, it was with great excitement that my husband Alex and I signed up with the Jacobite Tour for Loch Ness at a shop in downtown Inverness. The shop sold cute little stuffed toys of the “monster" called “Nessie," an endearing name for the creature, and many a child came away from that shop clutching yellow, pink and green beribboned smiling Nessies in their hands.
The trip started early in the morning, and our bus driver/tour commentator was Simon, a local Scot who was born and who grew up beside the Loch Ness. Did he himself witness this creature arising from the sea? Well, yes, he answered. Sometimes at night when he had one drink too many, he said, he could certainly conjure up Nessie! It was about an 8 hour drive to the quay where we were to board a motorboat that will bring us to the center of the lake. Remember folks, Simon reminded us, be on the lookout for her, and don’t forget your cameras!
After about 30 minutes I noticed that the water had become dark, almost black, and Alex said it was because of its depth — the deepest part was around 800 meters. Would we see even part of the creature? Would that day be a special one perhaps, when Nessie would decide to show herself? Would it be like some disaster movie, where a boatful of unwary travelers would be suddenly but silently stalked by a giant sea serpent, its front flippers the size of their puny boat? Everyone was on their toes, scanning the water, the horizon. A little commotion in the water brought little screams of excitement, and laughter. The boat was swift and, in its wake, spumes of water sprayed all over us — a hat brought to cover the face from the sun became a shield in the intermittent showers from the lake.
On and on the boat roared until suddenly from the distance we saw the ruins of a castle nestling at the foot of a hill. This was the Urquhart Castle, a popular place for Nessie sightings as its great tower had a very good vantage point, facing the lake. When we drew near I realized that the castle was made of stones laid on top of each other, and that the remains of the fortress stretched out as far as the eyes could see.
Upon disembarking, we had the grassy knoll to walk around with many loose stones from the castle ramparts lying about, and a fresh wind coming in from the lake. Many intrepid souls clambered up the ruins of the tower fortified by steel bars. From a higher area I traced the curving line of the remains of the fort, the quiet making one pensive, thinking about the people who might have lived here during medieval times. There were many vantage points to look at the lake, and as I stood there by the decaying ramparts of the castle, a cool wind came up to whip against my cheek. I looked out into the loch, and noted its colors changed from time to time, dark greenish blue near the quay, and almost black at the center. From where I was, the water appeared calm, except when the wind blew, riffling the surface. Alas, nothing that resembled a sea creature arose to frighten us.
And where was Alex? I found him in one part of the castle grounds examining something that looked very strange indeed —a tall triangular wooden structure about five stories high, with long arms, round wheels with intricate carvings, and a row of huge stone balls at its foot. An upright detailed description at the side said this was a Trebuchet, considered as an important siege engine during the middle ages, “equivalent to the big guns today".
Using counterweights (think catapult), it could fling missiles (the large stone balls) to a distance at high speed to destroy enemy fortifications. This modern replica —based on the work of Villand de Honnecourt, a 13th century French architect —had a counterweight of “6 tonnes" and the throwing arm was 12.5 meters long; it could hurl a stone ball weighing about 11 kg a distance of 140 meters with good accuracy. Trebuchets went “out of style" after gunpowder was discovered (and traveled to the West). Nowadays, these medieval siege engines were constructed for historical re-enactments or, for their architectural challenge.
There was a Visitor’s Centre built into the hollow of an outcropping rock, and there we learned that the Urquhart Castle was built during the 13th century, and had changed hands so many times when Scottish clans fought and died for it. The castle now belonged to the National Trust of Scotland. We were invited to watch a documentary about the castle and it included clan wars, mainly by the McDonald’s clan to claim the castle. Drawn-out battles, bloodshed, scorching, looting, until finally the castle was left alone, and it fell into ruins. Sometimes people took away the loose stones, too, for their own use. We filed out of the audio-visual room into the bright afternoon sun, replete with Scottish lore, and realized that even if we didn’t really see Nessie herself, she had practically been with us throughout the day. - GMANews.TV
With photos at: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202562/in-search-of-nessie-in-scotland
In search of Nessie in Scotland
By ALICE THERESA SUN - CUA
10/04/2010 | 01:35 PM
Who has not heard or read about the mysterious creature in Loch Ness, Scotland? Our imaginations had been fired since childhood with stories about this long-necked dragon-like sea serpent supposedly living in the deep waters of this Scottish lake.
Many photos were published about her (the gender seemed to have stuck, somehow!) showing a shadowy silhouette of a small head, and a long neck with an undulating back emerging from the center of the lake. And yet nobody could really say what it was, and how it really looked like.
There have been many tales and testimonies since 1933 (or even as early as the 6th century, in written accounts), of sightings in the lake, and some even “seeing" it cross the street before slithering/lumbering towards the water. Based on its long neck and aquatic preference, scientists pegged it as a plesiosaurus, a pre-historic monster.
Named as one of the mysteries of the world, it figured in many scientific and pseudo-scientific studies, and theories abound as well. Some submersible sonar pictures and hydro-echoes showed a live animal, 20-30 feet long, moving and swishing in the lake. Eel, dragon, fish, magic horse, serpent --- the Loch Ness creature’s very identity had certainly reached mythological proportions. Books and articles about the sea creature filled shelves upon shelves but until now nobody really knew what it was— that is, of course, if it really existed.
Thus, it was with great excitement that my husband Alex and I signed up with the Jacobite Tour for Loch Ness at a shop in downtown Inverness. The shop sold cute little stuffed toys of the “monster" called “Nessie," an endearing name for the creature, and many a child came away from that shop clutching yellow, pink and green beribboned smiling Nessies in their hands.
The trip started early in the morning, and our bus driver/tour commentator was Simon, a local Scot who was born and who grew up beside the Loch Ness. Did he himself witness this creature arising from the sea? Well, yes, he answered. Sometimes at night when he had one drink too many, he said, he could certainly conjure up Nessie! It was about an 8 hour drive to the quay where we were to board a motorboat that will bring us to the center of the lake. Remember folks, Simon reminded us, be on the lookout for her, and don’t forget your cameras!
After about 30 minutes I noticed that the water had become dark, almost black, and Alex said it was because of its depth — the deepest part was around 800 meters. Would we see even part of the creature? Would that day be a special one perhaps, when Nessie would decide to show herself? Would it be like some disaster movie, where a boatful of unwary travelers would be suddenly but silently stalked by a giant sea serpent, its front flippers the size of their puny boat? Everyone was on their toes, scanning the water, the horizon. A little commotion in the water brought little screams of excitement, and laughter. The boat was swift and, in its wake, spumes of water sprayed all over us — a hat brought to cover the face from the sun became a shield in the intermittent showers from the lake.
On and on the boat roared until suddenly from the distance we saw the ruins of a castle nestling at the foot of a hill. This was the Urquhart Castle, a popular place for Nessie sightings as its great tower had a very good vantage point, facing the lake. When we drew near I realized that the castle was made of stones laid on top of each other, and that the remains of the fortress stretched out as far as the eyes could see.
