Could this be the cause of the Loch Ness Monster sightings?

A natural phenomenon could be behind countless sightings of the elusive ‘Loch Ness Monster’ over the years, an expert has said.

Alan McKenna, founder of Loch Ness Exploration (LNE), believes ‘standing waves’ might explain alleged sightings of the mythical monster.

He said: ‘A standing wave occurs when two boat wakes of the exact same frequency and amplitude are moving in opposite directions on the loch surface. When the two boat wakes finally meet and interfere with one another the results have the potential to create a standing wave.’

The peaks of these standing waves, rising above the otherwise calm waters, could be mistaken for ‘humps’ above the surface.

Footage captured by Mr McKenna shows the phenomenon occurring where a river meets the loch on its southern shore, at Fort Augustus.

But capturing a standing wave caused by boat wakes out on the open water is a greater challenge.

Alan said: ‘The waves and the boat wake need to be identical. So with all that in mind, there’s now a lot more to consider here such as the boat itself, its size, the direction of travel and its current speed.

‘A small boat with a smaller engine will most definitely produce a wake different from a much larger boat. It’s a complex procedure, especially in open water, but it can happen.’

Mr McKenna now hopes to record the phenomenon happening out over the deep heart of the loch.

He said: ‘Ali Matheson, skipper of Deepscan, frequently reports standing waves, but more so in the small marina within Urquhart Bay also known as Temple Pier. That’s all fine and well, but it’s more difficult to capture a standing wave in open water.

‘We know that standing waves exist and they have been reported but what we don’t have is the footage showing a natural standing wave in motion.’

Mr McKenna helped to launch LNE, and follows daily reports by locals to find out what’s behind the sightings.

When it comes to the existence of the fabled beast, however, Alan is keeping an open mind.

The 37-year-old said: ‘If there are any unknown animals in Loch Ness then they certainly don’t play by the rules. It’s the perfect habitat for a shy animal with 23 miles of cold dark water and around 750ft deep.

‘You could be swimming next to a 200ft submarine below the surface and not even notice it right in front of you, it’s that dark!’

Over the years, some have believed giant eels, long-necked seals, Greenland sharks, large sturgeons and other animals could be mistaken for ‘Nessie’.

Mr Mckenna said: ‘Truth be told, none of us have the correct answer and that’s what keeps this mystery going.’

LNE is an independent voluntary research group focused on Loch Ness, its natural environment, and its ecology, as well as the mythical monster.

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