‘I’ve spent 30 years hunting Nessie – but this is why the search is being ruined’

Steve Feltham has spent the last three decades helping hunt for the Loch Ness Monster

Another day dawns and the world’s only full-time Loch Ness Monster investigator prepares to take his position at the north of the water.

Steve Feltham lives in a van at the top of the loch, giving him a clear view of the dark waves which could be hiding the UK’s most renowned mysterious creature.

‘As soon as I open my curtains in the morning, I am hunting,’ he told Metro.

It has been 90 years since the first organised search for Nessie, when Sir Edward Mountain took a team of 20 and became the ‘Watchers of the Monster’.

But today Steve spends all day every day watching out for the legend, and has even earnt himself a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous vigil seeking Nessie.

His day consists of scanning the loch, maybe getting a boat onto the water, but always helping tourists distinguish between possible sightings and driftwood.

Steve first moved from Dorset to the north of Scotland in 1991, inspired by the ‘Surgeon’s Photograph’ the Daily Mail published 90 years ago today which ‘proved’ the Loch Ness Monster existed.

The image grabbed the attention of the world, inspiring many who were non-believers to cast aside doubt and accept the mythical beast existed.

It has been 90 years since the famous ‘Surgeon’s Photograph’ was published (Picture: Keystone/Getty Images)

Steve, 61, lives in a van at the top of the loch (Picture: Steve Feltham)

Steve, 61, said: ‘That picture is one of the reasons I made the decision at 28-years-old to dedicate my life to finding Nessie.

‘I am the only full-time investigator, and for the past three decades I have been driving round the loch in my van trying to help with the hunt.’

Sadly, in 1994 the picture was found to be a hoax, with one man Chris Spurling admitting he was part of a group who staged the image.

This has not stopped anyone from believing the creature exists, but it has made some people adapt to what form Nessie takes.

Steve said: ‘I think it is hard to accept now that the Loch Ness monster has a similar form to a dinosaur, with a long neck and big bumps along the spine.

‘Instead I believe Nessie takes the form of a number of undiscovered – but still very large – animals, which have descended from the legend.’

To Steve’s delight, more and more evidence of Nessie’s existence has started to trickle through with two accepted official sightings of the monster so far in 2024.

The hunt has also caught up with modern day technology, and sonar technology is now being employed.

The scans, which were taken back in 2020 by Ronald McKenzie, show a big blob around 100 ft up from the surface of the loch.

The white dot picked up by sonar equipment onboard Cruise Loch Ness (Picture: Ronald Mackenzie/SWNS)

Sonar technology picked up a mystery image 190m deep in Loch Ness (Picture: Ronald Mackenzie/SWNS)

But this will be no ordinary fish, as it appears way too large.

Steve said: ‘The technology picks up regular fish as well, but these are just tiny specks on the screen compared to what came up here.’

To mark the anniversary the search for Nessie is set to be expanded and become even more hi-tech.

As part of the continuing quest, The Loch Ness Centre has linked up with Nessie hunter Alan McKenna of Loch Ness Exploration.

The centre said Alan will use a hydrophone to listen to any mysterious sounds coming from deep within the loch.

They said: ‘Alan will be able to explore the depths of the world-famous loch with Deepscan Captain, Alistair Matheson, the Skipper for the Loch Ness Project.

‘We’ve also supported LNE with the purchase of a new hydrophone – a device capable of detecting sounds hundreds of feet below the surface, providing a sophisticated means of counteracting the difficulties presented by the loch’s poor visibility and enabling LNE to continue and develop its research.’

But those in the Nessie hunting community are growing concerned that technology might be going a step too far.

With the rise of AI being used to create realistic looking images, this risks genuine sightings being accused of being forged.

‘We are of course used to people showing us images which have clearly been photoshopped, some people like to see how far they can go with us,’ Steve said.

‘But I can see AI hampering our efforts, to the point I think it will ruins people’s belief and hijack the sense of exploration we get as we try to spot her.’

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