Upon disembarking, we had the grassy knoll to walk around with many loose stones from the castle ramparts lying about, and a fresh wind coming in from the lake. Many intrepid souls clambered up the ruins of the tower fortified by steel bars. From a higher area I traced the curving line of the remains of the fort, the quiet making one pensive, thinking about the people who might have lived here during medieval times. There were many vantage points to look at the lake, and as I stood there by the decaying ramparts of the castle, a cool wind came up to whip against my cheek. I looked out into the loch, and noted its colors changed from time to time, dark greenish blue near the quay, and almost black at the center. From where I was, the water appeared calm, except when the wind blew, riffling the surface. Alas, nothing that resembled a sea creature arose to frighten us.
And where was Alex? I found him in one part of the castle grounds examining something that looked very strange indeed —a tall triangular wooden structure about five stories high, with long arms, round wheels with intricate carvings, and a row of huge stone balls at its foot. An upright detailed description at the side said this was a Trebuchet, considered as an important siege engine during the middle ages, “equivalent to the big guns today".
Using counterweights (think catapult), it could fling missiles (the large stone balls) to a distance at high speed to destroy enemy fortifications. This modern replica —based on the work of Villand de Honnecourt, a 13th century French architect —had a counterweight of “6 tonnes" and the throwing arm was 12.5 meters long; it could hurl a stone ball weighing about 11 kg a distance of 140 meters with good accuracy. Trebuchets went “out of style" after gunpowder was discovered (and traveled to the West). Nowadays, these medieval siege engines were constructed for historical re-enactments or, for their architectural challenge.
There was a Visitor’s Centre built into the hollow of an outcropping rock, and there we learned that the Urquhart Castle was built during the 13th century, and had changed hands so many times when Scottish clans fought and died for it. The castle now belonged to the National Trust of Scotland. We were invited to watch a documentary about the castle and it included clan wars, mainly by the McDonald’s clan to claim the castle. Drawn-out battles, bloodshed, scorching, looting, until finally the castle was left alone, and it fell into ruins. Sometimes people took away the loose stones, too, for their own use. We filed out of the audio-visual room into the bright afternoon sun, replete with Scottish lore, and realized that even if we didn’t really see Nessie herself, she had practically been with us throughout the day. - GMANews.TV
With photos at: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202562/in-search-of-nessie-in-scotland
10/04/2010 | 01:35 PM
Who has not heard or read about the mysterious creature in Loch Ness, Scotland? Our imaginations had been fired since childhood with stories about this long-necked dragon-like sea serpent supposedly living in the deep waters of this Scottish lake.
Many photos were published about her (the gender seemed to have stuck, somehow!) showing a shadowy silhouette of a small head, and a long neck with an undulating back emerging from the center of the lake. And yet nobody could really say what it was, and how it really looked like.
There have been many tales and testimonies since 1933 (or even as early as the 6th century, in written accounts), of sightings in the lake, and some even “seeing" it cross the street before slithering/lumbering towards the water. Based on its long neck and aquatic preference, scientists pegged it as a plesiosaurus, a pre-historic monster.
Named as one of the mysteries of the world, it figured in many scientific and pseudo-scientific studies, and theories abound as well. Some submersible sonar pictures and hydro-echoes showed a live animal, 20-30 feet long, moving and swishing in the lake. Eel, dragon, fish, magic horse, serpent --- the Loch Ness creature’s very identity had certainly reached mythological proportions. Books and articles about the sea creature filled shelves upon shelves but until now nobody really knew what it was— that is, of course, if it really existed.
Thus, it was with great excitement that my husband Alex and I signed up with the Jacobite Tour for Loch Ness at a shop in downtown Inverness. The shop sold cute little stuffed toys of the “monster" called “Nessie," an endearing name for the creature, and many a child came away from that shop clutching yellow, pink and green beribboned smiling Nessies in their hands.
The trip started early in the morning, and our bus driver/tour commentator was Simon, a local Scot who was born and who grew up beside the Loch Ness. Did he himself witness this creature arising from the sea? Well, yes, he answered. Sometimes at night when he had one drink too many, he said, he could certainly conjure up Nessie! It was about an 8 hour drive to the quay where we were to board a motorboat that will bring us to the center of the lake. Remember folks, Simon reminded us, be on the lookout for her, and don’t forget your cameras!
After about 30 minutes I noticed that the water had become dark, almost black, and Alex said it was because of its depth — the deepest part was around 800 meters. Would we see even part of the creature? Would that day be a special one perhaps, when Nessie would decide to show herself? Would it be like some disaster movie, where a boatful of unwary travelers would be suddenly but silently stalked by a giant sea serpent, its front flippers the size of their puny boat? Everyone was on their toes, scanning the water, the horizon. A little commotion in the water brought little screams of excitement, and laughter. The boat was swift and, in its wake, spumes of water sprayed all over us — a hat brought to cover the face from the sun became a shield in the intermittent showers from the lake.
On and on the boat roared until suddenly from the distance we saw the ruins of a castle nestling at the foot of a hill. This was the Urquhart Castle, a popular place for Nessie sightings as its great tower had a very good vantage point, facing the lake. When we drew near I realized that the castle was made of stones laid on top of each other, and that the remains of the fortress stretched out as far as the eyes could see.
Upon disembarking, we had the grassy knoll to walk around with many loose stones from the castle ramparts lying about, and a fresh wind coming in from the lake. Many intrepid souls clambered up the ruins of the tower fortified by steel bars. From a higher area I traced the curving line of the remains of the fort, the quiet making one pensive, thinking about the people who might have lived here during medieval times. There were many vantage points to look at the lake, and as I stood there by the decaying ramparts of the castle, a cool wind came up to whip against my cheek. I looked out into the loch, and noted its colors changed from time to time, dark greenish blue near the quay, and almost black at the center. From where I was, the water appeared calm, except when the wind blew, riffling the surface. Alas, nothing that resembled a sea creature arose to frighten us.
And where was Alex? I found him in one part of the castle grounds examining something that looked very strange indeed —a tall triangular wooden structure about five stories high, with long arms, round wheels with intricate carvings, and a row of huge stone balls at its foot. An upright detailed description at the side said this was a Trebuchet, considered as an important siege engine during the middle ages, “equivalent to the big guns today".
Using counterweights (think catapult), it could fling missiles (the large stone balls) to a distance at high speed to destroy enemy fortifications. This modern replica —based on the work of Villand de Honnecourt, a 13th century French architect —had a counterweight of “6 tonnes" and the throwing arm was 12.5 meters long; it could hurl a stone ball weighing about 11 kg a distance of 140 meters with good accuracy. Trebuchets went “out of style" after gunpowder was discovered (and traveled to the West). Nowadays, these medieval siege engines were constructed for historical re-enactments or, for their architectural challenge.
There was a Visitor’s Centre built into the hollow of an outcropping rock, and there we learned that the Urquhart Castle was built during the 13th century, and had changed hands so many times when Scottish clans fought and died for it. The castle now belonged to the National Trust of Scotland. We were invited to watch a documentary about the castle and it included clan wars, mainly by the McDonald’s clan to claim the castle. Drawn-out battles, bloodshed, scorching, looting, until finally the castle was left alone, and it fell into ruins. Sometimes people took away the loose stones, too, for their own use. We filed out of the audio-visual room into the bright afternoon sun, replete with Scottish lore, and realized that even if we didn’t really see Nessie herself, she had practically been with us throughout the day. - GMANews.TV
With photos at: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202562/in-search-of-nessie-in-scotland
Monday, September 27, 2010
Unidentified object in water: China's 'Nessie' or just big fish?
 |
| A picture of Kanas Lake's "water monster" from the footage shot by Ma Lin on Sept. 23. |
After taking the most complicated vacation in China, many photography lovers brought back not only pictures recording beautiful natural views, but also some surprises. Here is the account of one of those photography lovers who brought back footage of an unidentified object swimming in Xinjiang's Kanas Lake.
