Loch Ness Monster caught on Apple maps?

An Apple maps image of what appears to be a large figure swimming in Scotland's Loch Ness has reenergized fans of the mythical monster.

Two amateur "Nessie" hunters came across the image last year as they scanned smart phone photos from Apple's satellite map app, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

The photo appears to show a shadowy, finned shape, estimated to be 100 feet long, swimming in the waters of the Scottish Highlands.

The eagle-eyed enthusiasts alerted the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, whose members have been consulting with experts in a bid to figure out exactly what was caught on film.

"Whatever this is, it is under the water and heading south, so unless there have been secret submarine trials going on in the loch, the size of the object would make it likely to be Nessie," club president Gary Campbell told the paper.

Campbell discounted other possible explanations for the image, including ripples caused by floating debris or a boat. "We've shown it to boat experts and they don't know what it is," Campbell said.

The image is the first supposed Loch Ness Monster spotting in 18 months, representing the longest drought between reported sightings since 1925.