Longtime Loch Ness monster hunter turns skeptic with down-to-earth explanation for sightings
A veteran Loch Ness Monster researcher now says the famous creature may never have existed at all, arguing that decades of reported sightings can be explained by ordinary activity on the lake.
Adrian Shine, 76, who has spent more than half a century investigating the mystery, believes the shapes people mistake for “Nessie” are actually waves created by passing boats. Shine is the founder of the Loch Ness Project, an extensive archive dedicated to studying the legend.
According to Shine, much of the confusion comes from heavy boat traffic linked to the Caledonian Canal, which runs through most of Loch Ness. As boats move through the narrow waterway, their wakes can stretch out and form a series of humps that resemble a large creature rising and falling in the water.
“These wakes can look multi-humped, which is exactly what many witnesses describe,” Shine explained.
He added that other commonly reported features also have simple explanations. What some people describe as a long neck, for example, may actually be birds floating on a calm surface. Shine also noted that Loch Ness is extremely cold and does not contain enough fish to support an animal as large as the legendary monster.
Shine said his doubts grew stronger after he once believed he was seeing a serpent-like shape in the water, only to discover it was just a rock. Since then, he claims to have investigated and dismissed numerous alleged sightings, concluding that none provided real evidence.
Despite coming to believe the monster is likely a myth, Shine says he does not regret the years he devoted to the search.
“I’ve had enormous fun,” he said, adding that he would still welcome any genuine new evidence if it ever appeared.
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