29 March 2024 , 22:04
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Social media users are claiming a Brit tourist has captured the Loch Ness Monster in a photograph that has gone viral online.
Nessie is probably Scotland 's most famous legend, and the mythical water beast brings Nessie spotters in from all corners of the globe. The story of the mythical creature dates back to St Columba in the 6th Century, with sightings becoming more frequent with new technology, meaning anyone with a phone can take a photo while watching from the side of the loch.
Steve Challice was visiting the historic site from Southampton whilst on holiday during 2019. He visited Urquhart Castle with his brother on the banks of Loch Ness and noticed a "sort of ripple in the water". He took photos of the opposite shore when he thought he caught a glimpse of a large fish and straight away got his camera out. Steve had forgotten about the incident but then began looking through photos from the two-week trip during the first lockdown in 2020. He told The Daily Record : "I started taking a couple of shots and then this big fish came to the surface and then went back down again."
"It only appeared in one shot and to be honest that was something of a fluke. I watched for a while as you can see from the last picture but didn't see it again." After finding the snap of the creature - which he believed to have been around 8ft long - he shared the photo online. The post was inundated with comments from social media users who were convinced Steve had seen Nessie. However the aspiring photographer thinks it might have simply been an enormous catfish or seal, and only shared the photo to help with the identification process.
Loch Ness Monster 'pictured' by walker as image sparks Nessie debate (Steve Challice)Steve said: "Personally I know there has been some interest and some people are saying it's the monster but I don't believe that. I have to say I don't believe in the Loch Ness Monster and frankly I think if anything is there then there is a logical explanation for most of the sightings. My guess would be that what I captured was a catfish or something like that. As seals get in from the sea then I expect that's what it is and that would explain why these sightings are so few and far between."
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Roland Watson, who runs the Loch Ness Mystery blog, had spoken to Steve after seeing the snaps online. Roland said: "If this is a genuine picture of a creature in Loch Ness, it would easily rank in the top three of all time. At this point, I am in an ongoing conversation with Steve as to the objections and concerns I have about this being a photoshop picture. So we will see where that takes us."
A digital photography expert was also sceptical about the image, saying that the photo appears altered due to the colour saturation and indistinct lining of the supposed animal in the main picture. Steve, however, has defended the images, stating that they are genuine. He said: "There are pics on Google showing large monsters with lots of loops like a snake or something and my image is nothing like that. I genuinely think, to this day, it's just a big fish."