Tuesday 24 March 2015

Solar Eclipses and Nessie

What do solar eclipses and the Loch Ness Monster have in common, you might ask? Nothing at all, it may seem, but the two have a link going back centuries into mankind's dimmer past. When Nessies were Kelpies and eclipses were divine interventions, the two were most certainly seen as having a common connection. We had a solar eclipse over the United Kingdom this week past, so this gives me an excuse to show some pictures I took!





The word "monster" is taken from the Latin word "monstrum" which meant a sign or portent, a warning of things to come. When something out of the ordinary happened in the natural, this was taken to mean something out of the ordinary would happen in the realm of men. This could be anything out of the ordinary, like a calf being born with two heads, a striking pareidolia, a bright comet and so on.

Included in this panoply of "monstra" in the Highlands of Scotland would be the feared "Each Uisge" or Water Horse. For example, we are told by the folklorist, William Kilgour in his "Lochaber in War and Peace" that: 

the belief is prevalent amongst the residents by the lake, that the sea monster never rises save when some MacDonald or a Gillies is about to exchange the barren hills of Morar for a fairer and more salubrious clime.

When the Loch Morar Each Uisge appeared, it portended change for the MacDonalds or Gillies. This was not much different for the Water Horse that inhabited Loch Ness. The appearance of this kelpie was likewise taken as an omen of bad luck for someone. This we are told on the 8th October 1868, when the Inverness Courier reported the effect of a monster hoax perpetrated by a fishing crew on the superstitious locals.

Some of the most credulous natives averred that a huge fish, similar in size and shape, had been occasionally seen gambolling in the loch for years back, and with equal determination protested that its being cast dead on the shore boded no good to the inhabitants – that, in fact, its presence presaged dire calamities either in pestilence or famine, or perhaps both.

We are told of stories where superstitious locals would not speak of the mysterious monstrum they had seen in the loch. Why they did this appears to be due to the fact that the bad luck associated with the Kelpie would only be made worse for the observer if its appearing was made to men known. That would suggest the mere act of appearing was not enough to trigger doom for the intended target, but the promulgation of it was.

One such instance was in February 1919 when Jock Forbes and his father encountered a strange beast on land. Two mile north of Inverfarigaig on a windswept night, their pony stopped and backed off in fright from something ahead. Then they saw about twenty yards ahead a large, dark form coming out of the trees and filling the road as it slowly crossed over to the shallow bank ending in a splash. In true Highland fashion, his father muttered something in Gaelic and the two hardly talked about it again. 

But that was the Loch Ness Kelpie, what about the Loch Ness Monster? Now, to me, Nessie is a biological creature, so it would really be down to an advocate of a paranormal creature to go down this path.

But, playing Devil's Advocate,  since I generally accept paranormal phenomena, what would a "flap" of Nessie sightings between 1933 and 1934 portend? Yes, I hear you say, the World War of 1939-1945. But where were the omens for the Great War of 1914-1918? Hmmm, pretty thin on the ground I must admit. There was a discernible uptick in sightings around 1914, but we'll never know the real numbers because the publicity back then to bring forth reports was far less than from 1933 onwards.

Or perhaps, Nessie portends for individuals rather than nations? That is also difficult to quantify. How long must a person evade "bad luck" before you dismiss such a notion and what exactly constitues such luck above and beyond the normal woes of men? There are plenty of witnesses who lived long and healthy lives and probably prospered in greater degree.

So, if the Loch Ness Monster is a portender of evil, it is not so clear to me. But, if sightings begin to escalate in the future and great pictures and film are being taken, should Nessie hunters rejoice or fear World War III?  

Normal non-paranormal service is now resumed!

The author can be contacted at lochnesskelpie@gmail.com



53 comments:

  1. Geordie Sceptic24 March 2015 at 06:29

    It's an interesting read, but I don't think you're connecting all the dots, GB. For me it works like this....

    Nessie is indeed a portent, a harbinger of doom. This dates back to St Columbus and his plans to create a New World Order, using a depiction of the holy grail made from yeti fur. Not only that, but the Illuminati had already sown the seeds by constructing Area 51 using ancient alien technology.

    Fast forward several centuries and we've got holographic planes flying into buildings and a new Malaysian Bermuda Triangle. All of this being controlled by a race of ghost spirits via Tom Cruise.

    The evidence? Well I've looked closely at the waves highlighted by Steve Plambeck in the recent Loch Ness disturbance photos. I printed off the photo and mapped the points of Loch Ness, Bermuda and the most recent Yowie sighting around the eye you see in the wave. The resultant image showed a triangle with an eye in the middle.

    Proof, if any were needed, that Nessie is part of the matrix. The more sightings we hear of, the more we need to stay indoors when those chemtrails start appearing.

