View Full Version : Basking shark locations
Where is the big stuff in Scotland? Always fancied seeing a basking shark, and don’t fancy the distance to Cornwall.
I even hankered after going looking at bull seals but some of me mates reckoned I was barking.
I swam with a pod of pilot whales ones in the Maldives. It was a bit of a religious experience swimming in Open Ocean among a pod of thirty pilot whales.
In fact here is a short vid clip of it. The poor resolution and slow frame rate does poor justice to the memory but u will get the idea. All them clicks and rumbles, giving me goosebumps just thinking.
http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h39/ranchuolddog/?action=view¤t=P3310164.flv
Also swam with big whopping mantas. That was before poor Steve got hit. Don’t even think maddog will get that close to a ray again.
http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h39/ranchuolddog/?action=view¤t=P3250134.flv
Pretty sure i remember seeing a report saying it was possible to see them off the coast of Arran. There is a Basking Shark sighting report floating about on the net somewhere as well. Will have a look and post the link when i get a bit of time.
W.
I seen one back in Aug 2004 off the West Coast of Scotland. I was volunteer crew on a tall ship (Jean De La Lune, or JDL) and we stumbled across one coming back from St Kilda. I can't remember where we where though :o
Got a picture from the crows nest. I'll post it tonight.
http://www.tallshipstock.com/005981.jpg
West Coast of Mull for basking sharks - we saw 3 in one go there last year.
The Small Isles (Eigg, Canna, Muck etc) are a haven for them and in recent years there has been a shift in their populations and sightings away from Cornwall and up the West Coast of Scotland.
here is a shot of 2 of them off Oigh-Sgeir. Later in the day, I was lucky enough to be hanging around doing stops when one cruised by and 5 mis later it came back. Amazing.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s258/snash_photo/Basker.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s258/snash_photo/basker2.jpg
You also get lots of porpoises and minke whales off the Small Islands as well.
Good to see a shot of the JDL fully rigged - when she was a dive charter I went out on her to St Kilda on 2 dive trips.
Snash
Good to see a shot of the JDL fully rigged - when she was a dive charter I went out on her to St Kilda on 2 dive trips.
I was sh1tting myself the first time I got sent up to the top sail to unfurl it. I was right out on the end as well. Sense of humour was bypassed there let me tell you. :o
If you go to www.sharktrust.org their is info on basking sharks as well as a list of recent sightings.
sound of mull area, coll, tiree
we swam with a couple of baby basking sharks 2 years ago at august time amazing was touching disatances then a couple of seals on the tapti (its right at a seal island)
couple of the clam divers at Ardnamurchan say theres a resident dolphin around the tiree area
the other one is the farne islands for seals
I think 2005 was one of the best years for baskings in scotland
there numbers have gone up
dive granny
21-08-07, 21:46
I was sh1tting myself the first time I got sent up to the top sail to unfurl it. I was right out on the end as well. Sense of humour was bypassed there let me tell you. :o
What I would give to go on a ship like that:) :) Always wanted to climb up to a crows nest:D Not so sure about getting back down though:D
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa140/regthing/basking1.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa140/regthing/basking2.jpg
dive granny
22-08-07, 20:23
Wow! They are pretty cool pics:D