Nessie record finder believes Loch Ness mystery solved

According to the world record holder in the search for Nessie, the mystery of the Loch Ness monster will one day be solved. “Something will be discovered that explains these short sightings and why the sonar often strikes,” said Steve Feltham of the German news agency. “That will be the justification for all the years I haven’t seen it. It will be the justification for all the eyewitnesses who have reported seeing something unexplainable,” the 60-year-old said.

Feltham turned his hobby into a job 32 years ago, moving from the south of England to Dores, right on the shore of the legendary loch in the Scottish Highlands. He has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for his endurance. 90 years ago, on May 2, 1933, a newspaper first reported about a “monster” in Loch Ness. Since then, numerous eyewitnesses have reported sightings. Some experts also point out that sonar recordings have repeatedly yielded inexplicable results. The poor visibility in the deep, peaty lake also complicates the search.

“A lot of people around the world think it’s just a fairy tale, a legend,” Feltham said. “Finally getting proof that something is there, that’s what it’s all about.” It is clear, albeit a shame, that Nessie is not a plesiosaur. “There are many possible explanations,” Feltham said. But he rules out Nessie being a big eel. Such animals can be found in many Scottish lakes. “It could be a catfish, I think,” he said. Small stocks of the second largest freshwater fish in the world may have been introduced in the Victorian era during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

However, Feltham does not expect a solution in the short term. There are a few boats that take sonar shots and some tourists that are not trained to tell the difference between a seal and an otter. “The world wonders why the mystery wasn’t solved long ago when there’s so much research going on — but most of that research is me and my binoculars.” (aeg/sda/dpa)