Ma Lin went to Kanas Lake for her three-day vacation with several companions. When she looked at the surface of the lake, she saw a strange thing swimming in the water, so she took out her video camera immediately and recorded what she saw.
Because she was not quite familiar with her camera, she missed the unidentified object the first time. However, fate offered her a second chance. The thing came back in front of her lens 10 minutes later, and this time she did not miss it. However, she could not make the footage much clearer because of the long distance.
Ma said it was her sixth time to come to Kanas Lake, but the very first time of seeing the "Nessie."
Expert: it might be a huge Hucho taimen
Yuan Guoying, an ecologist and environmental protection researcher, believes the so-called "Nessie" in Kanas Lake might be a huge Hucho taimen, a kind of fish that could be as long as more than one meter. He said he believes it might be a fish based on the so-called Kanas water monster that he himself witnessed 20 years ago.
Yuan also said there were eight kinds of fish living in the Kanas Lake, and only Hucho taimen and another kind of fish can grow as long as one meter or more. However, only the Hucho taimen would emerge out of water.
Yuan had been to Kanas Lake for ten times, and had two experiences of seeing the "water monster" in 1985 and 2009 and he even took some pictures of fish living in the lake.
Huang Renxin, a retired professor of Xinjiang University, said there's nothing surprising about discovering so-called "water monsters" in the Kanas Lake. They might only be some big fish. He said the public should pay attention to something more important and significant.
See more at: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90872/7152036.html
Unidentified object in water: China's 'Nessie' or just big fish?
|
| A picture of Kanas Lake's "water monster" from the footage shot by Ma Lin on Sept. 23. |
After taking the most complicated vacation in China, many photography lovers brought back not only pictures recording beautiful natural views, but also some surprises. Here is the account of one of those photography lovers who brought back footage of an unidentified object swimming in Xinjiang's Kanas Lake.
Ma Lin went to Kanas Lake for her three-day vacation with several companions. When she looked at the surface of the lake, she saw a strange thing swimming in the water, so she took out her video camera immediately and recorded what she saw.
Because she was not quite familiar with her camera, she missed the unidentified object the first time. However, fate offered her a second chance. The thing came back in front of her lens 10 minutes later, and this time she did not miss it. However, she could not make the footage much clearer because of the long distance.
Ma said it was her sixth time to come to Kanas Lake, but the very first time of seeing the "Nessie."
Expert: it might be a huge Hucho taimen
Yuan Guoying, an ecologist and environmental protection researcher, believes the so-called "Nessie" in Kanas Lake might be a huge Hucho taimen, a kind of fish that could be as long as more than one meter. He said he believes it might be a fish based on the so-called Kanas water monster that he himself witnessed 20 years ago.
Yuan also said there were eight kinds of fish living in the Kanas Lake, and only Hucho taimen and another kind of fish can grow as long as one meter or more. However, only the Hucho taimen would emerge out of water.
Yuan had been to Kanas Lake for ten times, and had two experiences of seeing the "water monster" in 1985 and 2009 and he even took some pictures of fish living in the lake.
Huang Renxin, a retired professor of Xinjiang University, said there's nothing surprising about discovering so-called "water monsters" in the Kanas Lake. They might only be some big fish. He said the public should pay attention to something more important and significant.
See more at: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90872/7152036.html
Cameron Lake Monster Mystery Expanding
Thursday, September 16, 2010
vancouversun - John Kirk is elated when an unusual blip registers on the fish-finder.
"Whoa, hello!" the scientist calls out as he studies the sonar screen with colleague Adam McGirr. Both men are researchers with the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club — monster-hunters, in other terms.
On Tuesday, the pair was cruising the waters of Cameron Lake in search of a creature that has been the topic of local legends for years. The B.C. Scientific Cryptozoology Club first visited the area in September 2009 after an invitation from Oceanside Tourism to probe for evidence of the Cameron Lake monster.
They weren't able to shed much light on the mystery, but two large strikes on a fish-finder prompted the team to return. Last year, poor weather and equipment troubles bogged down the expedition.
It was a large fish — not a lake monster — that sparked a brief moment of excitement Tuesday afternoon as the researchers showed reporters a few of their methods. But earlier that morning, Kirk, who is president of the BCSCC, said the team encountered two large hits on the fish-finder that they couldn't explain.
They were found near the Pacific Rim Highway at a spot known as Angel Rock — close to the same spot where cryptozoologists encountered two fish-finder strikes last year and also where a number of people reported seeing the creature.
Kirk is convinced there's something unusual lurking beneath the surface of Cameron Lake, but the chances of it being a previously undiscovered monster-like animal is "way out in left field."
There's not enough food in the area to support a massive aquatic creature — and with a maximum depth of about 64 metres, it wouldn't have much room in which to hide.
A likelier scenario, he said, is that the monster rumours were sparked by the presence of massive sturgeon, which could have been released into the lake years ago as a prank.
"There's something in the lake for sure, there's no question about that," said Kirk, whose team has also hunted for evidence of the legendary Ogopogo on B.C.'s Okanagan Lake.
McGirr, the club's chief technologist, said Cameron Lake is "fairly deep" for an inland lake and the water is quite cold in some spots, creating a decent environment for sturgeon.
But abnormally large trout could also be behind the mystery. McGirr said a cutthroat trout weighing about 45 kilograms was caught in the Northwest Territories. There have been reports of other freakishly large animals in B.C. as well — including a six-foot-long black salamander at Pitt Lake, he added.
Human meddling seems the likeliest explanation for a non-native species, such as sturgeon making its way into an inland lake; Little Qualicum Falls presents a major obstacle to what is apparently Cameron Lake's only link to the ocean.
The club also will examine whether there is an aquifer between Horne and Cameron lakes that the creature could have passed through.
BCSCC has received reports of 15 sightings dating back to the 1980s, with most people seeing it during sunny summer days. Also, some witnesses have reported seeing three creatures at the same time.
Oceanside Tourism, which helped funded the BCSCC's visits to Cameron Lake, hopes media attention will give the local tourism sector a boost. About half a dozen reporters responded to an invitation to join the cryptozoologists on the lake Tuesday and last year the association issued a news release enticing travel media to write "on the many eclectic man-made, natural and possibly supernatural attractions found in the region."
Tourism officials say they don't expect tales of the lake creature to be a major draw. But a little mystery doesn't hurt, they add.
http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2010/09/cameron-lake-monster-mystery-expanding.html
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
vancouversun - John Kirk is elated when an unusual blip registers on the fish-finder.
"Whoa, hello!" the scientist calls out as he studies the sonar screen with colleague Adam McGirr. Both men are researchers with the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club — monster-hunters, in other terms.
On Tuesday, the pair was cruising the waters of Cameron Lake in search of a creature that has been the topic of local legends for years. The B.C. Scientific Cryptozoology Club first visited the area in September 2009 after an invitation from Oceanside Tourism to probe for evidence of the Cameron Lake monster.
