Monster hunters are conducting the largest search of Loch Ness in more than 50 years

This photo, purported to be of the Loch Ness Monster, was taken near Inverness, Scotland in 1934. One of the participants revealed on his deathbed that the pictures were staged. (Keystone/Getty Images)

Researchers and monster hunters are gathering in the United Kingdom's Scottish Highlands this weekend to look for the eternally elusive Loch Ness Monster, the biggest search for the legendary beast in more than 50 years.

Somewhere beneath the shimmering surface of Loch Ness lies Nessie, the legendary sea beast whose reputation spans nearly 1,500 years — at least, that's what monster hunters and Nessie enthusiasts from around the world hope to prove Saturday and Sunday. The Loch Ness Centre and the research group Loch Ness Exploration are asking all aspiring monster hunters to join in on the biggest search since 1972.