A daredevil adventurer was terrified during a swim across the deepest part of legendary Loch Ness after something big loomed up from the depths and hit him.
Duncan Roberts had the chilling encounter crossing the icy waters for a charity challenge.
He said: “The depth and the darkness of that water plays tricks with your mind.
READ MORE: ‘I’m a psychic medium – here’re the four superstitious acts you MUST avoid on Friday 13th’
- Advertisement -
“There is some weird energy at play in that water
“And during my swim I experienced a bump half way across.
“It was something big.
“The water is pitch black and I had my eyes closed a lot of the time as the depth and darkness terrified me so I didn’t see anything.
“I just felt it, a big thud in the chest.”
- Advertisement -
The 39-year-old also told What’s The Jam: “I think anyone who swims in the deep part of the loch is lying if they say they haven’t thought about the monster.
“I was focused on getting across as quickly as possible so the hit was a shock.
“I was already nervous enough before the swim.
- Advertisement -
“If I knew something was going to bump into me halfway across I would definitely have been having second thoughts.”
The Australian is just one of five people in the world to skateboard the 870 miles around Iceland
But he said the swim across the fabled monster inhabited loch was far tougher.
He added: “It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done mentally.
“I live in Australia and surf all the time often with Great White Sharks.
“I was way more scared of getting in the Loch Ness water.
“It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done mentally.”
He continued: “I flew all the way from Australia so it would’ve been tough to back out.
“The loch is beautiful but definitely has a vibe about it that makes you freeze at the thought of swimming in it.
“Not to mention that it is roughly six to 10C.
“It also has the sensation of pulling you under a little.
“I think because it is fresh water and so deep.
“It is very different to salt water.
“I was hoping to not have an encounter.
“The deep dark water alone is scary enough, let alone worrying about what else might lurk below.
“There were definitely moments of awe and beauty as I caught glimpses of the length of the loch while I took breaths during the swim.
“But I wanted to get to the other side at Urquhart.
“Swimming into the castle shores was pretty magical.”
The swim was only half the challenge.
Duncan of Fingal Head, north of Byron Bay, New South Wales then got out of the Loch, donned a kilt and climbed Ben Nevis – Britain’s highest mountain – and played the bagpipes at the summit and climbed back down all in one day.
He finished off by getting a Nessie tattoo to remember the challenge by.
Last month a hydrophone device – which detects noise underwater – picked up a strange sound that has experts questioning what could be lurking in the depths of Loch Ness.
Underwater detectors picked up a regular heartbeat creating a serious monster buzz.
The rhythmic pulsing was detected on a hydrophone – a device that measures underwater sounds in all directions – that was deployed some 100 feet below the Scottish lake’s surface.
While the source of the sound is unclear experts were abuzz with excitement.
READ MORE: Entertainer dragged off stage by security after stripping naked during set
