“Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster

Author:  Lawren Black

Original art by Fireberd904

“Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster? The Abominable Snowman?  Bigfoot?  Many don’t believe these exist but for those that do believe are known as Cryptozoologists. Cryptozoologists study these types of creatures because their existence is yet to be proven scientifically.  One of the more famous Cryptids that has been around a long time and is known around the world is “Nessie”, the Loch Ness Monster.  Pictures of Nessie have surfaced and some evidence has been collected, but no real scientific evidence has brought Nessie justice of being real.

 Living under the 24 mile long, one mile wide, 974 feet deep fresh water lake, Loch Ness, in Scotland is the famous “Nessie.”  Nessie has been around since the sixth century, but it wasn’t until 1933 when Mr. and Mrs. John Mackay reported a sighting that swept through the media internationally. Their sighting was published in the local newspaper, Inverness Courier.

Loch Ness in Highland, Scotland (NationalGeographic)

According to two articles, Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable and Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained, the appearance of Nessie is said to be a cross between a long-necked prehistoric time creature, Plesiosaur, and a seal.  Nessie real identity is yet to be discovered.  Many pictures only show Nessie as a hump or a “trunk-like” feature sticking out of the water.  Paleontologist Neil Clark even believes that “the monster was perhaps a padding pachyderm.” (National Geographic)  Clark saw many similarities between the two that made him come to believe that they are similar.

Painting by Neil Clark

While on a six-day monster hunt in 1960, Tim Dinsdale shot a four minute long film of what appeared to be a huge creature in the loch.  Dinsdale, who wanted to know more about the unknown creature, sent his film to be analyzed by JARIC, Royal Air Force Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre.  JARIC analyzed the film and concluded that the hump was 12-16 feet long and had a cross section that was at least five feet high and six feet wide.  JARIC also came to the conclusion that the unknown creature moved at a speed of seven to ten miles per hour and that “…it probably is an animate object” and a part of a living creature instead of a surface craft or submarine. (Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained)

In the summer of 1972, Dr. Robert Rines and his team traveled to Urquhart Bay and used sonar and under-water cameras to try and catch evidence of a lake monster.  Their trip turned successful when the sonar equipment and cameras caught a “thing”, 20-30 feet long and 400 pounds, moving through the water. This “thing” had a diamond shaped flippers, roughly six feet long that were attached to its body.

In December of 1975, Ornithologist Sir Peter Scott unofficially named the monster Nessiteras Rhombopteryx.  The name was taken to mean “Ness monster with the diamond shaped fin,” but later was proven to be an anagram that meant ‘monster hoax by Sir Peter Scott.’ (Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable)

The legend of Nessie has been around for many years and will stay around for many more years.  Until factual evidence of the existence of Nessie comes into play Nessie will forever remain a legend.  So what do you believe? Is Nessie real or not? 

Works cited:

Fireberd904. The Loch Ness Monster. 2010. Digital Art. Deviantart.com. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Kristof, Emory. Scotland Photos. n.d. Photo. nationalgeographic.com. Highland, Scotland. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Clark, Neil. Loch Ness Monster an Elephant? n.d. Painting. Nationalgeographic.com. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

"Loch Ness Monster." Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. London: Chambers Harrap, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 11 October 2013. 

"The Loch Ness Monster." Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained. London: Chambers Harrap, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 11 October 2013.

Lyons, Stephen. “The Legend of Loch Ness.” Pbs.org. NOVA, 12 Jan. 1999. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

Links for further research :

PBS NOVA http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/legend-loch-ness.html
The article gives us history of the Loch Ness Monster legend, along with some searches for the monster in the past.

LEGEND OF NESSIE http://www.nessie.co.uk/htm/about_loch_ness/nessgeo.html

This article gives a geological view of the Loch Ness in Highland, Scotland along with surrounding areas.

Rodrigues, Joao. “National Geographic- The Truth Behind The Loch Ness Monster [FULL].” youtube.com. YouTube. 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

This video is providing us with the truth behind the Loch Ness Monster.

Lake Champlain Monster

Author: Blair Russell

Is Lake Champlain Monster Real? 

