Nessletter - No 060 - 1983

Magazine Overview

This issue of the NESS INFORMATION SERVICE, titled Nessletter No. 60, dated October 1983, is a 4-page publication focusing on reports of unidentified phenomena, primarily concerning lake monsters and potential UFO sightings. The ISSN is 0264-7001. The publication is based in Huntshieldford, St. Johns Chapel, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, DL13 1RQ, with a telephone number of Weardale 357359. Subscriptions are £2.50 in the UK and $9.00 in the USA.

Sightings Reports

The issue details several recent sightings:

James Newton's Tor Point Sighting On August 6th, 1983, James Newton, a 12-year-old from Calne, Wiltshire, reported seeing something strange off Tor Point while on a trip on the 'Scott II' boat. He described a long neck and two humps, estimating the creature to be about four metres long. It was in view for one and a half minutes, submerging without Newton detecting any colour, texture, or movement. Newton reported calm loch conditions, though the editor notes that visibility was good but the surface had waves about a foot high due to a fresh south-east wind on the morning of the sighting.

Jean Skeldon's Loch Ness Sighting Mrs. Jean Skeldon, who has lived overlooking Loch Ness at Dores for two years, reported an incident on August 24th, 1983. While travelling north on the A82 towards Inverness with her family, she saw what she initially described as two 'piles of asphalt' in the water close to the shore on the A82 side. She realized this was not possible and questioned her family, with her daughter-in-law thinking she saw a wash or disturbance. The object was described as two black humps, the first estimated at 7 to 8 feet long and some 2 feet out of the water, with the second hump about half that size. They appeared rough and knobbly, resembling asphalt. The weather was cloudy, but the loch surface was calm. Jim Skeldon, Jean's husband, suggested that the Horse Leech, which can grow up to six inches long and packs food in pouches, might explain why Nessie is rarely seen, noting its segmented body and knobbly lumps when contracted, similar to Jean's description.

Inverness Fire Brigade Sighting In the early hours of Saturday morning, July 16th, 1983, members of the Inverness Fire Brigade, called to extinguish a grass and driftwood fire at Dores, noticed a large black object on the calm loch surface. They dismissed it as a boat initially, but caught further glimpses as it travelled closer, disappeared, and re-emerged. When the fire was controlled, the object was again seen, large, black, and not far offshore, before it sank without trace. Some thought it was a boat, but could not explain its disappearance. Others suggested the 'nodding-ducks' wave experiment, though these are no longer moored. The possibility of it being Nessie was considered but not committed to.

Doc Shiels' Irish Trip and 'Monstermind 1983' Tony, a correspondent, sent a letter detailing his 1983 Irish trip with 'Monstermind 1983'. They reportedly invoked and photographed four 'beasties'. The first two appeared as dark humps in Lough Inagh and Maumeen Lough in Connemara. A few days later, on Achill Island, County Mayo, they saw and photographed a long grey hump-backed creature in Keel Lough, with four witnesses. Later, in County Clare, they photographed the head and neck of a marine monster in Liscannor Bay, near Lehinch. Doc Shiels believes they have broken monster-raising records, though he acknowledges that the scientific establishment may not accept the photographs due to the Shiels tribe's methods. A full report is expected in The Fortean Times. Shiels also mentioned invoking Nessie for Erik Beckjord's video camera in early August. Monstermind 1983 was scheduled to continue until October 31st, with hopes of filming Morgawr and other creatures. Shiels has been trying to raise and photograph Irish lake monsters for years with limited success.

Doc Shiels later provided more details, but the photographs were taken with a standard 50mm lens, resulting in small specks in the Connemara shots. The Achill Island and Liscannor Bay pictures were better, with the Keel Lough creature described as pale grey, glossy, and elongated, similar to an illustration in Tim Dinsdale's 'Loch Ness Monster'. The Liscannor Bay monster's actions and size were similar to Nessie photographed in 1977. Shiels also commented that Erik Beckjord seems to have obtained interesting results on video, with stills from August 6th showing a wake/splash pattern that he believes is not ducks and is similar to Tim Dinsdale's film, suggesting Beckjord may have captured the real thing on video.

Erik Beckjord's Videotaping Erik Beckjord's 1983 work involved videotaping water movements and wakes in Urquhart Bay, Loch Ness. He observed an object moving about 100 yards in calm water, followed by two objects diving in different directions, causing large splashes. Three dark and wide objects were then seen swimming off at an angle. The splashes were to the right, and the underwater objects swam away at an angle. Beckjord speculates there were three large swimming underwater creatures, with only two surfacing. By using polarized and darkening lens filters, they were able to see beneath the surface. The editor, however, is not very impressed with the stills provided, finding them unlikely to be acceptable evidence unless enlarged.

Loch Ness Project Update

Adrian Shine provided an update on the Loch Ness and Morar Project's season. They have not changed their name and the use of 'British' in a handout was merely an adjective. The project had a good season of general scientific work. The sonar-equipped cruiser, 'The New Atlantis', was available for a short time, allowing them to duplicate sonar contacts from 1982. The focus was on demonstrating that unusual, strong sonar contacts can be made in Loch Ness, with the next step being to discover how to use these contacts and track them for longer periods. Adrian expressed some disappointment with the progress in this direction. The project operated from a base camp overlooking Strone and an outstation south of Achnahannet, using an 18-foot catamaran for work in the northern basin. They conducted extensive work on the loch bottom profile using echo sounders and compared the effect of temperature layers on sonar signals. While some signs of 'large animal' activity were noted, the results were on the whole a little disappointing. The outstation helped the shift system and allowed personnel to relax. The usual fauna and water conditions were also studied. Adrian wished he could have employed passive sonar, but siting transducers on the steep underwater sides of the loch proved difficult. Volunteers departed in early October, and the site was shut down for the season.

Help Requested

Henry Bauer, Dean at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a long-standing NIS member, is writing a book about the controversy surrounding the Loch Ness 'monster'. He is compiling a bibliography of writings on the subject, including newspaper items, and requests help from readers who have collected material. He offers copies of his 80-page bibliography in exchange for material he does not yet have and will reimburse for copying costs.

Magazines and Books

The Shaman (incorporating Ancient Skills and Wisdom Review) is mentioned as reviewing Doc Shiels' Irish adventures. Single copies are 50p, and a four-issue subscription is £2.00 from Paul Screeton.

The Fortean Times, issue number 40, is noted as reporting strange phenomena for 10 years. It plans to change its format to increase circulation.

Roy Mackal's book, 'Searching for Hidden Animals', has been published in the UK by Cadogan Books for £8.95. The book discusses and investigates strange and mysterious animals worldwide.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the reporting and investigation of unexplained phenomena, with a strong emphasis on lake monster sightings, particularly the Loch Ness Monster and similar creatures in Ireland. The publication appears to be a platform for witness accounts, researcher updates, and the sharing of information within the Fortean community. The editor maintains a cautious but interested stance, presenting reports and offering commentary, sometimes questioning the methodology or evidence presented, but generally encouraging further investigation and the sharing of data. There is an underlying belief in the possibility of undiscovered creatures and phenomena, and a desire to document and understand them.