Nessletter - No 098 - 1990

Magazine Overview

Title: Nessletter
Issue: No. 98
Date: February 1990 (published June 1990)
Publisher: Ness Information Service
ISSN: 0264-7001

Rip's Piece

The editor, Rip, begins by apologizing for the delay in publishing the Nessletter, explaining that this issue, dated February 1990, is effectively the first of that year due to falling behind in the latter half of the previous year. He reflects on the fifteen years since establishing the Ness Information Service (NIS), initially hesitant due to concerns about writing and providing a worthwhile service. His involvement with the Loch Ness Investigation in the early 1970s, alongside Tim Dinsdale, and his contacts there, influenced his decision. Despite initial anxieties, he is pleased he started the NIS and receives encouraging responses from members, many of whom he considers old friends. He notes that postal charges are set to increase, but subscription prices will remain the same for the coming year. He assures members they will receive at least six issues per subscription to account for the hiatus.

Loose Ends

Wellington Bomber Recovery

In September 1985, the remains of the Wellington bomber N2980 'R for Robert', which had ditched in Loch Ness on New Year's Eve 1940, were recovered. On September 3rd, 1989, a commemorative plaque was unveiled by Bill Wright, the aircraft's wireless operator and one of two surviving crew members. The ceremony, attended by Wellington enthusiasts and members of the Loch Ness Wellington Association, included a fly-past by an RAF Nimrod aircraft and a Sea King helicopter. A weighted wreath was laid on the loch in memory of Sgt Fenshome, a trainee wireless operator who died when his parachute failed to open properly after baling out. Wright recounted the high casualty rate among wireless operators on training flights, stating that out of nine who came to Lossiemouth squadrons, only two returned, with the rest killed on training flights.

Viaducto - River Ness Bridge

On May 11th, 1990, a new rail bridge was opened across the River Ness, fifteen months and £3.5 million after the old 127-year-old viaduct was swept away by floods on February 6th/7th, 1989. The first official crossing was made by a Sprinter 156 twin unit train, driven by Scottish Secretary of State Malcolm Rifkind, carrying invited guests. The event was marked with speeches, pipers, and cheers from sightseers. The bridge's timely completion is seen as a commitment by ScotRail to the economic development of the Highlands. The article notes that this re-connection received little coverage south of the border and was met with reservations by the Scotland Against Nuclear Dumping group, who had received a letter from Mr Bleasdale, director of ScotRail, regarding negotiations with Wirex about transporting nuclear waste to the Dounreay site. The author questions if this was the reason for ScotRail's haste in replacing the bridge, but concludes it is good that the Highlands are once again part of the railway network. A footnote highlights that despite 'experts' predicting another fifty years before similar flood events, Fort Augustus experienced flood warnings within a year, with river levels close to those of the previous year.

Bristol Channel

Following a report by C E Holloway's visit to Weston-super-Mare, Val Smith wrote about a story she heard as a student teacher in Gwent. In November 1960, while traveling by train, a colleague saw a long-necked creature in the mud as the train crossed a bridge over the River Usk. The colleague confirmed the sighting. Val Smith suggests the incident occurred in late 1959. She notes that Weston-super-Mare is almost directly opposite the mouth of the River Usk, about sixteen miles apart, in an area of the Bristol Channel with depths of about 60 feet and sandbanks at low water. The account is described as strange and lacking details.

River Ogmore and Tyne & Wear Sightings

Paul Thomas shared a cutting from the South Wales Echo about a large eel, possibly a conger swept upriver, reported in the River Ogmore in Bridgend. A Welsh Water spokesman suggested it could be a sea lamprey. Separately, in late July 1989, a large fish, possibly a pike, was reported to have dragged a small dog into the water at the Wildfowl Park in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

Pliosaur Fossils

Theo Brown of the Australian Division, World Life Research Institute, inquired about reported pliosaur fossils found near Richmond, Western Australia. Mr R E Holnar of the Queensland Museum replied that considerable preparation is needed for study. The specimen, about five meters long and almost completely articulated, is from the late early Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago. It represents a new genus, related to Dolichorhynchops and Trinacromeron, with a long snout similar to a freshwater crocodile, and a neck that is not short, unlike other pliosaurs. The letter was dated April 24th, 1990.

