Sighting on Loch Ness

Written by Phillip 4BM

A made up hoax or a mysterious missing link? This is the question that I was deeply thinking about. As a Paleontologist from Scotland at a leading scientific institute, my life is dedicated to studying the history of ancient animals. But what if the animal has no proven record or fossils to study? Legend has taught me about the Loch Ness monster a through out my childhood. But recent discoveries in Dorset, England has had me questioning the very existence of Nessie the Loch Ness monster. The Attenboroughsaurus, named after David Attenborough, is an extinct species of Pliosaurid from the early Jurassic period so naturally it sparked my curiosity being a Palaeontologist. Something from my childhood was awoken with this discovery. I remember the stories told to me as a kid and it made me question what if? The description of the Attenboroughsaurs was so similar to drawings we did as kids and the fossil remains looked like the sightings we have had over the centuries.

All these puzzling questions kept me awake for most of the night. I rose early and went for a long walk with my dog, Buster, far around the Loch. It was my home. I was born here and its where I belong. I loved venturing around all the hilly slopes, covered in bright green grass and pitted amongst the hills were ruins of the past. A ruinous castle stood on the edge of the Loch, there wasn’t much of it left now but I liked to come here and watch the gentle ripples flowing over the cold and murky water.

It was a sunny day, but even though the sun was out the air still stayed as cold as night. Standing on the bank I watched a log drift past moving as slow as a sloth. Buster was running around the banks, with his tongue flapping back into his bright and happy face. I love that dog. I quickly sheltered my eyes as a gust of chilly wind carrying dust stung my face. Heavy, grey clouds were starting to roll over the sunny blue sky. I turned around and started to head back home, calling Buster to follow along. But Buster didn’t follow, he was snarling at the waters edge. “What is it boy?” I asked him as I went to investigate. He kept snarling and barking at the water. Bubbles emerged and then a head. I quickly ran to see what was surfacing on the water and called Buster away, but he wouldn’t listen. Then I could see a dark shadow was moving under the water, it was really big and appeared to have a long neck attached to the small head. I couldn’t work out what it was I just kept thinking of Nessie. My eyes opened wider as it came up further, I could see a leathery looking skin exposed on its back and short, stubby flippers compared to its size, about an arm’s length. I took a step back as it got closer and held Buster back by the scruff of his neck while he continued to keep barking. I fell back onto my behind, into the soggy, wet ground soaking my pants. Then Buster broke free from my grip and chased after the massive creature scaring it away. It stood out of the water like a long pipe and spun around, lunging itself back into the Loch. But I saw it. I got a glimpse of something I’ve never seen before. A glimpse of a legend from my childhood just like the pictures I drew as a kid.

The End

The Story of a Mysterious Monster

By Lila 4MC

It was a cold Spring Sunday morning in a small Scottish town. Olivia was changing into her long green chequered dress, grey leggings and white woollen jumper. Olivia was getting ready for her Sunday fishing trip with her Grandad. Sunday mornings at Olivia’s house were very busy and chaotic because Alexander, Olivia’s dad was getting ready for work, he was a doctor and Jack, Olivia’s annoying little brother goes crazy if he doesn’t get his breakfast on time. He throws loud tantrums, screams and throws things around the house whilst his face goes bright red.

Olivia loved her Grandad and their regular Sunday fishing trips, they didn’t go out on a boat they just sat on the banks of the lake and chatted. Olivia ran down the long narrow hallway passing her dad saying goodbye to Jack. She burst into the small old kitchen, sprinted to the long, smooth marble bench, she grabbed her jam toast off a white shiny plate and ran back through the hallway and out the front door where her grandad was waiting.

“Well that was quick,” her grandad said. Olivia nodded, then she took a fishing rod out of her Grandad’s hand and started walking along the windy narrow road. As they walked side by side, Olivia started munching on her strawberry jam toast. Finally, after a long walk, Olivia and her Grandad arrived at lake. They cast their fishing rods and sat down on to wait. All of a sudden out of nowhere Olivia spotted a strange shape in the murky water.

Frightened and confused Olivia said “Grandad, Grandad look over there, what is that thing in the water,” pointing in the direction of the beast.

“It is probably just a duck or a log in the water,” Grandad said calmly.

“It can’t be, look at its long neck and big flippers,” Olivia replied. Grandad cleaned his square black glasses on a soft cloth and when he put his glasses back on he saw the colossal beast.

“Wow, I can’t believe it, it’s amazing,’ Grandad said with a smile on his face.

“What is it Grandad, why can’t you believe it?” Olivia said losing her patience.

“That my dear child is Nessie, The Loch Ness Monster! We are some of the only people in the world to see it,” Grandad explained. After Olivia’s Grandad had explained everything about the mysterious Loch Ness Monster to her, she got really, really excited. Olivia couldn’t wait to get home and tell her home and tell her mum about the incredible monster they had seen.

Olivia ran up the steep windy roads that led back to her house. Soon they arrived home and Olivia burst through the front door. She quickly walked down the hallway trying to contain her excitement. She tiptoed through the second door on the left into her parent’s room to find her mother resting in bed after her night shift, Olivia’s mother was a nurse at the local hospital. Olivia crept around her mother’s bed and woke her mother up with a loud ‘BOO!’ Olivia’s mother awoke, startled. She turned around to see who was there. Then Olivia told her mother all about their incredible day.

