2026 Sightings
The first reported sighting of 2026 occurred on the evening of March 5. A frequent webcam watcher named Eoin O’Faodhagain was viewing a live feed from the Clansman Hotel area when he spotted a black object that rose and sank four times against the current. The conditions were calm with a slight ripple, and the object moved in the opposite direction of the current. He recorded video of the event.As of late March 2026, the official sightings register noted that it was still awaiting confirmation or additional reports for 2026 beyond this webcam incident.
2025 Sightings
2025 saw more reported activity than 2024 (which had only three official in-person sightings). Key ones include:
- Early 2025 (January/February, announced March): The first potential sighting of the year was reported at Dores Beach. A witness observed what appeared to be part of a large, dark mass or body emerging from beneath the calm water. The sighting lasted several minutes under ideal viewing conditions (still water, good visibility). Photos were taken and shared with the Loch Ness Centre, which described it as intriguing and one of the more captivating early-year reports.
- May 2025: A second sighting described a long, thin creature or shape moving in the loch.
- August 2025: A long-time local resident (living near the loch for about 30 years) filmed a two-minute video of something moving just under the water near Lochend.
- October 2025: Multiple reports surfaced this month, pushing the total higher than the previous year.
- On October 12, a visitor named Ranjith Augustine on a Jacobite cruise boat spotted a long, dark image just beneath the surface and captured a photo with his phone. The sighting lasted 15–20 seconds.
- On October 15, Peter Hoyle from Moray saw a dark shape sticking out of the water and moving across the loch from right to left. It was visible for 20–30 seconds, and he took a photo. This was recorded as the fourth official in-person sighting of 2025.
- Later in October, additional sonar contacts were reported by boat operators, including Shaun Sloggie, who claimed a convincing underwater anomaly on his cruise boat’s equipment just days prior.
- Other 2025 webcam and cruise-related sightings included dark objects or shapes that some described as hump-like or neck-like movements. By late 2025, the official count for in-person sightings reached at least four (surpassing 2024), with several more via webcams.
Overall Context
The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register tracks reports carefully. In 2025, the total (including webcam) exceeded the three in-person sightings from 2024 but remained below peaks like 2023 (which had 11). Many recent reports come from tourists, locals, or dedicated “Nessie hunters” monitoring public webcams. Witnesses often emphasize calm conditions and movements inconsistent with known animals or boats. Sceptics typically explain these as misidentified natural phenomena, boat wakes, or large fish, while believers point to the consistency of descriptions over decades (long necks, dark humps, sudden appearances and disappearances). No conclusive scientific proof has ever been established, despite sonar scans, underwater searches, and DNA studies of the loch over the years.
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