Up in the Highlands of Scotland, a new chase is gearing up for the Loch Ness Monster, one of the planet’s most famous folkloric creatures.

Back in the dark ages, Saint Columba, an Irish monk, famously encountered what he called a ‘water beast’ swimming in the River Ness, which flows from the ‘loch’, a highland lake.

It was back in the 1930’s when a local hotel manager burst into the local bar one evening with the bombastic news: she had just seen a ‘whale-like creature’ in Loch Ness.

The news coverage of this event kick-started the modern Loch Ness craze spanning almost a century.

Next weekend, hundreds of researchers and enthusiasts will take part in the biggest hunt for the mysterious creature in the last 50 years.

The Guardian reported:

“Organised by the newly revamped Loch Ness Centre, volunteers from across the globe will participate in person and online in what is believed to be the largest surface watch, searching for breaks in the water and any inexplicable movements over a two-day period.

In partnership with the voluntary research team Loch Ness Exploration, the hunt will enlist surveying equipment that has never been used on Loch Ness before, including drones to produce thermal images of the water from the air using infrared cameras, as well as a hydrophone to detect acoustic signals beneath the surface.”

Alan McKenna, of Loch Ness Exploration:

“It’s our hope to inspire a new generation of Loch Ness enthusiasts and by joining this large-scale surface watch, you’ll have a real opportunity to personally contribute towards this fascinating mystery that has captivated so many people from around the world.”

The Inverness Courier, back in the 30’s, also reported on a local called George Spicer, who told the paper about seeing ‘a most extraordinary form of animal’ cross the road in front of his car and disappear into the lake.

WION reported:

“Loch Ness is popularly known in Scottish folklore for its deep, dark waters and the legendary creature said to inhabit it, often referred to as the ‘Loch Ness Monster’ or ‘Nessie’. Loch Ness is one of the largest and deepest lakes in the United Kingdom, with a maximum depth of around 755 feet (230 meters).”

In this new modern chapter of the monster hunt, technological tolls such as drones equipped with infrared cameras that will try to capture thermal images of the water from above.

A hydrophone will also be used. It’s a device that is sensitive to underwater acoustic signals that will aid in detecting activity in the depths of the loch.

The researchers and enthusiasts are trying to confirm reports of a being ‘resembling a long-necked, hump-backed creature’ living in the waters of Loch Ness.

“Despite the lack of scientific confirmation, the Loch Ness Monster remains a popular part of Scottish folklore and the lake is a major tourist attraction. The area around Loch Ness attracts visitors from around the world who are intrigued by the mystery and allure of the legendary creature.”

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