NESSLETTER

Magazine Overview

Title: NESSLETTER
Issue: 112
Date: August 1992 (with a note indicating a March '93 update)
Publisher: NESS INFORMATION SERVICE
ISSN: 0264-7001

This issue of the NESSLETTER addresses an unusual layout in a previous edition (NIS 111), attributing it to computer/word processor issues and a new 'chip' fitting. The primary focus of the newsletter is on various sightings and investigations related to aquatic mysteries, particularly concerning Loch Ness and Loch Lomond, alongside broader discussions on cryptozoology and related tourism.

Sightings and Investigations

Loch Ness and Loch Lomond Reports

The newsletter details several accounts from individuals who claim to have witnessed unusual phenomena. Steve Feltham shares a letter from Mrs Maltman, who reported her daughter seeing something in Loch Lomond in Easter 1980. While camped at Luss, the daughter observed a movement on the calm water, followed by a boiling patch, a head on a long neck reaching about five feet, and a long curved shape before it submerged. The witnesses were terrified and fled. Mrs Maltman, who had spent time on Loch Lomond, believed her daughter's account and suggested others might have seen similar things but not reported them. The newsletter notes a trickle of older reports from Loch Lomond mentioning a 'floating island'.

Another account comes from Mr and Mrs Fulton, who witnessed an event on Loch Ness on Saturday, September 19th, 1992. While cruising, they saw what they described as two 'ears' cutting through the water, approximately twelve feet from their starboard side. Mrs Fulton confirmed seeing them, describing them as pointed and of a dark brown color. They were visible for a moment before submerging. The Fultons reported turbulence in the water after the event and felt something had frightened them when the 'ears' turned as if looking at the boat.

Steve Feltham also received an account from Martien Mannetje, who spent over 100 hours watching Loch Ness from a chalet at Strone in May and June 1992. Mannetje reported seeing a 'streak of disturbance' on the water near Fort Augustus on September 14th or 15th, 1992. He described it as a disturbance larger than the waves, covering about 80 feet and lasting for 5 seconds. He had not seen any boats in the vicinity and considered it a tantalizing, though not fully explained, sighting.

Andreas Trottmann from Switzerland also reported on his upcoming trips to Loch Ness. He mentioned that the 1960s TV serial 'The Saint' had an episode in 1966 concerning the Loch Ness Monster, featuring a Nessie hunter and including footage from Tim Dinsdale's film.

Other Sightings and Related Cases

Dan Nowak, an American member, is planning a two-week trip to Loch Ness in June/July 1994. He is a journalist and sportswriter, and while not planning a 'big scoop', may get a travel piece from the visit.

The newsletter lists several other new members planning visits to Loch Ness, including Maurice Jones, S. Griffiths, M. Playfair, Nick Griffiths, Eileen Waterer, and Jeffery Rumble, with varying levels of detail about their intentions and past experiences.

Cadborosaurus (Caddy)

Brian Herring shared an article from New Scientist concerning a paper by Professor Paul LeBlond about Cadborosaurus, a creature reported off the coast of British Columbia. LeBlond believes that native B.C. people were familiar with 'Caddy', citing rock carvings and wooden images dating back to 80200. Sightings are described as regular, with specimens claimed to have been found in sperm whale stomachs. Descriptions include a long neck, bulky body, pointed front flippers, a horse-like head, and sometimes ears or stumpy horns. The creature is described as having a mammal-like body, possibly with hair, and undulating just beneath the surface. LeBlond and Ed Bousfield suggest it might be a deep-water animal, explaining infrequent sightings and the possibility of it breathing through its skin. They also theorize that bumpy structures observed could be highly vascularised tissue for oxygen exchange or possibly tubercles acting as gills.

Tourism and Promotion

South Loch Ness Tourist Group

The newsletter highlights the formation of the 'South Loch Ness Tourist group' aimed at promoting, coordinating, and protecting tourism interests in the Whitebridge, Stratherrick, Foyers, Inverfarigaig, and Dores areas. Hugh MacNally, the group's secretary and a wildlife expert, emphasized promoting the area's natural resources and wildlife while resisting over-development. He described the area as offering quiet solitude and natural scenery, providing a counter-balance to more hectic attractions.

Holiday Packages and International Interest

Inverness and Nairn Enterprise invested in a project to encourage visits to the 'forgotten' side of Loch Ness. Hugh MacNally and Donald Campbell are developing holiday packages, including accommodation, boat trips, and guided wildlife walks. The newsletter also mentions a group of 25 Norwegians from Seljord visiting Loch Ness in early September. This group, whose region reputedly has its own monster, studied how the Inverness area promoted tourism, with the intention of applying similar ideas to boost their own tourist trade. Richard Branson is reportedly exploring options to operate tourist flights to Loch Ness via seaplane, potentially using a restored Sunderland flying boat for Nessie-spotting expeditions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of NESSLETTER continues its focus on unexplained phenomena, particularly lake monsters and unidentified aerial phenomena, with a strong emphasis on eyewitness accounts and ongoing investigations. The publication serves as a platform for members to share their experiences and findings. There is a clear interest in promoting tourism related to these mysteries, as seen in the detailed coverage of the South Loch Ness Tourist group and various holiday initiatives. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting accounts and investigations without overt skepticism, while also acknowledging the challenges in verifying such reports and the importance of thorough research, as highlighted by the discussion on condensing Steve's work and the clarification regarding witness interviews.