18ft basking shark filmed off the coast of Cornwall could be tour group's earliest sighting
AK Wildlife Cruises filmed the gentle giant off Falmouth over the Easter weekend
Last updated 7th Apr 2021
An 18ft eighteen foot basking shark has been spotted off the coast of Cornwall.
AK Wildlife Cruises filmed the gentle giant near Falmouth over the weekend.
The group says it is their first sighting of the season and could be their earliest ever!
They added that the water temperature at the time was surprisingly warm and the creature swam right past the bow!
AK Wildlife Cruises shared photos and a video on Facebook and Twitter, describing it as a "wonderful Easter treat".
"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.
"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°C
"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.
"We also recorded an incredible diversity of other species yesterday - sightings and photos to come!"
AK Wildlife Cruises
AK Wildlife Cruises are getting ready to resume trips from 12th April but say numbers will be limited, due to the coronavirus pandemic.