A local man travelling south on the A82 road at 5.15pm on Wednesday 4th April reported seeing a circular whirlpool like disturbance on the otherwise flat calm loch. The disturbance was near the middle of the loch just south of Urquhart Castle. He said it was similar to the disturbance that is caused at sea by bait fish being forced to the surface by larger predators. There was no boat traffic in the area at all.
Just in time for Monster Hunting Season! I await further information on this particular event.
This reminds me of another strange vortex like sighting back in 1979 - link.
UPDATE: Dick Raynor offers an interesting explanation in that the whirlpool may have been one of those fast moving boats that run from Fort Augustus to the castle where they do a U-turn to head back south. These boats are particularly noisy and throw up quite a bit of water due to their fast movement. I was watching them myself this weekend at Loch Ness.
I would say that this would produce a semi circle rather than a full circle followed by an obvious and clear boat wake to indicate its origin. It seems somebody needs to photograph one of these U-turns and ask the witness if it bears any resemblance to what they saw. Over to Gary Campbell?
This reminds me of another strange vortex like sighting back in 1979 - link.
UPDATE: Dick Raynor offers an interesting explanation in that the whirlpool may have been one of those fast moving boats that run from Fort Augustus to the castle where they do a U-turn to head back south. These boats are particularly noisy and throw up quite a bit of water due to their fast movement. I was watching them myself this weekend at Loch Ness.
I would say that this would produce a semi circle rather than a full circle followed by an obvious and clear boat wake to indicate its origin. It seems somebody needs to photograph one of these U-turns and ask the witness if it bears any resemblance to what they saw. Over to Gary Campbell?
Interesting stuff. I wonder if he had an idea of the size of the disturbance? If it was in the middle of the Loch yet visible from the road it must have been a significant area. I've seen pike forcing a shoal of fish up like this, but it wouldn't have been visible from any great distance and pike tend to "smash and grab" so the event is over in seconds.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, I observed some interesting activity on a Loch Ness webcam today. I am used to seeing birds and boats on these, but this one was different. Anyway, I've PM'd you my email address on a certain Cryptozoology website, so I can send the images to you if you'd like to have a look. You'd know better than I whether it is something mundane or perhaps more interesting.
Email me at shimei123@yahoo.co.uk
DeleteAs you say, it depends on the size of the disturbance as sudden winds can whip up eddies.
Delete"Flat calm" conditions. I surmise sightings would be easier in these conditions. However,I have a suspicion that the weather conditions that cause flat calms induce the creature to come up. The same impulse that persuades people to hang-glide on fine days. Regards.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the first sighting report,it stirs my interest and my wanting to be there,on three separate occasions i have seen a V white wake heading across the loch never seen what was at head of V but each time they where all moving fast breaking through the waves,all where in same area of loch i will keep this place to my self for now.
ReplyDeleteI saw Dick Raynor's opinion and was disapointed that he did not state roughly how long the water displacement lasts after the boat has performed the turn. If they are the same boats I am thinking about then the disturbance would only last a few seconds and therefore the boat would have been observed by the witness.
ReplyDeleteMr Raynor also mentioned a "plesiosaur" in his comment - which he does to suggest that anyone favouring a cryptozoological theory for the Loch Ness mystery thinks it is a dinosaur - which is clearly not the case! It's a subtle form of patronising, but patronising none-the-less.
I think, in general rather than individual terms, skepticism has become more militant and deprecating of those who hold opposing views.
ReplyDeleteDick Raynor further elucidates that these boats actually do 360 degree turns. Which simply brings me back to my original statement - the witness in question should reply to these things. It is not for me or Dick Raynor to decide what this man saw. The report says he is a local man and the first question to ask is whether as a local man he was already familar with such boat activities.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your take on this Glasgow Boy.
ReplyDeleteMr Raynor kindly estimated that the disturbance can last in the water for roughly a minute after the boat has moved on which makes it a potential explanation; but as you say more input is needed from the witness.
I see no reason to infer anything more than the activity of a school of fish just below the surface, which was the statement made early on in the report.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I would like very much to "Follow" your blog here but I see no button posted to apply for that function.
Best Wishes, Dale D.
Do you mean the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" at the bottom of the blog?
DeleteRoland