The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
GIRL SNAPS NEW NESSIE PICTURES
Monster: Expert ‘excited’ as iPhone shot deemed worthy of further study
A new sighting on Loch Ness has been captured by a 12-year-old girl on holiday with her parents.
Charlotte Robinson, from Leeds in Yorkshire, was staying in Invermoriston when Nessie popped up about 50ft away – on the first day of her stay.
The creature surfaced for about a minute before resurfacing about 10ft further away some seven minutes later – but for less than 60 seconds.
Charlotte was on holiday with parents, Kat, 41, a business intelligence data analyst, and Dave, 52, a factory worker.
“I kinda believed in Nessie, but I wanted to see the proof”
Mr and Mrs Robinson had stayed at the same holiday centre 16 years ago, but had not been back since.
It was at around 7pm last Friday when Charlotte saw the creature and captured footage of it on her iPhone.
“There was something in the water about 50ft from the shore. I took a photo. It had a neck and head was in the shape of a hook,” said Charlotte.
“I just took what I saw. It was black – I just don’t know how far it was out of the water. But after about a minute it disappeared and then came back up again in a different place. It was up for less than a minute the second time.
“I kinda believed in Nessie, but I wanted to see the proof. I always imagined her as having a long neck and flippers.
“I have seen something but I’m not sure what.”
Mum Kat added: “Charlotte said she had taken a photo of a creature in the loch and I said ‘right, sure you have!’
For weeks she’s been going on about seeing the Loch Ness Monster. But when I saw the picture, I couldn’t believe it.
“With all the sightings over the years,there must be something in the loch.”
Nessie expert Steve Feltham, who has dedicated his life to solving the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster for the past 27 years, said: “I am totally excited by this photograph – it is the best of Nessie in years. There is clearly a solid object in it and it is relatively clear. It warrants further study.
“There may be a mundane explanation such as a seal, but I have not heard of a seal in the loch this year.
“For my money it is larger than a seal or an ottter. It is a fantastic picture. Congratulations, Charlotte. I am totally excited by it.”
There have been four official sightings this year of the Loch Ness Monster.