Nessletter - No 040 - 1980

Magazine Overview

Title: Ness Information Service
Issue: Nessletter No. 40
Date: June, 1980
Publisher: Ness Information Service
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Nessletter, dated June 1980, focuses heavily on investigations into lake mysteries, with a prominent section dedicated to Lake Champlain. It highlights the formation of 'The Lake Champlain Phenomena Investigation' by Joe Zarzynski, a group dedicated to exploring unexplained phenomena in the lake beyond just the legendary creatures.

Lake Champlain Investigation

Joe Zarzynski has formed 'The Lake Champlain Phenomena Investigation' to look into various unexplained occurrences in Lake Champlain. He has joined forces with Jim Kennard, President of Rochester Engineering Laboratories, who owns a side-scan sonar apparatus. In June 1979, they successfully rediscovered the wreck of the 'Phoenix', a 146-foot steamboat that sank in 1819. For the current year, they planned several mini-expeditions. Jim Kennard's sonar equipment, mounted on a tripod, will be used to monitor high-probability areas of the 109-mile long lake. Zarzynski will also conduct extended shore watches with camera gear. He hopes to persuade Kennard to use the sonar in the lake, noting that Kennard donates the equipment's use. Bob Bartholomew of Whitehall, NY, is assisting in the search. The equipment was tested at Lake Desolation near Saratoga Springs, NY, and was scheduled for use in Lake Champlain during the last week of July, with further uses planned throughout the summer and early fall.

Zarzynski is currently verifying six sightings of 'Champ', many of which occurred years ago but are only now coming to light. He notes that witnesses are becoming more comfortable sharing their experiences, attributing this to the hard work of researchers and a fostering of a more open attitude, similar to the positive impact of work done at Loch Ness in opening minds to the subject.

Philosophy of the Lake Champlain Expedition

The Lake Champlain Expedition, also referred to as The Kennard-Zazynski Expedition, is established to investigate, identify, and gather evidence for the protection of the Lake Champlain Monsters or Sea Serpents (the Lake Champlain Phenomenon). It is described as an association of personalities with inquisitive natures, a spirit of adventure, a thirst for truth, and a scientific approach to cryptozoology. The primary objective is to seek out these creatures using unique human talents, responsible research, and technology. Participation is based on principles for the betterment of understanding the phenomenon, with an emphasis on the formal exchange of ideas and information. Donations of time and equipment are not for profit but to further the expedition's objectives. Membership in planning and operations is by selection by the leadership, and invited participants must sign an agreement to protect the project's interests.

Other Expeditions and Sightings

Loch Ness and Other UK Investigations

Doug Macfarlane reported on his two trips to Loch Ness. He travels with his wife and 15-month-old son, using a caravan and towing it with a blue KI Triumph 2.5 PI. They stayed at the Scaniport campsite near Inverness. During ten days in early April (Easter) and sixteen days from June 20th, they did not connect with a creature but met Adrian Shine and Barry Bell of the Loch Morar/Ness Project. Macfarlane is considering joining their group after fifteen years of loch watching, hoping to utilize their better equipment. He estimates he has spent thousands of hours watching without result. He also noted never seeing otters in the loch, but once saw and followed one in the River Ness. He observed little fish activity and poor fishing conditions, suggesting that surface sightings might be linked to feeding, making this a potentially poor year for sightings. Macfarlane uses a Canon AI SLR camera with a Hoya 400mm telephoto lens and a Komura 2X converter.

Jean Berton of Glun, France, reported on his trip to Ireland and Loch Ness. Poor weather limited their stay to two weeks. They searched local libraries for 'Water Horse' references and found many. They hope to return for further research. They visited Lough Brin, a small, mountain-locked lake, where locals dismissed a monster report as a joke. The lake is shallow with deep mud holes. Berton concluded that unless one believes in Ted Holiday's 'worm' theory, the presence of a monster family is improbable in Lough Brin, despite the magnificent surroundings. They also visited Scotland, spending a weekend at Loch Ness, visiting friends in Orumnadrochit and Fort Augustus, and Temple Pier with Bob Rings.

Jeff Watson provided an interim report on his year's work. He upgraded his equipment for potentially better photographic results. His fieldwork included trips to Falmouth Bay and Loch Ness in the spring, and he planned a week-long visit to Loch Morar in July instead of August, followed by a similar program at Loch Shiel. He has secured permission to use a private Commission road along the south side of Loch Ness between Glenfinnan and Polloch. He plans to return to Loch Ness in late September and mid-October, working from Fort Augustus. He also intends to visit Lake Bala in Wales and make another trip to Falmouth Bay.

Watson's photographic outfit includes a Canon AI SLR camera, Hoya 400mm telephoto lens, Komura 2X converter, and Hoya skylight filter, along with Mark Scheffel binoculars. He uses Ektachrome 200 slide film for fieldwork. Watson also endeavors to interest the media in his work and has had articles published. He is in touch with Bob Rickard, who is preparing a book on Fortean Phenomena, and three of Watson's pictures may be used.

Valentine Smith recounted his experience at Falmouth Bay. While camping with his wife and son, they took a boat out near Rosemullion Head. He felt no awe, unlike his feelings at Loch Ness. On their last day, Peter, one of the group, witnessed "Waves without wind", a wake and breaking waves on the shore on a calm day. No boats were seen. The author suggests this could be explained by the wake of a British Waterway boat, the 'Scott II', or potentially a larger craft entering Urquhart Bay, as such wakes are more prominent on calm days. However, he notes that reports of 'waves without wind' predate motor vessels.

More Cousins: Other Sightings

A report from the New York Times of June 22nd, 1980, detailed a further sighting of 'Chessie' in Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. Mr. Muse, a farmer from Westmoreland County, Virginia, and five friends reported seeing a creature 10 to 14 feet long in the Potomac River. They observed a long dark streak in the water, with a body uniform in size, about as big around as a quart jar, and a head larger than a hand. They watched for 15 minutes before it swam out of view. Mr. Muse, 59, had lived around the river all his life but had never seen anything like it.

Another report from a Peking newspaper describes a creature in Lake Wenbo, Tibet. Local Tibetan herdsmen, including a Communist Party district secretary, have sighted a beast about the size of a house with a long neck and a small head floating on the water. The report also mentions a sick yak disappearing near the lake, leaving tracks, and a fisherman disappearing in a whirlpool. The author notes the difficulty in assessing the value of such reports based on a single newspaper article but finds the recurring themes of disappearances and unrecovered bodies strange.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter concludes by thanking contributors and inviting further discussion on the nature of Nessie (plesiosaur, sea slug, etc.). The editorial stance is one of open inquiry and scientific investigation into unexplained phenomena, particularly lake monsters. It emphasizes the importance of sharing information and fostering a more open-minded approach to these subjects, drawing parallels between different research efforts globally. The recurring themes include eyewitness accounts, the use of technology in investigations, the challenges of research, and the persistent mystery surrounding lake creatures and unexplained events.