They weren't able to shed much light on the mystery, but two large strikes on a fish-finder prompted the team to return. Last year, poor weather and equipment troubles bogged down the expedition.
It was a large fish — not a lake monster — that sparked a brief moment of excitement Tuesday afternoon as the researchers showed reporters a few of their methods. But earlier that morning, Kirk, who is president of the BCSCC, said the team encountered two large hits on the fish-finder that they couldn't explain.
They were found near the Pacific Rim Highway at a spot known as Angel Rock — close to the same spot where cryptozoologists encountered two fish-finder strikes last year and also where a number of people reported seeing the creature.
Kirk is convinced there's something unusual lurking beneath the surface of Cameron Lake, but the chances of it being a previously undiscovered monster-like animal is "way out in left field."
There's not enough food in the area to support a massive aquatic creature — and with a maximum depth of about 64 metres, it wouldn't have much room in which to hide.
A likelier scenario, he said, is that the monster rumours were sparked by the presence of massive sturgeon, which could have been released into the lake years ago as a prank.
"There's something in the lake for sure, there's no question about that," said Kirk, whose team has also hunted for evidence of the legendary Ogopogo on B.C.'s Okanagan Lake.
McGirr, the club's chief technologist, said Cameron Lake is "fairly deep" for an inland lake and the water is quite cold in some spots, creating a decent environment for sturgeon.
But abnormally large trout could also be behind the mystery. McGirr said a cutthroat trout weighing about 45 kilograms was caught in the Northwest Territories. There have been reports of other freakishly large animals in B.C. as well — including a six-foot-long black salamander at Pitt Lake, he added.
Human meddling seems the likeliest explanation for a non-native species, such as sturgeon making its way into an inland lake; Little Qualicum Falls presents a major obstacle to what is apparently Cameron Lake's only link to the ocean.
The club also will examine whether there is an aquifer between Horne and Cameron lakes that the creature could have passed through.
BCSCC has received reports of 15 sightings dating back to the 1980s, with most people seeing it during sunny summer days. Also, some witnesses have reported seeing three creatures at the same time.
Oceanside Tourism, which helped funded the BCSCC's visits to Cameron Lake, hopes media attention will give the local tourism sector a boost. About half a dozen reporters responded to an invitation to join the cryptozoologists on the lake Tuesday and last year the association issued a news release enticing travel media to write "on the many eclectic man-made, natural and possibly supernatural attractions found in the region."
Tourism officials say they don't expect tales of the lake creature to be a major draw. But a little mystery doesn't hurt, they add.
http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2010/09/cameron-lake-monster-mystery-expanding.html
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
Cameron Lake Monster Mystery Expanding
Thursday, September 16, 2010
vancouversun - John Kirk is elated when an unusual blip registers on the fish-finder.
"Whoa, hello!" the scientist calls out as he studies the sonar screen with colleague Adam McGirr. Both men are researchers with the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club — monster-hunters, in other terms.
On Tuesday, the pair was cruising the waters of Cameron Lake in search of a creature that has been the topic of local legends for years. The B.C. Scientific Cryptozoology Club first visited the area in September 2009 after an invitation from Oceanside Tourism to probe for evidence of the Cameron Lake monster.
They weren't able to shed much light on the mystery, but two large strikes on a fish-finder prompted the team to return. Last year, poor weather and equipment troubles bogged down the expedition.
It was a large fish — not a lake monster — that sparked a brief moment of excitement Tuesday afternoon as the researchers showed reporters a few of their methods. But earlier that morning, Kirk, who is president of the BCSCC, said the team encountered two large hits on the fish-finder that they couldn't explain.
They were found near the Pacific Rim Highway at a spot known as Angel Rock — close to the same spot where cryptozoologists encountered two fish-finder strikes last year and also where a number of people reported seeing the creature.
Kirk is convinced there's something unusual lurking beneath the surface of Cameron Lake, but the chances of it being a previously undiscovered monster-like animal is "way out in left field."
There's not enough food in the area to support a massive aquatic creature — and with a maximum depth of about 64 metres, it wouldn't have much room in which to hide.
A likelier scenario, he said, is that the monster rumours were sparked by the presence of massive sturgeon, which could have been released into the lake years ago as a prank.
"There's something in the lake for sure, there's no question about that," said Kirk, whose team has also hunted for evidence of the legendary Ogopogo on B.C.'s Okanagan Lake.
McGirr, the club's chief technologist, said Cameron Lake is "fairly deep" for an inland lake and the water is quite cold in some spots, creating a decent environment for sturgeon.
But abnormally large trout could also be behind the mystery. McGirr said a cutthroat trout weighing about 45 kilograms was caught in the Northwest Territories. There have been reports of other freakishly large animals in B.C. as well — including a six-foot-long black salamander at Pitt Lake, he added.
Human meddling seems the likeliest explanation for a non-native species, such as sturgeon making its way into an inland lake; Little Qualicum Falls presents a major obstacle to what is apparently Cameron Lake's only link to the ocean.
The club also will examine whether there is an aquifer between Horne and Cameron lakes that the creature could have passed through.
BCSCC has received reports of 15 sightings dating back to the 1980s, with most people seeing it during sunny summer days. Also, some witnesses have reported seeing three creatures at the same time.
Oceanside Tourism, which helped funded the BCSCC's visits to Cameron Lake, hopes media attention will give the local tourism sector a boost. About half a dozen reporters responded to an invitation to join the cryptozoologists on the lake Tuesday and last year the association issued a news release enticing travel media to write "on the many eclectic man-made, natural and possibly supernatural attractions found in the region."
Tourism officials say they don't expect tales of the lake creature to be a major draw. But a little mystery doesn't hurt, they add.
http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2010/09/cameron-lake-monster-mystery-expanding.html
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
vancouversun - John Kirk is elated when an unusual blip registers on the fish-finder.
"Whoa, hello!" the scientist calls out as he studies the sonar screen with colleague Adam McGirr. Both men are researchers with the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club — monster-hunters, in other terms.
On Tuesday, the pair was cruising the waters of Cameron Lake in search of a creature that has been the topic of local legends for years. The B.C. Scientific Cryptozoology Club first visited the area in September 2009 after an invitation from Oceanside Tourism to probe for evidence of the Cameron Lake monster.
They weren't able to shed much light on the mystery, but two large strikes on a fish-finder prompted the team to return. Last year, poor weather and equipment troubles bogged down the expedition.
It was a large fish — not a lake monster — that sparked a brief moment of excitement Tuesday afternoon as the researchers showed reporters a few of their methods. But earlier that morning, Kirk, who is president of the BCSCC, said the team encountered two large hits on the fish-finder that they couldn't explain.
They were found near the Pacific Rim Highway at a spot known as Angel Rock — close to the same spot where cryptozoologists encountered two fish-finder strikes last year and also where a number of people reported seeing the creature.
Kirk is convinced there's something unusual lurking beneath the surface of Cameron Lake, but the chances of it being a previously undiscovered monster-like animal is "way out in left field."
There's not enough food in the area to support a massive aquatic creature — and with a maximum depth of about 64 metres, it wouldn't have much room in which to hide.
