An online Nessie spotter believes he has captured what might be the first sightings of the Loch Ness Monster on the newly installed webcams at the famous loch. Irishman Eoin O'Fagan has captured two clips of 'giant eel-like shapes' moving on the surface of the water.
The Nessie fan, who regularly searched for anomalies on the loch using the original webcam, has now turned his attention to the newly installed cameras which have been dotted around the shores of the loch to help people try to get proof of the existence of the monster.
The Co Donegal resident confirmed: "I captured two very interesting video clips on two of the new webcams recently.
"The first at the Clansman webcam Loch Ness at 20.13pm on September 6, is of a water disturbance, and a long dark shape which was recorded for 4 minutes, and was the only darkened water visible in the recording of the loch in that time."
He added that the second was captured at 7.35pm on September 15 at the Shoreland Lodges Webcam.
Eoin said: "An object visibly appears on the left near the shore and moves steadily to the right of the screen and out of webcam coverage. This object is black and long in the region of 6 to 8 feet long, like an eel, or rather a very large or giant one. Its dark black colour breaks the surface occasionally as it moves to the right."
He now believes that the theory posited by Prof Neil Gemmell, a geneticist from the New Zealand University of Otago, that Nessie may be a 'giant eel' could be the right one.
The 57-year-old, who has made multiple trips to Scotland to try and track the beast and made his first sighting back in 1987, stated that he's submitted the two sightings to The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register but that there seems to be some confusion over whether they will be recorded or not.
He explained: "The Register says that you have to report any sightings from the new webcams to the owners first, and if they like them, they will contact Gary [the official records keeper].
"I sent the Clansman video and another I recorded on my phone which was of poor quality to Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN), however, I was told by them that any potential sightings will have to go directly to Gary Campbell to be considered, as they have 'only opened windows to the wonderful Loch' for people to see from afar. I then fed this back to Gary, and he is seeking clarification."
Eoin stated that this leaves people who search for Nessie via the webcams in limbo and is "frustrating" for webcam watchers in general. He now hopes the two parties can clear the matter up and people who spot Nessie on the webcams will be able to officially register their sightings.
The Record has contacted Gary Campbell, keeper of the Official Loch Ness Monster Register, for comment on the matter.
The five new cameras have been placed at various locations around the 23-mile-long loch in hopes of making it easier for avid Nessie hunters to hopefully spot the creature from the comfort of their own homes.
It'll mean Nessie fans can keep an eye on the loch 365 days a year hopefully leading to even more sightings of this elusive creature.
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