Shoals of basking sharks spotted off west Cork

By Dan Collins

Monday, June 02, 2008

MANY of those messing around in boats off the west Cork coastline at the weekend were treated to one of the natural wonders of the marine environment — shoals of basking sharks.

According to those familiar with the waters off Galley Head, the arrival of between 25 and 30 of these huge sharks was a rare occurrence so early in the summer.

Local weather soothsayers predicted that the early arrival of the sharks, which were migrating eastwards towards the Seven Heads, was a sign of further good weather.

After its close cousin the whale shark, the basking shark is the second largest fish in the oceans and despite its fearsome appearance is a harmless plankton feeder. Nonetheless, swimmers have been known to vacate the sea with superhuman haste when one of these leviathans swims by with jaws agape as they filter food from the sea.

The shark takes its name from its feeding habit of slowly cruising below the surface of the water, almost basking, in warm sunny weather. It normally reaches a length of between 6 metres (20 ft) and a little more than 8 metres (26 ft).

Meanwhile, Met Éireann says today will feature spells of warm sunshine in most places after some early mist and fog. Showers will develop in many areas with highest temperatures of between 18 and 24 degrees celsius.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, June 02, 2008