A likelier scenario, he said, is that the monster rumours were sparked by the presence of massive sturgeon, which could have been released into the lake years ago as a prank.
"There's something in the lake for sure, there's no question about that," said Kirk, whose team has also hunted for evidence of the legendary Ogopogo on B.C.'s Okanagan Lake.
McGirr, the club's chief technologist, said Cameron Lake is "fairly deep" for an inland lake and the water is quite cold in some spots, creating a decent environment for sturgeon.
But abnormally large trout could also be behind the mystery. McGirr said a cutthroat trout weighing about 45 kilograms was caught in the Northwest Territories. There have been reports of other freakishly large animals in B.C. as well — including a six-foot-long black salamander at Pitt Lake, he added.
Human meddling seems the likeliest explanation for a non-native species, such as sturgeon making its way into an inland lake; Little Qualicum Falls presents a major obstacle to what is apparently Cameron Lake's only link to the ocean.
The club also will examine whether there is an aquifer between Horne and Cameron lakes that the creature could have passed through.
BCSCC has received reports of 15 sightings dating back to the 1980s, with most people seeing it during sunny summer days. Also, some witnesses have reported seeing three creatures at the same time.
Oceanside Tourism, which helped funded the BCSCC's visits to Cameron Lake, hopes media attention will give the local tourism sector a boost. About half a dozen reporters responded to an invitation to join the cryptozoologists on the lake Tuesday and last year the association issued a news release enticing travel media to write "on the many eclectic man-made, natural and possibly supernatural attractions found in the region."
Tourism officials say they don't expect tales of the lake creature to be a major draw. But a little mystery doesn't hurt, they add.
http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2010/09/cameron-lake-monster-mystery-expanding.html
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
Friday, September 24, 2010
First footage captured of giant sea serpent of the deep: the oarfish
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
February 09, 2010
Scientists have captured what they believe to be the first footage ever of the oarfish, the species likely responsible for legends told of sea serpents.
Deep in the gulf of Mexico, researchers photographed a swimming oarfish (Regalecus glesne) for several minutes. They captured the footage using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) provided by oil companies, who are drilling in the gulf.
The oarfish was filmed swimming beneath pone of the world's largest semi-submersible oil rigs, named Thunderhorse. It was apart of the Serpent project where oil companies loan researcher equipment.
"(It) provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about life in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. That we found an oarfish while doing so was a fantastic bonus," Professor Paul Benfield told the BBC.
Scientists believe that this remarkable denizen of the deep is likely responsible for sea serpent legends. The oarfish is most often seen coming into shallow waters to die or washed up dead on beaches.
One of the world's longest fish, the oarfish can reach lengths of 55 feet (17 meters). The fish sports dorsal fins all along its back giving it a spiny sea serpent-like appearance. They are infrequently caught by fishermen.
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0209-hance_oarfish.html
(Submitted by Al)
First footage captured of giant sea serpent of the deep: the oarfish
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
February 09, 2010
Scientists have captured what they believe to be the first footage ever of the oarfish, the species likely responsible for legends told of sea serpents.
Deep in the gulf of Mexico, researchers photographed a swimming oarfish (Regalecus glesne) for several minutes. They captured the footage using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) provided by oil companies, who are drilling in the gulf.
The oarfish was filmed swimming beneath pone of the world's largest semi-submersible oil rigs, named Thunderhorse. It was apart of the Serpent project where oil companies loan researcher equipment.
"(It) provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about life in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. That we found an oarfish while doing so was a fantastic bonus," Professor Paul Benfield told the BBC.
Scientists believe that this remarkable denizen of the deep is likely responsible for sea serpent legends. The oarfish is most often seen coming into shallow waters to die or washed up dead on beaches.
One of the world's longest fish, the oarfish can reach lengths of 55 feet (17 meters). The fish sports dorsal fins all along its back giving it a spiny sea serpent-like appearance. They are infrequently caught by fishermen.
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0209-hance_oarfish.html
(Submitted by Al)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
England's own Loch Ness Monster?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Catherine Deshayes
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has proved to be a marketing boon for the Scottish Tourist Board and now the Lake District looks set to be the next hot destination for intrepid monster hunters...
Seven sightings of a long hump-backed animal swimming in Lake Windermere have been reported over the last four years.
The mysterious creature's fame has been slowly growing and she was recently given the nickname Bow-Nessie.
One local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claimed to have had a close encounter with something in the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish. And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.'
A tourist claimed to have captured the Loch Ness Monster on camera in 1934
Now 21st century technology, including sonar equipment, is being deployed to try and track her down.
The lake is 11 miles long and up to 220-feet deep in some places so the team searching for the creature will have to cover some ground.
So far, nothing has been detected, aside from a reported 14-foot long disturbance in the water, and the sonar read-outs have been blank.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.'
A 20-metre long object was spotted below the surface of the lake last year by a local film crew but sceptics claims the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.themovechannel.com/news/bac3f06e-80e1/
Catherine Deshayes
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has proved to be a marketing boon for the Scottish Tourist Board and now the Lake District looks set to be the next hot destination for intrepid monster hunters...
Seven sightings of a long hump-backed animal swimming in Lake Windermere have been reported over the last four years.
The mysterious creature's fame has been slowly growing and she was recently given the nickname Bow-Nessie.
One local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claimed to have had a close encounter with something in the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish. And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.'
A tourist claimed to have captured the Loch Ness Monster on camera in 1934
Now 21st century technology, including sonar equipment, is being deployed to try and track her down.
The lake is 11 miles long and up to 220-feet deep in some places so the team searching for the creature will have to cover some ground.
So far, nothing has been detected, aside from a reported 14-foot long disturbance in the water, and the sonar read-outs have been blank.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.'
A 20-metre long object was spotted below the surface of the lake last year by a local film crew but sceptics claims the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.themovechannel.com/news/bac3f06e-80e1/
England's own Loch Ness Monster?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Catherine Deshayes
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has proved to be a marketing boon for the Scottish Tourist Board and now the Lake District looks set to be the next hot destination for intrepid monster hunters...
Seven sightings of a long hump-backed animal swimming in Lake Windermere have been reported over the last four years.
The mysterious creature's fame has been slowly growing and she was recently given the nickname Bow-Nessie.
One local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claimed to have had a close encounter with something in the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish. And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.'
A tourist claimed to have captured the Loch Ness Monster on camera in 1934
Now 21st century technology, including sonar equipment, is being deployed to try and track her down.
The lake is 11 miles long and up to 220-feet deep in some places so the team searching for the creature will have to cover some ground.
So far, nothing has been detected, aside from a reported 14-foot long disturbance in the water, and the sonar read-outs have been blank.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.'
A 20-metre long object was spotted below the surface of the lake last year by a local film crew but sceptics claims the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.themovechannel.com/news/bac3f06e-80e1/
Catherine Deshayes
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has proved to be a marketing boon for the Scottish Tourist Board and now the Lake District looks set to be the next hot destination for intrepid monster hunters...
Seven sightings of a long hump-backed animal swimming in Lake Windermere have been reported over the last four years.
The mysterious creature's fame has been slowly growing and she was recently given the nickname Bow-Nessie.
One local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claimed to have had a close encounter with something in the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish. And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.'
