Nessletter - No 009 - June 1975

Magazine Overview

This is Ness Information Service Nessletter No. 9, published in June 1975. The issue focuses on ongoing investigations into the Loch Ness Monster, alongside other unusual sightings and local news.

Loch Ness Monster Investigations

The lead article details the preparations by Bob Rines of the Academy of Applied Science at Loch Ness. He is continuing his efforts to obtain underwater photography of the monster, assisted by Tim Dinsdale, who is on his 32nd expedition. They are readying an automatic sonar-strobe camera underwater station and a new boat named 'Hunter'. The camera is to be installed on the slope of a deep channel by divers. Bob Rines and his family are scheduled to leave at the end of the first week in July, but hope to leave the equipment operating for autumn recovery.

Meanwhile, they await the next draft of an article concerning the computer enhancement of previous underwater pictures of the animals. Approval for the use of equipment from the Jet Propulsion Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology, and the right for their staff to publish the data, has taken a long time.

Ike Blonder from Blonder Tongue Laboratories Inc. in the U.S.A. is expected at Loch Ness in the third week of July to conduct his 'monster call' tape recorder experiment again. This experiment previously involved underwater microphones and loudspeakers linked to a tape recorder, with sounds being recorded and replayed underwater to elicit a response.

N.I.S. member Jean Berton, from France, visited Loch Ness from April 12th to 21st. He reported that during a period of warm sunshine, while at Strone Point overlooking Urquhart Bay, he witnessed a large commotion in the water. The weather was calm when the water seemed to be pushed upwards in a ring approximately 5/8 yards in diameter, lasting 5 to 10 seconds, with a smaller disturbance nearby. He observed no creature surfacing and was sure it was not a salmon, describing it as a moment of excitement.

Another N.I.S. member, Michael Foxley, has moved North and is working at the Belford Hospital in Fort William. He is living on a croft near Fort William and intends to spend time at Loch Ness and Loch Morar. His vehicles are a white Marcos sports car and a LWB Land Rover.

More Monsters

George Andrews shared information from Douglas Sutherland's book 'Against the Wind', which details sightings of creatures in Orkney over approximately 150 years. A notable description is from Inspector Cheyne of Kirkwell police regarding a creature washed up in 1941. It was described as 24ft 8 inches long, with a cow-like head, triangular neck, and four flippers. Andrews suggests a skeleton might still exist on the Orkneys.

John Pisano from the U.S.A. sent a cutting from the 'Sunday News' about a sighting on Florida's St. Johns River. Dorothy and Charles Abram, Brenda Langley, Ed St. John, and Wallace McLean reported seeing a creature about 20 feet from their boat. Mrs Abram described its head as human-sized or larger, with small horns, a skeleton-like appearance, and flaps on its head resembling gills. It had about three feet of neck visible, dark slanted eyes, and was pink, like boiled shrimp. Brenda Langley had seen it earlier, but it was only when it was close that others saw it. The creature was visible for about eight seconds, seemed interested, and then submerged without a ripple in calm water.

The Coast Guard, responsible for patrolling the river, reported no other monster sightings. However, other individuals insist they have seen 'Pinky', the creature's nickname. One lady reported seeing the same thing 20 years prior, and a gentleman from Atlanta described almost exactly what they had seen, stating he had seen it before.

Water Sports

The third Loch Ness sponsored swim on April 26th was abandoned due to extreme cold and high waves. A six-girl team from Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, and a men's team from Salford Technical College participated. The Salford team had to withdraw after six hours due to cramp, and the girls withdrew three hours later, four miles from the end. Despite the abandonment, they were presented with the Carlsberg Trophy and hoped to have raised over £1,000 for cancer research.

On May 17th, Mr. George Parsonage, an art teacher from Glasgow, completed a record-breaking row of Loch Ness in his 27ft scull. He finished in 2 hours 43 minutes 34.1 seconds, beating the previous record of 4 hours 11 minutes set by a four-man crew in 1969. This was a sponsored event, aiming to raise about £800 for the Multiple Sclerosis Fund and a minibus for his school.

Angling

Good salmon catches have been reported this season. In late April, a Mr. Clark at Fort Augustus caught two salmon weighing 20.5 lbs and 10 lbs. The milder weather has also improved trout fishing. In early June, low water levels meant salmon were seen in canal locks attempting to travel westwards, and some were observed with UDN (Ulcerative Dermal Necrosis).

Odds

A new postbus service has been introduced for the Grotaig and Culnakirk areas, using a passenger-carrying Landrover. In May, a new cruising venture was launched with the 48ft cruiser 'Jacobite Cruises Ltd.', which plans to have four boats cruising Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal by mid-July.

Local Reaction

Monster hunters are linked to the cruising and rowing activities, with a local fisherman writing a letter of complaint to the local paper, expressing displeasure about 'his' loch being spoiled.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently reports on sightings and investigations related to the Loch Ness Monster, alongside other unexplained phenomena and unusual events. There is a clear interest in documenting these occurrences and sharing information from various sources, including members and the public. The editorial stance appears to be one of open reporting and encouraging further investigation into these mysteries. The inclusion of local news and events provides context for the activities around Loch Ness. The concluding remark, "Once more thats it for this month, thank you to those those that have sent pieces to me, please remember news views are always needed YOU are N.I.S.", highlights the collaborative nature of the publication and its reliance on reader contributions.