The search took place on the 90th anniversary of the first organised surface watch of Loch Ness, Sir Edward Mountain’s expedition with a team of 20 volunteers named the ‘Watchers of the Monster’.
The Loch Ness Centre returned with an even bigger search of Loch Ness as it continues its goal of uncovering the loch’s mysteries. The Quest, which took place on Thursday 30th May to Sunday 2nd June, saw hundreds of budding monster hunters involved in scouring the 23-mile-long loch for unusual activity, both in person and online. Using the hydrophone to listen for mysterious sounds echoing from the depths of the loch, Alan McKenna from Loch Ness Exploration captured a unique noise to be analysed, a rhythmic pulsing that lasted about 10 seconds. Alan will now isolate the noise in attempt to identify the source of the fascinating sound that he has never heard before. Evelyn Murphy, age 11, also captured a potential sighting with an intriguing photo, showing a clear break in the water made by an unidentified object or creature.
The Quest took place on the 90th anniversary of the pioneering adventurer Sir Edward Mountain and his team of twenty becoming the first ‘Watchers of the Monster’. Over the 4 days, as well as the search, a number of other celebratory events took place. The centre hosted a live debate with Alan McKenna from Loch Ness Exploration, Roland Watson, a renowned Loch Ness writer, and eyewitness Richard White, which was held in-person and screened virtually to participants from around the world. The panel told gripping stories, discussed their ongoing research, and dissected eyewitness accounts, all while debating the existence of the elusive monster.
The mysteries beneath the loch
Other volunteers explored the depths of the world-famous loch with Deepscan Captain, Alistair Matheson, the Skipper for the Loch Ness Project. Monster hunters joined Alistair and Alan McKenna for an extended excursion, utilising a 60-foot hydrophone to listen for mysterious sounds echoing from the depths of the loch.
Ashley Range, a volunteer who travelled from Washington State to take part in The Quest, said, “I’ve been obsessed with Scotland and Nessie my whole life, and to be here is just a dream. To be on an actual expedition and out on Deepscan exploring Loch Ness is a dream come true. I definitely believe in Nessie. Although a lot of the evidence can be explained, there is a lot out there that is unexplainable. It’s been an incredible trip!”
Paul Nixon, General Manager of The Loch Ness Centre, said, “The excitement this weekend has proven that intrigue surrounding Loch Ness and its monster is still very much alive. We all want the same thing, to discover the mysteries of the natural phenomena beneath the loch. We’ve been delighted to welcome so many people to The Loch Ness Centre for hour-long centre tours and Deepscan boat trips across the weekend. After another successful The Quest Weekend, we’re more determined than ever to continue our search for answers.”
Looking ahead, The Loch Ness Centre are pleased to announce an upcoming collaboration with a prestigious Scottish university to conduct pioneering research on Loch Ness. This ground-breaking study will be using technology that has never been used on this iconic body of water. Next year’s Quest Weekend is taking place on Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th May 2025.
For more details see: www.lochness.com/thequest