A tourist claimed to have captured the Loch Ness Monster on camera in 1934
Now 21st century technology, including sonar equipment, is being deployed to try and track her down.
The lake is 11 miles long and up to 220-feet deep in some places so the team searching for the creature will have to cover some ground.
So far, nothing has been detected, aside from a reported 14-foot long disturbance in the water, and the sonar read-outs have been blank.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.'
A 20-metre long object was spotted below the surface of the lake last year by a local film crew but sceptics claims the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.themovechannel.com/news/bac3f06e-80e1/
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Lake 'monster' rivals Loch Ness
September 13, 2010, 11:47 am
England may now have its own mysterious underwater creature lurking beneath its largest lake, and a rival to Scotland's Loch Ness monster.
Sky News reports that 'monster chasers' are the first to use sonar equipment to hunt down an unidentified creature mystifying locals of Lake Wyndermere in England.
There have been seven sightings in the last four years of what is believed to be a long humpbacked animal that has been nicknamed Bow-Nessie.
A local Lake Wyndermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett described his experience with the creature, "All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish."
"And then I was lifted up by a 3ft wave. I've no idea what it was."
The lake measures over 16km in length and presents a huge task for the 'monster chasers'.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard says that there have been more creature sightings at Wyndermere than Loch Ness in recent years, "We think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention."
According to reports a local film crew spotted a 20 metre long object below the surface of the lake but sceptics believe the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
See video at: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7932374/lake-monster-rivals-loch-ness
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
See also: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Lake-Windermere-Search-For-Englands-Loch-Ness-Monster-Nicknamed-Bow-Nessie/Article/201009215725530
(Submitted by Simon Reames)
England may now have its own mysterious underwater creature lurking beneath its largest lake, and a rival to Scotland's Loch Ness monster.
Sky News reports that 'monster chasers' are the first to use sonar equipment to hunt down an unidentified creature mystifying locals of Lake Wyndermere in England.
There have been seven sightings in the last four years of what is believed to be a long humpbacked animal that has been nicknamed Bow-Nessie.
A local Lake Wyndermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett described his experience with the creature, "All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish."
"And then I was lifted up by a 3ft wave. I've no idea what it was."
The lake measures over 16km in length and presents a huge task for the 'monster chasers'.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard says that there have been more creature sightings at Wyndermere than Loch Ness in recent years, "We think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention."
According to reports a local film crew spotted a 20 metre long object below the surface of the lake but sceptics believe the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
See video at: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7932374/lake-monster-rivals-loch-ness
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
See also: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Lake-Windermere-Search-For-Englands-Loch-Ness-Monster-Nicknamed-Bow-Nessie/Article/201009215725530
(Submitted by Simon Reames)
Lake 'monster' rivals Loch Ness
September 13, 2010, 11:47 am
England may now have its own mysterious underwater creature lurking beneath its largest lake, and a rival to Scotland's Loch Ness monster.
Sky News reports that 'monster chasers' are the first to use sonar equipment to hunt down an unidentified creature mystifying locals of Lake Wyndermere in England.
There have been seven sightings in the last four years of what is believed to be a long humpbacked animal that has been nicknamed Bow-Nessie.
A local Lake Wyndermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett described his experience with the creature, "All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish."
"And then I was lifted up by a 3ft wave. I've no idea what it was."
The lake measures over 16km in length and presents a huge task for the 'monster chasers'.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard says that there have been more creature sightings at Wyndermere than Loch Ness in recent years, "We think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention."
According to reports a local film crew spotted a 20 metre long object below the surface of the lake but sceptics believe the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
See video at: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7932374/lake-monster-rivals-loch-ness
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
See also: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Lake-Windermere-Search-For-Englands-Loch-Ness-Monster-Nicknamed-Bow-Nessie/Article/201009215725530
(Submitted by Simon Reames)
England may now have its own mysterious underwater creature lurking beneath its largest lake, and a rival to Scotland's Loch Ness monster.
Sky News reports that 'monster chasers' are the first to use sonar equipment to hunt down an unidentified creature mystifying locals of Lake Wyndermere in England.
There have been seven sightings in the last four years of what is believed to be a long humpbacked animal that has been nicknamed Bow-Nessie.
A local Lake Wyndermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett described his experience with the creature, "All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish."
"And then I was lifted up by a 3ft wave. I've no idea what it was."
The lake measures over 16km in length and presents a huge task for the 'monster chasers'.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard says that there have been more creature sightings at Wyndermere than Loch Ness in recent years, "We think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention."
According to reports a local film crew spotted a 20 metre long object below the surface of the lake but sceptics believe the footage shows a wave from an unseen boat.
See video at: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7932374/lake-monster-rivals-loch-ness
(Submitted by T. Peter Park)
See also: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Lake-Windermere-Search-For-Englands-Loch-Ness-Monster-Nicknamed-Bow-Nessie/Article/201009215725530
(Submitted by Simon Reames)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The search for England's Loch Ness Monster
Ted Thornhill - 12th September, 2010
A team has been sweeping Lake Windermere with sonar to try and find England’s very own Loch Ness Monster.
In the past four years there have been seven sightings of the mysterious creature, which eyewitnesses say is some sort of long humpbacked animal.
It’s been nicknamed Bow-Nessie – and now 21st century technology is being deployed to try and prove she exists.
It’ll be a hard task, though, as Lake Windermere is huge, measuring 11 miles in length and up to 220-feet in depth in some places.
However, one local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claims that he’s had a close encounter with something big and rather strange in the cold waters of the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish.
‘And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.’
The team searching for Bow-Nessie haven’t detected anything so far, aside from seeing an odd 20-foot disturbance in the water. The sonar read-outs remained stubbornly blank, though.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.’
Or, it could just be a monstrous waste of time. Watch this space.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/840664-the-search-for-englands-loch-ness-monster
A team has been sweeping Lake Windermere with sonar to try and find England’s very own Loch Ness Monster.
In the past four years there have been seven sightings of the mysterious creature, which eyewitnesses say is some sort of long humpbacked animal.
It’s been nicknamed Bow-Nessie – and now 21st century technology is being deployed to try and prove she exists.
It’ll be a hard task, though, as Lake Windermere is huge, measuring 11 miles in length and up to 220-feet in depth in some places.
However, one local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claims that he’s had a close encounter with something big and rather strange in the cold waters of the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish.
‘And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.’
The team searching for Bow-Nessie haven’t detected anything so far, aside from seeing an odd 20-foot disturbance in the water. The sonar read-outs remained stubbornly blank, though.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.’
Or, it could just be a monstrous waste of time. Watch this space.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/840664-the-search-for-englands-loch-ness-monster
The search for England's Loch Ness Monster
Ted Thornhill - 12th September, 2010
A team has been sweeping Lake Windermere with sonar to try and find England’s very own Loch Ness Monster.
In the past four years there have been seven sightings of the mysterious creature, which eyewitnesses say is some sort of long humpbacked animal.
It’s been nicknamed Bow-Nessie – and now 21st century technology is being deployed to try and prove she exists.
It’ll be a hard task, though, as Lake Windermere is huge, measuring 11 miles in length and up to 220-feet in depth in some places.
However, one local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claims that he’s had a close encounter with something big and rather strange in the cold waters of the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish.
