If you are one of the many harbouring thoughts that the famous monster, affectionately known as Nessie, may be lurking in the waters of Loch Ness, a supposedly definitive search is getting under way later this month.
The earliest report of a monster in the vicinity of Loch Ness appears in the Life of St. Columba by Adomnán, written in the sixth century AD.
According to Adomnán, writing about a century after the events described, Irish monk Saint Columba was staying in the land of the Picts with his companions when he encountered local residents burying a man by the River Ness. They explained that the man was swimming in the river when he was attacked by a "water beast" that mauled him and dragged him underwater despite their attempts to rescue him by boat.
However, it wasn't until the 1930s - when there were multiple claimed sightings - that Nessie fever really took hold of popular imagination.
Although no solid evidence of its existence has ever been found, “the myth’s attraction - like that of Bigfoot or Sasquatch - has endured over the decades, sparking research, exploration and stories” according to The Washington Post.
Organised by the Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit, which is re-opening following a £1.5 million ($1.92m) refurbishment, and a volunteer research team called Loch Ness Exploration, the search is due to take place over the weekend of 26 and 27 August.
It will include thermal drones that will be flown over the loch, infrared cameras, and a hydrophone to detect “unusual underwater sounds”, said the BBC. From the safety of the shoreline, volunteers will also look out for breaks in the water and inexplicable movements, with a daily live-stream by Visit Inverness from several vantage points on the lake.
Whatever the new expedition finds, or doesn't find, the legend will doubtless live on - much to the benefit of local tourist attractions and hostelries.
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