Shark sighted in Cornish waters
WHAT is thought to be the first basking shark of the year has been spotted off Cornwall.
The majestic creature, which is believed to be about 18ft long, has been seen near Falmouth.
It was captured on camera by AK Wildlife Cruises guide Georgia Bardua on Sunday, April 4. Her footage shows the shark swimming very close to the boat.
AK Wildlife Cruises shared the video and a few pictures on its Facebook page.
“We took Free Spirit for a run out into the bay yesterday for the first time this year and were delighted and amazed to record this 18ft basking shark, certainly one of our earliest-ever sightings,” a spokesperson for the cruise company wrote at the time.
“The surrounding water where we spotted the shark was dark red/ brown in colour, possibly the result of an algal bloom, and very thick in places.
“We initially spotted just the unmistakable tip of a basking shark dorsal fin and then, after stopping and searching the area hard, this beautiful, prehistoric-looking animal popped up right beside us and swam past the bow.
“We were shocked at how warm the water was for this time of year, with a sea surface temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius.”
The spokesperson added: “Although very large, basking sharks can be very easy to miss as not a lot of them are visible above water, so we ask everyone to please keep your eyes peeled when out on your boats to avoid any collisions.”
On the same trip, the crew also spotted several porpoises, seals and over 20 different bird species.