Lake Champlain received it’s named from a man named, Samuel de Champlain. Samuel was a European explorer and stated he saw monsters swimming around in the lake in the early 1600’s. Lake Champlain Monster is a sea monster that is known to live in Lake Champlain. Some people refer to the lake as “Lake Champ” for short. Champlain forms the border between New York and Vermont. The lake reaches all the way across to Canada. Lake Champlain runs 109 miles long and 11 miles in width. Many people refer to Lake Champlain’s as a version of the loch ness monster. 

 The first sighting of the lake monster comes from a Native American who says he saw the monster in the lake and refers to it as a “beast.” (“Lake Champlain Monster”). Numerous sightings have been reported over the years about seeing the Lake Champlain Monster. People who have claimed to see the monster describe it as having a long neck, a head that resembles that of a horse, humps going up and down the back, and having a dark toned skin color. Champlain monster is 15-50 feet. Although these individuals describe the lake monster with these certain characteristics, Samuel de Champlain described the monster totally different.

            According to the explorer, Samuel Champlain, the monster he saw in the lake was only 5 feet long instead of 15-50 feet long. (“Lake Champlain Monster”). He also claimed the monster had sharp teeth, such as fangs, and the head did not resemble a horse’s head, but instead more of an oval appearance. Later research finds the monster Samuel de Champlain claimed to have spotted was a plesiosaur. These types of creatures are extinct now and lived thousand of years ago.

            Lake Champ had many attractions and was very popular in the ‘60s but after then the tourists and attractions died down a little bit; this was until a photo film came out of the monster. A woman named Sandra Mansi, is the only person recorded in the world who has a photograph of the Champlain Monster. On July 5, 1997 Sandra and her husband were out on Lake Champlain with their two children. As Sandra was sitting on the shore, while her husband ventured to the car to grab the camera, is when she spotted the monster. Mansi had not a clue what she was seeing in the water, but she claimed to have thought it was a school of fish at first.  Mansi stated in an interview, “I was scared to death…I felt like I shouldn’t be there” (Mansi). Mansi and her family gained a good fortunate of capturing what could be the only photograph of Lake Champlain’s monster.

There were three analysis’s done of Mansi’s photograph because many people believed the photo to be a hoax. One professor whose specialty was dynamics examined the photo. Professor LeBlond was able to announce the approximate length and width of the monster’s lower and front portions, but not the middle section because it was under water. (Lake Champlain) 

Ben Radford, another man who analyzed Mansi’s photograh had a different description of the monster than LeBlond. According to Radord the head of the monster is not connected with the hump of the monster. Radford states, “The actual body contortion is very unusual and unlikely for nearly any type of living animal” (Radford).

Lake Champlain’s monster is a very mysterious, skeptical creature. It’s crazy to believe there actually could be this huge, atrocious monster swimming around Lake Champlain. Many people believe a monster truly lives in Champ’s lake, while other people believe it is just a legend and there isn’t anything living down in the sands of Lake Champlain. So, here’s a question for you. Do you believe in Lake Champlain’s monster?

Works Cited:

“The Lake Champlain Basin” Photo. Google.com. Web. 17 Oct 2012.

"Lake Champlain monster." Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained. London: Chambers Harrap, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 11 October 2012.

Wilford, John Noble. "IS IT LAKE CHAMPLAIN'S MONSTER?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 June 1981. Web. 13 Oct. 2012.

Radford, Benjamin. "Features: Articles." Lake Champlain Monster. Fortean Times, Apr. 2004. Web. 13 Oct. 2012.

Radford, Ben. "The Measure of a Monster: Investigating the Champ Photo." CSI. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, July 2003. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.

Links for further research:

Weird U.S.

http://www.weirdus.com/states/new_york/bizarre_beasts/champ_/index.php

The mysterious story and sightings of Lake Champlain monster are presented.

The Lake Champlain Monster?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmT-VibmdtU

This video shows Lake Champlain and the “monster” swimming around the lake.

Lake Champlain – A plesiosaur?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfzAGsVvyfE

An interview on ABC News of a man who saw Lake Champlain’s monster swimming in the lake.