A new resource has been announced for Nessie researchers. The author of The Water Horses of Loch Ness, Roland Watson has just scanned ten years of the 37-year-old Loch Ness Monster collection, the Rip Hepple Nessletter, and placed them online. The archives are a great resource on Loch Ness, its Monster and the hunters. It may be found by clicking here.

During 2012, there have been no reported Loch Ness Monster sightings from any Scottish organization or any encounters that have risen to the level of media attention.

While we wait for that first sighting, I have asked Gary Campbell, President of The Official Loch Ness Fan Club, if he would share the top Loch Ness Monster sightings for the last five years.

Here is his list:

7 September 2011

Jon Rowe, a fish farm worker from Lewiston photographed a large dark shape in the water near Dores Fish Farm at 8.30am

24th August 2011

Marcus Atkinson, a local boat skipper with 18 years’ experience on the loch, captured an image of a 1.5m wide creature some 23m below the surface on his boat’s sonar system. The contact took place in Urquhart Bay.

15th June 2011

Mr & Mrs Hargreaves of Foyers reported seeing a creature with a long neck which appeared for 30-40 seconds near the village of Foyers

24th May 2011

William & Joan Jobes photographed a creature in the loch while walking along a path beside the loch at Fort Augustus

20th November 2010

Richard Preston of Yorkshire took pictures of mysterious humps near Aldourie Castle, where he was working as a landscape architect.

6th June 2009

Douglas MacDougall spotted a hump in the water near the Clansman Hotel.

22nd May 2008

Gordon Holmes from Yorkshire was undertaking his new expedition (Net Nessie 2008) when he recorded an unexplained sonar contact 60 feet down in the Loch. During his stay he went on to record a further two contacts at various points in the loch.

8 February 2008

Brenda Ellis from Foyers took four snaps on her mobile phone of a creature moving north in the water near Inverfarigaig on the south side of the loch. She said the creature was black/brown in colour and was spotted moving in the water for 10-15 minutes.

26 May 2007

Gordon Holmes of Shipley, Yorkshire, took a video of an unknown creature at 9.50pm from a layby at the north end of the loch. He described the creature as 4-6ft long , swimming at around 6mph.