Books on Nessie and Sea Serpents

 

It has been a while since a Nessie book has been published. The last two were in 2019 and nothing in 2020, which was a bit of a surprise considering the extra time people had on their time during various coronavirus lockdowns. But Ken Gerhard was at work in 2020 researching his own Essential Guide to the Loch Ness Monster with a foreword by Steve Feltham. The promotional text on amazon.co.uk read thus:

For centuries, the Scottish Highlanders have told of great water beasts said to inhabit particular lochs and burns. The most famous of these is, of course, the Loch Ness Monster, or ‘Nessie,’ said to be twenty to forty feet long – far larger than any freshwater animal known to exist in the murky, fathomless lake. In this essential primer, world famous cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard presents the most accurate and indispensable information that’s been gathered with regard to the Loch Ness Monster – the best evidence supporting its existence, consensus expert opinions up to this point, the most compelling encounters, and really everything you need to know about the subject in order to become Nessie knowledgeable.

In addition, Gerhard discusses other celebrated aquatic cryptids, including Champ, Ogopogo, and so-called sea serpents. The reader will get answers to questions such as: Could they really exist? What do they look like? How many are there? Are they dangerous? Where are the remains? Finally, Ken makes an argument that these elusive creatures may be descended from a line of ancient whales, believed to have gone extinct millions of years ago. For centuries, the Scottish Highlanders have told of great water beasts said to inhabit particular lochs and burns. The most famous of these is, of course, the Loch Ness Monster, or ‘Nessie,’ said to be twenty to forty feet long – far larger than any freshwater animal known to exist in the murky, fathomless lake.

In this essential primer, world famous cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard presents the most accurate and indispensable information that’s been gathered with regard to the Loch Ness Monster – the best evidence supporting its existence, consensus expert opinions up to this point, the most compelling encounters, and really everything you need to know about the subject in order to become Nessie knowledgeable. In addition, Gerhard discusses other celebrated aquatic cryptids, including Champ, Ogopogo, and so-called sea serpents. The reader will get answers to questions such as: Could they really exist? What do they look like? How many are there? Are they dangerous? Where are the remains?

Finally, Ken makes an argument that these elusive creatures may be descended from a line of ancient whales, believed to have gone extinct millions of years ago. For centuries, the Scottish Highlanders have told of great water beasts said to inhabit particular lochs and burns. The most famous of these is, of course, the Loch Ness Monster, or ‘Nessie,’ said to be twenty to forty feet long – far larger than any freshwater animal known to exist in the murky, fathomless lake. In this essential primer, world famous cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard presents the most accurate and indispensable information that’s been gathered with regard to the Loch Ness Monster – the best evidence supporting its existence, consensus expert opinions up to this point, the most compelling encounters, and really everything you need to know about the subject in order to become Nessie knowledgeable.

In addition, Gerhard discusses other celebrated aquatic cryptids, including Champ, Ogopogo, and so-called sea serpents. The reader will get answers to questions such as: Could they really exist? What do they look like? How many are there? Are they dangerous? Where are the remains? Finally, Ken makes an argument that these elusive creatures may be descended from a line of ancient whales, believed to have gone extinct millions of years ago.

Now Ken is better known for his other cryptozoological adventures in North America and beyond, but he has turned his investigative eye to Scotland as well as some other lake cryptids. His theory that the monster may be a descendant of some ancient whales reminds me of Roy Mackal's zeuglodons, which he favoured at some point, so it does have some pedigree behind it. I am not inclined to that idea myself, but I will hear him out when I get a copy of the book. 

Looking at the preview on Amazon, the book actually extensively covers the whole range of sea and lake cryptids and so is not purely a book on the Loch Ness Monster, I would say just under 30% is devoted to my favourite cryptid. Ken did communicate with me by email asking questions which I was happy to answer and I know he is a believer in the beast, so he is off to a good start.

In the meantime, I note his arty cover bears a resemblance to this one from the 1970s. Both nice pieces of Nessie artwork and Ken's book is also on amazon.com.

A second book which has come to my attention is "Sun, Sand and Sea Serpents" by David Goudsward which focuses on the seas around Florida and the Caribbean. I hope to dip into that book at various points and its back cover text reads from amazon.com:

Ever since Columbus spotted mermaids, sea monsters, and mystery lizards in the New World, sightings of a diverse array of marine cryptids have continued unabated in the waters of Florida, the Southeastern coast, and the Caribbean. Dinosaurs, mermaids, and sea serpents in a range of colors and lengths, along with monster sharks, mystery seals, and giant penguins, all seem to have made the tourist-friendly waters of the region their home. In Florida, it became a running joke that the tourist season officially started when the first sea serpent report appeared in the newspapers.

What's behind all the reports? Hoaxes? Some certainly are. Yellow journalism? Yes, sometimes. Misidentifications? It's pretty common. A way to drum up business?  Shocking, but true. But in that mix, there are probably some unidentified animals as well. David Goudsward digs up the original sources and interviews to sort fact from fiction, and tells some fascinating stories along the way. 

Certain cases I will be reading up on are the famous Pensacola case of 1962 which alleged some fatalities. This case grabbed my attention as a youth back in the 1970s when I read it in Dinsdale's "The Leviathans", if I recall correctly. The case of the three toed monster also has my attention as I believe the Loch Ness Monster is three toed, although I suspect our American three toes has some deception involved.

So, plenty of reading ahead of me in the months ahead.

The author can be contacted at lochnesskelpie@gmail.com