A longtime Loch Ness Monster hunter says he now believes the legendary creature never existed and that decades of reported sightings can be explained by something far more ordinary.
According to veteran researcher Adrian Shine, many of the shapes and movements attributed to the mythical Nessie are actually waves created by boats moving through Loch Ness.
Shine, 76, told the Sun that the phenomenon is tied to heavy vessel traffic using the Caledonian Canal, which runs through the lake and generates distinctive wake patterns that can appear mysterious from a distance.
Boat wakes and natural phenomena behind sightings
Shine explained that as wakes travel across the loch, they can form multiple humps that resemble the classic descriptions associated with the Loch Ness Monster.
“Here they develop this multi-humped form, and that’s what people often see,” he said.
He added that other reported sightings can also be traced back to natural causes. According to Shine, Nessie’s long neck can be explained by birds sitting on calm water, while environmental conditions in the loch make the existence of a large creature unlikely.
Shine pointed to the lake’s cold temperatures and limited fish population, saying it would be unable to sustain an animal of the size often claimed in monster reports.
The veteran researcher said his skepticism developed after a personal experience in which what he believed was a serpent-like hump in the water turned out to be a stationary rock. Since then, he claims to have investigated and debunked numerous sightings.
Despite concluding that Nessie likely does not exist, Shine said he does not regret the decades spent investigating the mystery. He added that he would still welcome new evidence if it ever emerged.
