Findings revealed from The Quest Weekend

Thank you so much for waiting patiently to hear about the findings from The Quest Weekend, which took place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August.

We’ve worked incredibly hard alongside The Loch Ness Exploration team to help coordinate a huge volunteer effort this weekend for the ‘largest surface search’ that has taken place since the 1970s; this also included the use of new underwater hydrophone technology. Additionally, to the findings below, we will share a more in-depth report later in September, as Alan McKenna is currently going through all the sightings reports.

The surface search

From the surface search, we can confirm that there have been multiple submissions of potential sightings (as well as questions about the natural phenomena you may be looking at, which is great to see!) via The Quest sighting forms.

One virtual volunteer described a large shadow just under the surface, moving and dipping out of sight. Here is a sample of sighting report filled by the volunteer:

• Surface water conditions: looked pretty calm
• Duration of sighting: about 5 minutes
• Were any boats or boat wakes nearby? No
• Do you believe the object to be debris? No. It was too big. A large form appeared under the surface of the water, moving from right to left on the screen. You can see in the photos she appears, moves about 15-20 feet, then dips back down. Then, just a minute or so later, she comes back under the surface and moves along again. Look at the pictures in order (timestamp or also I numbered them); you can see the movement. I have six photos. 

Have a look at some of the screenshots captured and see for yourselves. What do you think?

Two volunteers, Matty and Aga from Hull, cancelled their trip to the Lake District to join the Quest weekend. They spotted something unusual in the loch at 6.30am on Sunday 27th August, it has been described as moving ‘humps’ which then disappeared. They told us they “can’t explain what it was, but it was pretty impressive“. Click here to see the video of their sighting.

Another virtual volunteer screen recorded an object emerging from the loch. He reported that “A boat went towards Fort Augustus at 11.05am and is the wake you can see at the front. I don’t think, the object is connected to the wake, looks like a singular event. Something long and narrow breaks surface first, followed by a black humpy round object that rises and submerges.”. Have a look at the screenshots and see for yourself! Could it be an otter or a seal? What do you think?

Hydrophone findings

Alan McKenna embarked on a Deepscan Cruise just a day before The Quest weekend kicked off, eager to ensure the hydrophone’s functionality. Alongside the boat’s intrigued guests, they initiated tests to confirm the equipment’s reliability. Four mysterious and previously unheard loud noises from the depths of the loch were identified. Regrettably, amidst the excitement, the crucial moment wasn’t captured on record. Nevertheless, all the guests onboard heard the noises.

There weren’t any other strange noises heard on Saturday and Sunday mornings during the search.

Thermal Imaging Drones

A few weeks ago, Dragonfly Films approached us and offered to conduct a thermal imaging drone search of the loch as part of The Quest weekend. Excited by the prospect of this technology and what new evidence it might help us to reveal, we were delighted for them to join the big search. We are happy to share that the search went ahead as planned, and their footage will be available to watch when their documentary is released later this year. Like everyone else, we, too, eagerly await the results!

In a 23-mile-long loch that is 754 feet deep, a search for the elusive Nessie, even with the help of hundreds of volunteers, was always going to be a challenge! We will share a more in-depth report later next month, as Alan McKenna is currently going through all the sightings reports.

A sighting revealed after The Quest Weekend

Inspired by The Quest Weekend, Chie Kelly revealed photographs she took back in 2018 showing an ee-like creature on the surface of Loch Ness.

Chie Kelly“We had lunch in the Dores Inn and then started walking around. I was just taking pictures with my Cannon camera of Scott and our daughter Alisa, who was then five, when about 200 metres from the shore, moving right to left at a steady speed was this creature. It was spinning and rolling at times. We never saw a head or neck. After a couple of minutes, it just disappeared and we never saw it again.

At first I wondered if it was an otter or a pair of otters or a seal, but we never saw a head and it never came up again for air. It was making this strange movement on the surface. We did not hear any sound. There were these strange shapes below the surface. I could not make out any colours – the water was dark. I could not accurately assess its length, but the two parts that were visible were less than two metres long together.

I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely a creature – an animal. At the time I did not want to face public ridicule by making the photographs public. But I met Steve Feltham at the weekend and showed him the images, and he said immediately that they were ‘very interesting’.”

Steve Feltham had a look at the photos and declared: “These are the most exciting surface pictures I have seen. They are exactly the type of pictures I have been wanting to take for three decades. It is rare to see something so clear on the surface. They are vindication for all the people who believe there is something unexplained in Loch Ness. They are remarkable. I have studied them and still do not know what it is. I persuaded them that these pictures were so important they should make them public. They warrant further investigation. It is not driftwood – it is a moving creature and totally unexplained.”

Credit of the photo: Chie Kelly / Northpix