So here we go. George Edwards, a pretty well known Loch Ness Monster believer, purports to have captured the best shot yet of Nessie in the Scottish waters.
Edwards takes his boat - the "Nessie Hunter" - out for frequent searches on the loch with tourists, and told ABC News he snapped the above picture one November morning after seeing something out of the corner of his eye. He held onto the photo until now because he says he was dealing with the recent deaths of his sister and mother.
He says he believes the loch monster likely looks more like a manatee than the humped beast with a horse-like head that we've come to think of. Also, he said there are probably several of the creatures in the loch, and not just one that's been alive since the first sighting in 565 AD.
Interestingly, Edwards claims he was a Nessie skeptic for a long time before becoming a believer.
"I grew up with the legend, like the boogeyman, or Big Foot in your part of the world, and most people start out thinking it’s a myth," Edwards told ABC. "But Loch Ness is so deep and dark and mysterious, when you start hearing more and more stories, you start believing more."
He adds that while there are other Nessie hunters in his area, the topic is something that people don’t want to discuss.
"Many people loathe to talk openly about believing in Nessie for fear of ridicule ... Of course I’ve faced the ridicule, but I can’t bury my face in the sand, when I know what’s out there."
So what do you think of the photo? Is it a fake or just something explainable floating in the water? Or is this actually the best photographic evidence of Nessie yet?
-Aaron Sagers