‘And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.’
The team searching for Bow-Nessie haven’t detected anything so far, aside from seeing an odd 20-foot disturbance in the water. The sonar read-outs remained stubbornly blank, though.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.’
Or, it could just be a monstrous waste of time. Watch this space.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/840664-the-search-for-englands-loch-ness-monster
A team has been sweeping Lake Windermere with sonar to try and find England’s very own Loch Ness Monster.
In the past four years there have been seven sightings of the mysterious creature, which eyewitnesses say is some sort of long humpbacked animal.
It’s been nicknamed Bow-Nessie – and now 21st century technology is being deployed to try and prove she exists.
It’ll be a hard task, though, as Lake Windermere is huge, measuring 11 miles in length and up to 220-feet in depth in some places.
However, one local, Windermere hotel owner Thomas Noblett, claims that he’s had a close encounter with something big and rather strange in the cold waters of the lake.
He told Sky News: ‘All of a sudden I felt something brush past my legs like a giant fish.
‘And then I was lifted up by a three-foot wave. I've no idea what it was.’
The team searching for Bow-Nessie haven’t detected anything so far, aside from seeing an odd 20-foot disturbance in the water. The sonar read-outs remained stubbornly blank, though.
Hunt organiser, Dean Maynard, added: ‘We've had more creature sightings here than at Loch Ness in recent years so we think it's time that Bow-Nessie received more attention.’
Or, it could just be a monstrous waste of time. Watch this space.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/840664-the-search-for-englands-loch-ness-monster
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Basking sharks are fascinating beasts who may just have launched the legend of Nessie
Published Date: 30 August 2010
By Kath Gourlay
Being classed as a hotspot for sharks doesn't always make for a tourist area, but visitors to the Western isles need have no worries. The bus-sized basking sharks cruising through the Minch this month have no interest in snacking on limbs or torsos. In fact, they're the ones who can be at risk, from the boatloads of tourists and film crews that gather to watch their activities.
"Basking sharks are slow-moving and harmless to humans and their sheer bulk makes them vulnerable when it comes to outmanoeuvring fast boats and the people in them," says Suzanne Henderson, marine advisory officer for Scottish Natural Heritage, Nets from fishing boats, and creel ropes are also a hazard, and SNH has published leaflets and water-resistant maps highlighting the areas around the West coast where large groups of these massive sharks are likely to be at this time of year. "These sites are really important, both nationally and globally, and consistently high numbers have been seen in the sound between Coll and Tiree, and the seas round Canna and Hyskeir," says Suzanne.
In recent summers, SNH recorded the presence of more than 80 basking sharks around Canna and even more around Coll. Shark expert Colin Speedie, who carried out much of the work, says that people have a lot to learn about the habits of these gentle giants.
"Basking sharks are huge – the size of a double decker bus – but they feed entirely on plankton. These minute creatures drift through the water and are filtered through comb-like gills in the shark's enormous gaping mouth.
In one hour an adult shark filters enough water to fill a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool."
Basking sharks are most often seen in coastal areas during the summer and early autumn, when plankton are plentiful and they get their name from being seen "basking" at the surface of the water. The hotspot areas round the Western Isles are known to be mating sites and keen observers might get lucky and spot rare displays of courtship behaviour, such as "breaching" where huge sharks 20 or 30ft long and around six tonnes in weight leap clear of the water.
Another fascinating sight – again, rarely seen, though observed in the Western Isles – is when pairs of courting basking sharks swim along nose to tail for miles and miles in a seemingly trance-like state. This is the time, says SNH, when the sharks are most vulnerable and boat owners and fishermen need to be vigilant around these mating areas.
Previous generations were not so considerate. Basking sharks have been following the plankton drifts up the west coast for centuries, and in the 18th and 19th centuries were highly valued for the high oil content in their huge livers.
The curious story of a creature dubbed "the Stronsay Beast" suggests that a basking shark might have been behind the origins of the Loch Ness Monster legend. In 1808, an enormous carcass was found washed up on the Orkney island of Stronsay. It was measured in front of witnesses and found to be 55ft long. A drawing was made of it which is now in the Orkney museum. In the drawing, the massive creature appeared to have a very long neck.
Stronsay was a thriving herring fishing port, and trade flourished round the coasts and through the Caledonian Canal, where travelling fisherfolk told and retold the story.
A piece of the vertebrae stored in the Royal Museum of Edinburgh showed it was made of cartilage, not bone, so it had to be a shark. If the gill arches had fallen off and the soft tissue had rotted, then the backbone leading to the head and neck would be left looking just like a long neck with a huge body behind it.
Did "the Stronsay Beast" launch the legend of Nessie? We may never know.
Visit www.whalewatchscotland.com/trips for more information
This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, August 28
http://living.scotsman.com/outdoors/Kath-Gourlay--Basking-sharks.6499739.jp
By Kath Gourlay
Being classed as a hotspot for sharks doesn't always make for a tourist area, but visitors to the Western isles need have no worries. The bus-sized basking sharks cruising through the Minch this month have no interest in snacking on limbs or torsos. In fact, they're the ones who can be at risk, from the boatloads of tourists and film crews that gather to watch their activities.
"Basking sharks are slow-moving and harmless to humans and their sheer bulk makes them vulnerable when it comes to outmanoeuvring fast boats and the people in them," says Suzanne Henderson, marine advisory officer for Scottish Natural Heritage, Nets from fishing boats, and creel ropes are also a hazard, and SNH has published leaflets and water-resistant maps highlighting the areas around the West coast where large groups of these massive sharks are likely to be at this time of year. "These sites are really important, both nationally and globally, and consistently high numbers have been seen in the sound between Coll and Tiree, and the seas round Canna and Hyskeir," says Suzanne.
In recent summers, SNH recorded the presence of more than 80 basking sharks around Canna and even more around Coll. Shark expert Colin Speedie, who carried out much of the work, says that people have a lot to learn about the habits of these gentle giants.
"Basking sharks are huge – the size of a double decker bus – but they feed entirely on plankton. These minute creatures drift through the water and are filtered through comb-like gills in the shark's enormous gaping mouth.
In one hour an adult shark filters enough water to fill a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool."
Basking sharks are most often seen in coastal areas during the summer and early autumn, when plankton are plentiful and they get their name from being seen "basking" at the surface of the water. The hotspot areas round the Western Isles are known to be mating sites and keen observers might get lucky and spot rare displays of courtship behaviour, such as "breaching" where huge sharks 20 or 30ft long and around six tonnes in weight leap clear of the water.
Another fascinating sight – again, rarely seen, though observed in the Western Isles – is when pairs of courting basking sharks swim along nose to tail for miles and miles in a seemingly trance-like state. This is the time, says SNH, when the sharks are most vulnerable and boat owners and fishermen need to be vigilant around these mating areas.
Previous generations were not so considerate. Basking sharks have been following the plankton drifts up the west coast for centuries, and in the 18th and 19th centuries were highly valued for the high oil content in their huge livers.
The curious story of a creature dubbed "the Stronsay Beast" suggests that a basking shark might have been behind the origins of the Loch Ness Monster legend. In 1808, an enormous carcass was found washed up on the Orkney island of Stronsay. It was measured in front of witnesses and found to be 55ft long. A drawing was made of it which is now in the Orkney museum. In the drawing, the massive creature appeared to have a very long neck.
