Nessie lives in Loch Ness, a lake in the Scottish Highlands. Pic credit: John Thomas Didymus
A Nessie skeptic recently shared a photo taken in 2019 showing an unidentified 8-foot-long creature in Loch Ness (scroll down to view photo).
Although Steve thought it was likely a seal or a giant catfish, Nessie hunters declared that the photo showed the legendary lake cryptid swimming in its deep lake habitat in the Scottish Highlands.
The claim sparked excitement among enthusiasts. They declared the imagery the latest evidence that a monster lived in the lake.
However, others voiced skepticism, saying the photo was “too good to be true,” and that it could be a hoax.
8-foot creature caused a ripple in the water
Steve Challice, a resident of Southhampton, told the Daily Record that he snapped the photograph while vacationing in the Scottish Highlands in 2019.
Steve and his brother were exploring the Urquhart Castle overlooking the lake when they noticed strange movements in the water. He reached for his camera and began taking shots in quick succession.
While taking photographs, a creature surfaced momentarily. Steve thought it was a fish or a seal but continued snapping. Although he recalled the ripples generated on the surface looked “weird,” he didn’t think much of it after the creature disappeared.
He was reviewing his collection of old souvenir photos at home during the 2020 COVID lockdown when he noticed that the lake-dwelling creature appeared in only one of the pictures he snapped. He examined the picture and thought it looked strange. He estimated the length at about 8 feet.
He told the Daily Record that he waited some minutes after taking the first set of pictures to see whether the creature would return, but it didn’t.
Steve shared the photo on the internet
Steve believed the creature was likely a seal or a giant catfish. However, he decided to share the photo on social media to get feedback from skeptics and Nessie believers.
It generated considerable interest among believers and non-believers. Many skeptics shared his opinion that it was likely a seal or a catfish. But Nessie believers disagreed, saying it looked like the Loch Ness Monster.
Nessie photo ranks “in the top three of all time,” enthusiasts claimed
Nessie enthusiast Roland Watson contacted Steve about the photo. He said that if genuine, it would “easily rank in the top three of all time.”
But even Watson, a Nessie believer, suspected that Steve might have created the photo using image editing software. The Daily Record reported that a digital photography enthusiast also expressed suspicion about it, saying it looked unreal.
However, Steve denied allegations that he “photoshopped” the stunning image. He argued that his photo was unlike other hoaxes showing fantastic creatures.