The 1933 sightings by Audie Mackay and George Spicer ignited a worldwide fascination with the Loch Ness Monster and tourism in the region.
Marmaduke Wetherill's attempt to stage the famous surgeon's photo, later revealed as a hoax, illustrates the lengths people will go to perpetuate myths.
Deep dives
The Initial Sightings of Loch Ness Monster
In April 1933, Audie Mackay reported a mysterious sighting of a huge creature in Loch Ness, which ignited public interest and curiosity about the lake. As she and her husband drove by, she noticed a large, whale-like shape emerging from the water, creating waves much like those caused by a ship. This account, published in the Inverness Courier, drew attention and prompted numerous visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the alleged Loch Ness monster. While Mackay's story was one of the first to spark modern fascination, it was not the beginning of such tales, as legends of a creature in the loch had existed for centuries in Scottish folklore.
George Spicer's Encounter and Public Frenzy
Shortly after Mackay's sighting, George Spicer also spotted what he described as a colossal creature sliding into Loch Ness, which further fueled the burgeoning myth of the monster. Spicer's report, published later that summer, detailed a creature with a long neck and a large body, capturing the imagination of the public and media alike. As interest surged, newspapers sent reporters to Loch Ness, leading to traffic jams caused by crowds flocking to see the lake where the monster was purported to reside. The reports of sightings turned into a phenomenon, with local businesses thriving off of the newfound tourism and excitement.
Debunking the Myth: The Hoax Revealed
Marmaduke Wetherill, initially tasked by the Daily Mail to find evidence of the creature, fell victim to a major embarrassment when he presented footprints he believed belonged to the Loch Ness monster, which were later identified as being from a hippopotamus. Despite his initial excitement over finding what he thought was credible evidence, the revelation led to ridicule and damaged his reputation. In an effort to regain his standing, Wetherill devised a plan involving a toy submarine, staging an iconic photograph that would later be known as the surgeon's photo, which he hoped would convince the public of the monster's existence. Ultimately, this photograph was later revealed as a hoax, highlighting how the Loch Ness legend endured through deception and the allure of myth.
April 21, 1934. The Daily Mail publishes an alleged photo of the Loch Ness Monster, sparking an international sensation around one of the world’s most enduring modern legends. This episode originally aired in 2022.
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