June 14, 1996
Web posted at: 6:20 a.m. EDT
LONDON (CNN) -- A mysterious object in Scotland's Loch Ness has been sighted once more. Sixteen people watched late Thursday as an unidentifiable object skimmed along just below the water's surface at high speed for five minutes, then disappeared.
The wake was first spotted by Kate Munro, joint owner of a hotel on the lake called the Craigdarroch House. She alerted her husband and 14 guests, who watched the object until it sank back into the lake.
Whatever it was, witnesses said, it was big enough to leave a whitewater wake the size of a cruiser's. Lacking a better explanation, several of the witnesses said they believe they saw the legendary Loch Ness Monster skimming the surface of the lake.
"I cannot find a rational explanation for what I saw," said English tourist David Neeld.
"There were a few locals in the hotel's bar and they said it was Nessie, so I will go along with that," he said. "I must say that I was very impressed."
Another tourist, Karen Hemingway, said, "Whatever we saw was certainly quite strange. There were no boats around at all. I think I could well have seen the monster."
Sightings of "Nessie," as the monster has been nicknamed, have been reported since the 15th century. It is often described as having a long neck and a large body like a brontosaurus. Despite several scientific expeditions in the loch, nothing has been found.
Nevertheless, about 2 million tourists visit Loch Ness each year because of the monster legend.
New Search for Nessie:
During the summer of 1999 Dan Scot Taylor, after completing his new submarine 'Nessa', will return to Loch Ness in hope of finishing what he began 30 years earlier. The project began in 1969 when Dan arrived at Loch Ness with his submarine 'Viperfish' in search of the Loch Ness Monster. Due to circumstances Dan was unable to complete his search.
Dan has spent months building a new and improved submarine in hopes of locating the famed Loch Ness Monster." 'Nessa' will be faster and bigger than Viperfish - 40 ft long and 30 tons. She will have sonar and powerful lights for underwater photography" says Taylor. Dan Taylor has sunk more than $200,000 into this project. He hopes someone will want to film the search or use the sub as part of a research expedition. During the search if he manages to find Nessie, Dan plans on trying to obtain a skin sample. Dan has been trying to contact the necessary officials to inform the appropriate Government departments of his arrival, hopefully this summer.