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    1. GS...Ehhh...those big circles around the waves weren't mine. I was the one questioning why the waves had even been circled in the first place, not here but over at the Lake Monsters page.

      I only drew one little circle around one little dot -- did it give you a wink then? :)

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    4. Yes, Geordie can be a little annoying at times, but he's harmless.

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    5. Geordie Sceptic25 March 2015 at 12:02

      Thank you John, it's all about perspective. We're simply discussing whether a monster does or does not exist in a Scottish lake. No need whatsoever for vicious, spiteful vitriol towards anyone.

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    7. Geordie Sceptic25 March 2015 at 15:01

      I was genuinely thanking you for your comment John, after I was described as "cancer", which I can still scarcely believe someone would write, however much they want a monster to be real.

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    8. Oops! I guess this time I jumped to conclusions and put my foot in my mouth! Sorry, sometimes I don't know where you're coming from. So sorry, will remove comment forthwith. And I was also being genuine when I said you add color to the blog :-)

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    9. And yes I agree with you Geordie. That kind of personal attack by one of our fellow readers is unwarranted. GB posted it in as an example of how not to conduct ourselves when posting and wisely removed it after his admonition. Once again I apologize to you for taking your comment to me out of context. Now, back to Solar eclipses and Nessie and their influence on the affairs of men. As I wipe the egg off my face!

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    10. Geordie Sceptic26 March 2015 at 03:23

      John, no need to apologise. It's good to know that some people put human decency above the side of a cryptozoology debate they are on. I would certainly never tolerate such abuse directed towards yourself, GB, Jake etc. We are very much on the same page in that respect.

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  2. I have no interest in solar eclipses but can i ask wats goin on here with all these removed comments????? Just bin nosey!!!! :))

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    1. I think we should differentiate between belief and interest.I don't know if there is a unknown creature in Loch Ness or not but I am interested in the possibility.

      In the past many things were dismissed be science only to be accepted later,stones falling from the sky (meteorite's) for example.

      The supernatural is something science has not explained yet,when it is does it will become part of the natural world.

      I think we can disagree with each other without being disagreeable.

      Jack.

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    2. The Coelacanth is another example Jack. A scientist of the period prior to it's discovery would have scoffed at the notion that a prehistoric creature could still be extant. Yet, there they were in 1938. Same thing with the LNM. Maybe some unknown creature has defied science and exists in the depths of Loch Ness. Science doesn't have all the answers... yet.

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    3. Hello John,
      yes the Coelacanth is another example although it was in a larger body of water,the comparison is sound.

      While browsing around I came across an article about Morag in which giant sterile eels were proposed as the creature in question and the same could be applied to Nessie.Here is the link to the article,you might find it of interest.

      http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2015/03/morag-nessies-lesser-known-cousin/

      Jack.

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    4. Thanks Jack. You know I've often thought about giant eels as being the answer, but it just seems too incredulous. And some would say it's incredulous to even believe in the LNM and it's ilk. The more I think about though, I am kind of leaning toward an eel like creature, not necessarily an eel species or a mutant eel. Maybe Dr. Mackal wasn't to far off from the truth!

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  3. Shame it gets to that. After all its just a debate site really. We all have different views. Wud be a boring old world if we all thought the same! I get ribbed all the time in work for my beliefs in nessie but it never gets nasty and thats how it shud be !! personally i want to know if there is anything there so i welcome the sceptics cus we need to look at it both ways to find the truth! i had a good couple hours looking at Dick's website the other day and admit i have changed my mind on sum things and had a rethink on others!at the same time i disagreed with a couple of things on there! I think we need sceptcs if u know what i mean cus good to weigh it all up and still see if ya think loch ness harbours a big creature!!

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  4. Many apologies to GB, GS and the readers for my colourful hyperbole. It was out of line. My comment did not come from a place defending the existence of something, but in the defence of this blog. GB makes a well researched and interesting post and GS trivialises it with comments about the Bermuda Triangle and the New World Order. This is a regular occurrence. I fear that new readers may hesitate to post due to the risk of being ridiculed by GS, limiting the interaction between readers and author. I love the debate but sometimes I feel the tone from my learned friend is condescending.

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    1. Geordie Sceptic26 March 2015 at 08:36

      Apology accepted. My post at the top was merely light-hearted nonsense. I'm sure most would recognise that.

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    2. Geordie Sceptic26 March 2015 at 11:34

      And to be fair, if my presence here stops even one person from posting that Nessie must exist because so many have seen her, then I have done the readers of this blog a service.

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    3. Well, Nessie must exist because so many have seen her.