Lake Champlain

Joe Zarzynski sent a cutting from 'The Islander' newspaper detailing the history of the 'Mansi photograph' and Joe's work concerning Lake Champlain sightings. In 1989, there were 4 new sightings, and 9 in 1988. Joe is using a side-scan sonar and an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in his search for a monster carcass, believing there is more than one creature and that they have their own breeding grounds.

Henry Bauer on Loch Ness Sightings

Henry Bauer is updating his bibliography of writings about Loch Ness. He raises the question of whether some locations in Loch Ness are more productive for sightings than others, specifically questioning the Foyers area in April. He challenges the widespread notion that no time or place is more likely for sightings, suggesting a reassessment and statistical search for patterns. He proposes a multivariate analysis of all available information, detailing sightings by location, time, number of people, duration, and behavior patterns, to identify classes of sightings and potentially less reliable ones. He acknowledges the difficulty and time commitment involved, comparing it to UFO research.

Science Magazine Extracts and Comments

Henry Bauer also shared extracts from 'Science' magazine with his comments:

• 'Fish, money, and science in Puget Sound' (Feb 9, 1990): A 2-acre salmon farm produces as much organic waste as a town of 10,000 people, leading to opposition to fish-farming development in Puget Sound. Bauer comments that this is permitted in Loch Ness, which is more vulnerable than Puget Sound.
• Ocean Temperatures (Feb 10, 1989): Most ocean water is near freezing, with a thin surface layer being warmer. About 45 million years ago, ocean temperatures off Antarctica were about 13 degrees Celsius, compared to the present 2 degrees, about 2500 meters down. Bauer suggests that plesiosaurs lived globally up to 60 million years ago and that such temperature changes would have affected them. He posits that if surface water was cooler than lower down, plesiosaurs might have been comfortable in cooler water, hence their presence in Loch Ness.
• Population Viability (March 10, 1989): Small populations are at greater risk of extinction than larger ones. The minimum population size for new populations was calculated to be five pairs, and seven from British bird data. Bauer comments that Nessies, being large, could establish viable populations if cut off from the seas, e.g., in Loch Ness and Morar.

Loch Ness Project

Dave Martin provided brochures detailing the Loch Ness Project's research program for the next two to three years. The 'Loch Ness Research Programme' is aimed at the academic world, inviting collaboration from universities. A separate brochure is for lay-volunteers who can spend one or two weeks collecting background data. Teams of volunteers will work throughout the summer, with academics visiting to conduct experiments. The project is centered at Lennie House and offers accommodation. The cost is £158 per person at Lennie House (full board) or the Clansman Hotel (bed & breakfast, with lunch and dinner extra). Contact Adrian Shine, c/o Clansman Hotel, Lochness Side, Inverness, Scotland for information.

Loch Ness and Morar Project Research Objectives

The Loch Ness and Morar Project is seeking collaboration for a 2-3 year pelagic ecological study of Loch Ness, starting in May 1990. Objectives include maintaining a monitoring station to observe seasonal changes and the relationship between physical factors and biomass distribution, and defining how acoustic methods can diagnose these parameters. A 34-foot motor cruiser will serve as the mid-loch station. Measurements will include temperature, light, turbidity, currents, pH, dissolved gases, and metals. Aspects of species composition, abundance, productivity, and distribution of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish populations will be studied. Mobile sampling runs along the loch may also be conducted. The project offers offshore station, boats, instrumentation, accommodation, and voluntary personnel. They hope to benefit from collaboration with specialists in limnology and expect acknowledgment in publications. The brochure lists reasons why Loch Ness is a suitable site for physical-biological interactions study. This initiative to involve 'establishment' academics is seen as an interesting move that could lead to increased scientific investigation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue reflects a strong focus on Loch Ness and its associated mysteries, but also broadens to include other phenomena like UFOs and scientific discussions relevant to cryptozoology. The editor's personal reflections and the inclusion of member contributions highlight a community-driven approach. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging detailed observation, statistical analysis, and scientific investigation, while also acknowledging the challenges and uncertainties involved. There's a recurring theme of connecting local events (like the bridge replacement) to broader issues (like nuclear waste transport) and using scientific findings (like ocean temperature changes) to hypothesize about the existence of creatures like plesiosaurs in Loch Ness. The magazine also champions the importance of regional news and scientific research, often lamenting the lack of coverage in mainstream media outside of Scotland.