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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

ANDREAS TROTTMANN: A week at Loch Morar

Dear Colleagues,

From May 3rd till May 12th, 2010 I continued my researches at unique Loch Morar. I stayed at a most cosy B&B at Bracara, enjoying an excellent view over a substantial portion of the water.

Besides my limited researches at the loch, I went to the Isle of Eigg and up Loch Nevis to secluded Knoydart. Douglas Macfarlane kindly visited me and stayed for one night. We spent a few perfect hours boating on Loch Morar and undertook some hydrophone trials.

I came across several sighting reports unknown to me and had the chance to speak several times to one very objective witness, Alistair MacKellaig, in particular.
· On August 18th, 1990 he had – together with a friend and one of his sons – a sighting of three humps overtaking slowly his boat. It occurred in the early afternoon between Swordland and Meoble near the deepest part of the loch. Each hump was the size of a lorry tyre and 2 to 2.5 feet above the surface, colour slightly darker than the water. Overall size between 6 to 7 metres. The three humps submerged simultaneously. Water calm.
· Also the father of my landlady reported having observed a large spout – similar to one from a whale – in the loch.
· One Sunday morning in the 1970s the whole congregation standing outside the church after mass, observed the creature in the loch – unfortunately no further details on this report.

Herewith some more data on the sighting of Donald Simpson of November 27th, 1975. Unfortunately he died a few years ago. Nevertheless I managed to get hold of a sketch of the creature observed in the outflow of the loch into the river Morar. The details are: A powerful, 20 foot long animal which roused out of the river less than 40 feet from the car his brother was driving. It lurched across a gravel bar and sank into the deeper waters of the loch. The episode lasted only a few seconds. Smooth, brown skin and powerful muscles in the hindquarters. No ears or eyes were seen but a thing that looked like a trunk trailing alongside the body. The creature turned on the spot like a huge crocodile.

Some locals are highly reluctant to speak about their knowledge and the observations made. One local woman in particular refuses categorically to speak on her experience, as the sighting has probably triggered a traumatic effect. I only know that she observed – standing on a small jetty (presumably the one near Morar Lodge) – a “horrific black thing” in the water. As you are aware, similar reactions were reported from Loch Ness.

Having now gained some better knowledge of the loch and its particularities, I would be most interested to organize a party of zoological and cryptozoological experts and well-trained observers for a one-week expedition to the loch. Further details will follow.

With my best wishes from Switzerland (still extremely fresh for the season).
Andreas

Andreas Trottmann
Route de la Crausa 16
1566 St-Aubin FR
Switzerland
Tel. 0041 (0)26 6773659

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I shall be most interested in seeing the sketch, especially since you did not indicate whether the creature had a long neck or a short one. The spouting effect is interesting also and is not usually associated with "Monsters" in either Loch Ness or Loch Morar-I would suspect it was a small waterspout.