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    4. Geordie Sceptic26 March 2015 at 12:32

      No, but so many think they have; -)

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    5. There's GS going all assertive and dogmatic on us again!

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    6. Takes 2 to tango!!!

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    7. We Know Geordie, that it was nonsense, that's why we believers don't take you seriously, and I said you were harmless. And, you are wrong, believers will stick to their convictions in spite of you. ;-)

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    8. Fair play to geordie he has tried for months to convince us nessie dont exist but he hasnt lol. Fair play though geordie u dont give up :)

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    9. I know how you feel and empathize with you Josh. Believe me, I am in full agreement with you and share some of your views. I'm sure there are many readers who agree with you also and don't feel a need to comment one way or another. They may not even believe in the Loch Ness Monster, they just take pleasure in reading the articles of this intriguing mystery. Don't feel alone. There are those who would spoil that fun.

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    10. Geordie Sceptic26 March 2015 at 23:36

      Some stick to their nessie beliefs come rain or shine, I agree. Other believers (like me in the past for example) are more willing to keep learning and their views may or may not become more sceptical as they are exposed to more of the debate. I am in contact with a couple of people who were 100% believers two years or so ago, and now they are undecided. I also know of one previous sceptic who now thinks there might be something in there, so it goes both ways.

      Only a person with an unscientific approach would think there's merit and pride in "sticking to their convictions" on a question like Loch Ness.

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    11. Some have changed their views for sure.

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    12. Not the ones he is trying to convince on here .

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    13. Let's be clear that there are people who don't believe in the LNM who never took a scientific approach either. They'll stick to their beliefs come rain or shine as well.

      Don't be fooled by people who try to project themselves as having the superior technique.



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    14. Geordie Sceptic27 March 2015 at 02:05

      Agree with GB's point here. But not in a million years would I try to persuade Jake or John A to give up their Nessie beliefs. I'd have more luck converting a little old lady to atheism after she'd been a devout churchgoer all her life!

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    15. Yes ur right there geirdie :)

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    16. Geordie i meant oops cold hands !!! I think lots of people have changed their minds over the years as to wats in there. Wen ur a kid u think of the lone plesiosaur but as u get older that way of thinking changes. i know a lot of nessie believers and they all differ in opinion. So think its a fish some think amphibian sone feptiles even one i know believes it comes back and too from the sea!! My mind has changed over the years as to wat nessie is but i still think they are there! Each to their own i say...... but its all good fun and what a lovely place to have a mystery :))

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    17. Josh and John Alvarado are uncannily similar. Do you know eachother?

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    18. A lot of skeptics sound uncannily similar also. No we don't know each other. Maybe we're kindred spirits on this LNM thing and this blog though.

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    19. To John Alvarado. The events on this page show that GS really is taken seriously by some of us who believe. I don't agree with a lot of what GS says but it all adds to the fun. Also makes the grey matter work to have doubters on here.

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    20. I agree there needs to be both sides present and I applaud you for your fairness. I would guess that you are probably in the minority. Okay, GS is taken seriously, in a fun sort of way. :-)

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    21. Oh, and, anonymous, I did mention that GS adds color to the dialog, so in that sense I am being flattering to GS, and generous.

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    22. It looks like there is another Pete posting comments. Any suggestions concerning how to tell us apart are welcome :-)

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    23. Maybe you can sign in as Pete #2 or type the first letter of your last name after “Pete” at the end of your comment. Hope that helps. :-)

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    24. Thanks John A. We can't have identity theft occurring :-} so I will sign in as Pete and sign off as Pete from now on. Pete

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  5. yes i agree its not a blog on other mysteries.... i think we should stick to the debate of our 20ft plus unknown aquatic creatures :)))

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    1. Nah! Kelpies and the like are welcome.

      Good greif, plesiosaur attack on "Warlords of Atlantis" just now on Film4!

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  6. Ok nessie and nessie like mysteries lol but ghosts and bigfoot........no please :)

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  7. Geordie Sceptic1 April 2015 at 03:27

    I was at the loch yesterday. I saw a 15 foot hump and a pole-like neck. I was too shocked to use the camera in the phone I was holding.

    It might be a big turnaround, but I now thoroughly believe in the Loch Ness Monster.

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    1. Some say the Surgeon's photo was also taken on April 1st.

      BTW, not sure your 15ft hump and pole like neck is a known combination.

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    2. Hmm... let's see now, I think today is April Fools Day. Nice try Geordie.

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    3. Geordie Sceptic1 April 2015 at 10:16

      There's no duping you guys!

      :-)

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  8. happy birthday for yesterday Geordie Sceptic.

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    1. Geordie Sceptic2 April 2015 at 11:48

      Thank you, I'll save that for my real birthday.

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