In China, hunt on for Loch Ness monster
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-06 11:26

No monsters present themselves to Yuan's group during their nighttime visit to the lake.

But still, Qu Yuan, a 26-year-old nurse, is thrilled.

"I kept my eyes on the water," she says, beaming. "The waves were lapping at our feet. It was almost like we were one with the lake."

She adds: "I couldn't see anything but I could feel there was life out there. It was a wonderful feeling."

But Yuan wants more.

He has written two books and numerous essays on the mystery. He says he is asked to speak on it regularly by different schools and organizations, and gets calls, letters and photos from people who think they may have seen the huguai.

What's the next step then in his quest to find the truth?

To catch a fish and study it, Yuan says. But it's not easy on a lake this big.

On the last day of their visit, Yuan's group treks up to the "Fish Viewing Pavilion," perched high on a mountain overlooking the lake. Thousands of tourists are snapping photos.

Breathless and hopeful, Yuan stands on a nearby bluff, hands shielding his eyes from the sun as he looks down onto the water, hoping for a glimpse of the monsters to honor the 20th anniversary of his first sighting.

"It's hard, it's hard," he mutters to himself as he starts a video camera rolling. "They can be anywhere."

After an hour or so of moving from point to point, a downcast Yuan gives up.

As he begins his descent, he takes one last look at the vista.

"All right," he says. "We're done here."