Have you ever heard of the Loch Ness Monster? If so, what did you think when you heard about it? Do you think a dangerous sea monster is actually lurking in Loch Ness? Many people have different opinions about how this supposed bizarre creature’s story came to light. Books have even been written to spread the word of its tale. While Nessi (short for Loch Ness) is one of the most widely known cryptids in the world, not many people know its true tale. 

 We wonder how this story came to be one of the most popular cryptids, but have we ever dug deeper into its tale to find out? The Loch Ness Monster is usually described as a large creature with an oval-shaped body. Its neck is extended with a small head. It has been described as having fins or feet. Loch Ness is a Scottish loch, the second deepest loch in Scotland, right behind Loch Morar. Nessi’s story began in 1933. A man named Hugh Gray had been on a walk by Loch Ness and it’s said that he saw an object floating atop the water, this is where he snapped several photos of the creature. One of these pictures would end up being the most famous Nessi picture in the world, this was the only one photo that he had taken had developed. Gray had sent his image of the odd creature to the newspaper where it began to spread around the world. A man named Roland Watson had analyzed the photo, which he said was a “subject of interpretation.” Many who do not believe in the monster have speculated it is a labrador with a stick in its mouth or just a water snake. 

But this isn’t the only sighting of Nessie that was reported. In the 7th century, the first written report of the monster was made. According to this report, the creature had attacked and bitten a swimmer. The Loch Ness monster has only had a few reports that are unable to be identified, others being a hoax. People continue to hunt the Loch Ness Monster in hopes it is real. But the Loch Ness is not the only place a creature of its description has been spotted. 

The Altamaha River, located in southeastern Georgia has been known to be the home of a serpent-like creature named the Altamaha-ha. It is said to be a hissing sea monster. Nessi and the Altamaha-ha are described as Serpent creatures with oval bodies, long necks, and small heads. People living down by the river have reported hearing odd hissing sounds along with seeing a strange figure lurking in the waters. The river is over 137 miles long and is used for major shipping ports. It is home to at least 130 species that are endangered or rare. This creature has been reported for a very long time, especially by Natives. On April 18, 1830, the first non-native American report of this monster had been made. Quickly its presence hit the newspapers and many people were now made aware of the possibility of a monster living in Georgia waters. 

But Altie (the creature from the Altamaha River) is not the only other monster that has been found. Loch Morar, the largest loch found in Scotland, has been speculated to be the home

of the lake monster Morag. Morag is described as a brown creature with a large body with three humps along the back of its body. Its neck is not as long as Nessi’s or Alite’s have been reported to be, but it is long enough to be abnormal. It has small fins that it uses to swim. This is not its only known description, it is also known to have been described as a brown or gray serpent with a long neck and body with a snake-like head. Its fins have also been described as large and thin. It has no famous photographs, but many paintings. The oldest known one is from 1902. Not much is known about this creature, as it is not as sought out or as famous as its cousin Nessi. There is no written date as to when its first known sighting was. 

There is speculation about whether or not this creature is actually real. Most photos of the creatures are left for interpretation. Though many do not believe in such creatures, some would like to say otherwise, as a picture that cannot be proven fake or real only greatened the possibility of them being real. As the years have passed, sightings have been more and more frequent. Whether or not this creature is real with separate species or cousins or even possibly all the same being will remain unknown until finally proven to be real or just a myth. Whether or not you think the evidence is faked is hard to prove. I believe there is a chance that a large sea monster swims in the dark waters around the world. If there have even been sightings before Nessi in America, how could it be fake? There must be a chance that these bizarre sea serpents are real if there have been sightings for centuries! I do understand that many people create hoaxes in order to become famous, but there have also been sightings no one can prove as fake. That is what makes me believe that the Loch Ness monster and its cousins around the world are real.