Stronsay was a thriving herring fishing port, and trade flourished round the coasts and through the Caledonian Canal, where travelling fisherfolk told and retold the story.
A piece of the vertebrae stored in the Royal Museum of Edinburgh showed it was made of cartilage, not bone, so it had to be a shark. If the gill arches had fallen off and the soft tissue had rotted, then the backbone leading to the head and neck would be left looking just like a long neck with a huge body behind it.
Did "the Stronsay Beast" launch the legend of Nessie? We may never know.
Visit www.whalewatchscotland.com/trips for more information
This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, August 28
http://living.scotsman.com/outdoors/Kath-Gourlay--Basking-sharks.6499739.jp
Basking sharks are fascinating beasts who may just have launched the legend of Nessie
Published Date: 30 August 2010
By Kath Gourlay
Being classed as a hotspot for sharks doesn't always make for a tourist area, but visitors to the Western isles need have no worries. The bus-sized basking sharks cruising through the Minch this month have no interest in snacking on limbs or torsos. In fact, they're the ones who can be at risk, from the boatloads of tourists and film crews that gather to watch their activities.
"Basking sharks are slow-moving and harmless to humans and their sheer bulk makes them vulnerable when it comes to outmanoeuvring fast boats and the people in them," says Suzanne Henderson, marine advisory officer for Scottish Natural Heritage, Nets from fishing boats, and creel ropes are also a hazard, and SNH has published leaflets and water-resistant maps highlighting the areas around the West coast where large groups of these massive sharks are likely to be at this time of year. "These sites are really important, both nationally and globally, and consistently high numbers have been seen in the sound between Coll and Tiree, and the seas round Canna and Hyskeir," says Suzanne.
In recent summers, SNH recorded the presence of more than 80 basking sharks around Canna and even more around Coll. Shark expert Colin Speedie, who carried out much of the work, says that people have a lot to learn about the habits of these gentle giants.
"Basking sharks are huge – the size of a double decker bus – but they feed entirely on plankton. These minute creatures drift through the water and are filtered through comb-like gills in the shark's enormous gaping mouth.
In one hour an adult shark filters enough water to fill a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool."
Basking sharks are most often seen in coastal areas during the summer and early autumn, when plankton are plentiful and they get their name from being seen "basking" at the surface of the water. The hotspot areas round the Western Isles are known to be mating sites and keen observers might get lucky and spot rare displays of courtship behaviour, such as "breaching" where huge sharks 20 or 30ft long and around six tonnes in weight leap clear of the water.
Another fascinating sight – again, rarely seen, though observed in the Western Isles – is when pairs of courting basking sharks swim along nose to tail for miles and miles in a seemingly trance-like state. This is the time, says SNH, when the sharks are most vulnerable and boat owners and fishermen need to be vigilant around these mating areas.
Previous generations were not so considerate. Basking sharks have been following the plankton drifts up the west coast for centuries, and in the 18th and 19th centuries were highly valued for the high oil content in their huge livers.
The curious story of a creature dubbed "the Stronsay Beast" suggests that a basking shark might have been behind the origins of the Loch Ness Monster legend. In 1808, an enormous carcass was found washed up on the Orkney island of Stronsay. It was measured in front of witnesses and found to be 55ft long. A drawing was made of it which is now in the Orkney museum. In the drawing, the massive creature appeared to have a very long neck.
Stronsay was a thriving herring fishing port, and trade flourished round the coasts and through the Caledonian Canal, where travelling fisherfolk told and retold the story.
A piece of the vertebrae stored in the Royal Museum of Edinburgh showed it was made of cartilage, not bone, so it had to be a shark. If the gill arches had fallen off and the soft tissue had rotted, then the backbone leading to the head and neck would be left looking just like a long neck with a huge body behind it.
Did "the Stronsay Beast" launch the legend of Nessie? We may never know.
Visit www.whalewatchscotland.com/trips for more information
This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, August 28
http://living.scotsman.com/outdoors/Kath-Gourlay--Basking-sharks.6499739.jp
By Kath Gourlay
Being classed as a hotspot for sharks doesn't always make for a tourist area, but visitors to the Western isles need have no worries. The bus-sized basking sharks cruising through the Minch this month have no interest in snacking on limbs or torsos. In fact, they're the ones who can be at risk, from the boatloads of tourists and film crews that gather to watch their activities.
"Basking sharks are slow-moving and harmless to humans and their sheer bulk makes them vulnerable when it comes to outmanoeuvring fast boats and the people in them," says Suzanne Henderson, marine advisory officer for Scottish Natural Heritage, Nets from fishing boats, and creel ropes are also a hazard, and SNH has published leaflets and water-resistant maps highlighting the areas around the West coast where large groups of these massive sharks are likely to be at this time of year. "These sites are really important, both nationally and globally, and consistently high numbers have been seen in the sound between Coll and Tiree, and the seas round Canna and Hyskeir," says Suzanne.
In recent summers, SNH recorded the presence of more than 80 basking sharks around Canna and even more around Coll. Shark expert Colin Speedie, who carried out much of the work, says that people have a lot to learn about the habits of these gentle giants.
"Basking sharks are huge – the size of a double decker bus – but they feed entirely on plankton. These minute creatures drift through the water and are filtered through comb-like gills in the shark's enormous gaping mouth.
In one hour an adult shark filters enough water to fill a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool."
Basking sharks are most often seen in coastal areas during the summer and early autumn, when plankton are plentiful and they get their name from being seen "basking" at the surface of the water. The hotspot areas round the Western Isles are known to be mating sites and keen observers might get lucky and spot rare displays of courtship behaviour, such as "breaching" where huge sharks 20 or 30ft long and around six tonnes in weight leap clear of the water.
Another fascinating sight – again, rarely seen, though observed in the Western Isles – is when pairs of courting basking sharks swim along nose to tail for miles and miles in a seemingly trance-like state. This is the time, says SNH, when the sharks are most vulnerable and boat owners and fishermen need to be vigilant around these mating areas.
Previous generations were not so considerate. Basking sharks have been following the plankton drifts up the west coast for centuries, and in the 18th and 19th centuries were highly valued for the high oil content in their huge livers.
The curious story of a creature dubbed "the Stronsay Beast" suggests that a basking shark might have been behind the origins of the Loch Ness Monster legend. In 1808, an enormous carcass was found washed up on the Orkney island of Stronsay. It was measured in front of witnesses and found to be 55ft long. A drawing was made of it which is now in the Orkney museum. In the drawing, the massive creature appeared to have a very long neck.
Stronsay was a thriving herring fishing port, and trade flourished round the coasts and through the Caledonian Canal, where travelling fisherfolk told and retold the story.
A piece of the vertebrae stored in the Royal Museum of Edinburgh showed it was made of cartilage, not bone, so it had to be a shark. If the gill arches had fallen off and the soft tissue had rotted, then the backbone leading to the head and neck would be left looking just like a long neck with a huge body behind it.
Did "the Stronsay Beast" launch the legend of Nessie? We may never know.
Visit www.whalewatchscotland.com/trips for more information
This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, August 28
http://living.scotsman.com/outdoors/Kath-Gourlay--Basking-sharks.6499739.jp
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