BIG MOUTH / TINY FOOD

GIANTS OF THE BAY

I encountered my first basking shark as a 12 year old back in the early 1970's. That was at Abbey Island, Derrynane. I had been plunging to the depths on a single breath of air when upon one of the returns to the surface this great shadow passed me by. When I turned around it was the largest fish I had ever encountered. I knew it was a shark but I did not know what species. I quickly returned to the shore and watched mesmerised as its dorsal and tail fins slowly passed me by. In the year 2000, I would travel to the Galapagos Islands to film the Whale Shark, the largest fish in the sea. that was just plain outstanding. In the mid naughties I finally managed to film Ireland's largest fish, the iconic Basking shark.