Nessletter - No 154 - 2009

Magazine Overview

Title: NESS INFORMATION SERVICE NESSLETTER
Issue: 154
Date: February 2009
ISSN: 0204-7001
Publisher: R.R.Hepple
Country: United Kingdom
Price: UK£3.00 / USA $10.00

This issue of the Nessletter, published in February 2009, opens with a personal piece from 'Rip', the editor, detailing his recent personal struggles. He explains the delay in publishing the Nessletter due to his wife Doris's severe health issues, including breathing problems and lung infections, which require constant care and oxygen therapy. Rip also shares that he underwent a hip replacement operation in May, which, combined with caring for Doris, has kept him occupied. He expresses gratitude for the help of his daughter Heather during his hospital stay and recovery.

Articles and Reports

Rip's Piece

Rip reflects on the passage of time and his absence from publishing Nessletters. He details Doris's worsening health conditions, her hospitalizations, and the need for an oxygen concentrator at home. He mentions his own hip replacement surgery and recovery, emphasizing how these personal events have taken precedence over his editorial duties. He also notes that his usual trips to Loch Ness have been discontinued since 2007, marking the end of his forty-first consecutive year visiting the loch in 2006. He has acquired a new dual-fuel van, but it is unlikely to be used as a motor-caravan.

Tim Denesha

Tim Denesha, responsible for distributing Nessletters to American members, reports the sad news of the death of Barbara Baker, a stalwart from the early years of the LNI, at the age of 90. Tim also comments on the film 'The Water Horse', finding it quite good but fanciful, drawing heavily on the Kelpie legend. He notes the film's presentation of life in the Highlands and the fabrication of the 'Surgeon's Photograph'. While he appreciated the computer graphics of the Beastie, he found the shift between Scottish and New Zealand scenery jarring. He concludes that the film, despite its entertainment value, is unlikely to advance or damage efforts to find the truth about the Loch Ness 'Phenomena'.

Steve Feltham

Steve Feltham, a researcher known for his work on Nessie, sent a postcard and a letter. His postcard, written from the lochside, described a calm and quiet evening. He also mentioned that it had been a quiet season for Nessie sightings. In his letter, Steve apologized for the delay in communication, attributing it to finding the postcard in his van. He reported hearing very little of note regarding Nessie sightings that year, apart from a report from Norma Morrison and her daughter Anna Marie, who observed a bow wave in Dores Bay. Steve also recounts an incident where he witnessed youths aiming at a buoy, and in the same moment, a duck disappeared underwater and never reappeared, which he found odd. He also mentions a visit from Dick Raynor and an American Cryptozoologist.

Later in his letter, Steve describes an incident in late September/early October where he and Rob Mullen observed a large fish, estimated at 4-5 feet, breaching the surface near the slipway. The fish surged towards the shore, causing a flock of ducks to react with alarm. Steve postulates that this could have been a large Catfish, noting that since this incident, the ducks have stopped visiting that corner of the bay. He expresses satisfaction with his current life, living in his van by the loch, and his relationship with Hilary. He also references Dick Raynor's earlier theory about the European Catfish (Wels) potentially explaining some Loch Ness sightings.

Andreas Trottmann

Andreas Trottmann, a Swiss member, reported on his trip to Loch Morar, not Loch Ness. He and his wife Angela undertook hydrophone trials and interviewed local residents about sightings of a large creature, referred to as 'Morag'. He spoke with Willie Simpson, who had a famous encounter in 1969, and another local who claimed to have fired a rifle at a creature. Andreas mentions that they narrowly missed a presentation on 'Morag' by Adrian Shine. Locals also spoke of persistent rumors of large, hairy eels or creatures with a mane. Andreas is consulting with Dr. Alan Butterworth, an expert on eels, for his professional opinion.

Andreas believes Loch Morar has greater potential for in-depth exploration and plans to concentrate his future efforts there. He notes that his experience is somewhat reversed from Adrian Shine, who researched Loch Morar before focusing on Loch Ness.

Adrian Shine

Adrian Shine received a call from Andreas, providing him with an address and details. Adrian shared a brief update on the '08 season's Project's operations, noting that Bob Rines had directed another expedition despite a past stroke. Marty Klein also led his own expedition, having previously designed and built towed side-scan sonar for the Academy expeditions in the '70s.

Adrian discusses the Academy's current focus on searching for a carcass on the loch floor, using up-to-date ROVs and sonar, as underwater photographic evidence has been insufficient. He considers this a logical progression with improved technology. He raises a potential drawback: the possibility that scavenging bottom-dwelling eels in the loch might consume carcasses, diminishing the available evidence. He also mentions that Marty Klein's expedition identified several targets with side-scan sonar, and footprints previously located by the Simrad expedition were re-examined using ROVs. One footprint resembled a discarded trawling 'warp', which Adrian suggests could be explained by old fishing gear being dumped in the loch.

Rip concludes the Nessletter by apologizing for the late publication, which was written in February 2009, referencing an earlier date of 08/08/08. He thanks members for their tolerance and continued support, and provides subscription details and contact information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the personal health challenges faced by the editor and his wife, the ongoing research and reporting of potential cryptid sightings in Scottish lochs (primarily Loch Ness and Loch Morar), and updates on the activities of researchers and organizations involved in these investigations. The editorial stance appears to be one of dedication to the pursuit of truth regarding lake mysteries, balanced with the realities of personal life and the practicalities of research. There is a consistent effort to document and share information from various sources, including personal accounts, research findings, and media related to the subject.