THE LOCH NESS MONSTER

An acrostic poem by Chloe 4AV

Loch Ness Monster is also called Nessy.

On her body are many small scales.

Could this creature’s eyes be cobalt blue?

How would I know? It is a mystery.

Nessy looks like a dragon with flippers.

Enormous Nessy swims down in the dark.

Slippery and tall, Nessy is friendless;

She’s one of a kind and is unexplained.

Murky and unlit, a darkness is there.

Out of the lake pops her scaly head and

Nessy stares at the ground in front of her.

Scaring passersby is her favourite thing!

The Loch Ness Monster lives down in the depths,

Even after many years, still unknown.

Remaining secret, this is her story.

The Loch Ness Monster

By Zoe 4MC

The Loch Ness Monster is located at Loch Ness in Scotland.

It has never been found even using state-of-the-art sonar equipment. In 2019 researchers conducted DNA tests on Loch Ness and found unknown DNA. Scientists say it might be a floating log, buoy or eel.

Ancient stone carvings of The Loch Ness Monster have been found, drawn by the Picts who lived 297 AD - 900 AD. The first written account was a biography dating back to 565 AD that had descriptions of a sea monster like Nessie.

It became more well - known in 1933, when a bypassing couple claimed to have seen a prehistoric creature of a dragon - like species. In 1934 the famous “Surgeon’s Photograph” was taken by Robert Wilson, proof of the Loch Ness Monster. It became a worldwide sensation but later revealed to be a hoax, made of paper - mâche attached to a toy submarine to keep it afloat.

So is it real? If it isn’t what eyewitnesses have seen from ancient times to today? If it is why haven’t we found it yet? Until we have an answer, believe what you think is real.

Nessie

Written by Angus F 4BM

After many hours of searching for Nessie, we decided to head back to port. The fog was rolling in. The lookout was on duty, as we were entering an uncharted area. As the rain and fog came and the rain thundered down and we all rushed inside. We decided who would go to bed and who would keep watch. 2:38am, I am on the bridge keeping watch for the night. RING RING!! The phone on the bridge started ringing, this phone connects to the lookout. The 2nd officer walked over and picked up the phone, as he did that I noticed a black shape in the water. When the 2nd officer heard over the phone from the lookout that they had seen something I knew we didn’t have long to react. “HARD TO STARBOARD” i yelled “FULL ASTERN” I went over to the telegraph and cranked to full astern. The chief engineer in the engine room saw the telegraph move. “HEY! PUT HER DOWN” the Chief engineer yelled. The crew in the engine room worked like busy bees”GO LADS, GO!”to decrease the pressure and engage the reversing engine. Back on the bridge. “IS IT HARD OVER!?” I yelled.

The helmsman replies. “YES SIR IT IS HARD OVER!” As the shape gets closer and closer, a horrific creek goes through the ship. We had hit something. We all looked at each other. I ordered for the watertight doors to be closed. As the boiler rooms flooded. Firemen frantically dove under the closing doors. After 1 minute the huge ship came to a stop. We all called for a meeting. The ship's designer calculated that it would sink in under an hour. 5 compartments had flooded. She can only take 4. As we walked away from the meeting room we all grabbed items to prepare the lifeboats. This took around 10 minutes. By the end of those 10 minutes the ship was pitching down heavily! As the crew filed their way onto the deck. It turned into chaos. The lights started to flicker. We knew it was time to go! As the first lifeboat was launched, we all watched as it disappeared into the darkness. The deck was now filled to the brim with people. 3:15am, all the boats were gone but there were still people aboard the ship. Including me. We all ran to the stern as it began to rise, and water filled lower decks in a flash. Tables and chairs on the top decks began to slide down into the water. We could no longer see the lifeboats. We were alone. CRUNCH!!! All of our ears rang! It was the bow hitting the seafloor. As the stern went vertical, it began the “final plunge”. Electricity failed, cargo holds ripped open. That only made matters worse. After 1 hour of chaos she fell beneath the waves, only darkness was left. After 10 minutes of waiting for rescue. A guy yelled out “HURRY UP, GET OUT OF THE WATER THERE IS A SHARK!!” (Joke. There are no sharks in Loch Ness)

Nessie is real!

By Mia 4AV

The Loch Ness monster is not a myth. Don’t believe me? Well, explain why we have evidence that Nessie is real. Come on I’ll show you.

You can ask many people if the Loch Ness monster is real, and they can say it isn’t real but if you ask a certain group of archaeologists they will tell you that they have found a stone that has carvings of many animals on it. They can identify all of them except one, which looks like the Loch Ness monster. Still don’t believe me? Read on.
On July 22nd, 1933 an old Scottish couple saw the Loch Ness monster. After then there have been lots of people claiming to have seen Nessie, if she isn’t real, why have people seen it? Are you convinced yet? If not, keep on reading.
In 2019 a group of scientists ran DNA tests on the lake, the results were shocking! There is evidence that Nessie is not a plesiosaur, shark or catfish but there are large amounts of eel DNA in the lake. So there is a high chance that there is something big still lurking in the hazy depths of Loch Ness.

Could there be a giant eel? Maybe, maybe not. It is safe to assume that there is something there and even safer to assume that humans will not stop trying to solve this mystery until we have a clear answer.

Science

Photo: Sophie M 3CF