Wales: Huge shark spotted near Tenby North beach
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Alex Nel, 32, began to film the strange occurrence on his smartphone when he noticed a shark fin jutting out of the water and heading towards his fishing boat. In the video, Mr Nel can be heard shouting: “What the f**k is that?” before adding “It’s a f**king shark”.
The shocked dairy farmer was on a weekend fishing trip near Strumble Head in Cardigan Bay, Pembrokeshire when he saw the shark on Saturday.
The area is known for its rich sea life as the area is surrounded by water that has travelled from the Caribbean via the Gulf stream.
These waters bring nutrients that attract a variety of marine visitors.
Mr Nel later wrote on social media that he was “Sorry about the language” he used in the video.
He continued to say: “I was a little surprised to see a basking just casually swimming across the surface of the sea.”
The fisherman was at sea with a friend when he saw the giant shark near the shore of a popular beach.
He describes the event, saying: “We had just come back in and we were in ankle-deep water when we spotted it.
“My friend was standing behind me and we could just see these fins in the water, and a couple of seconds later we realised it was a shark.
“It was near us for a good two or three minutes and then it started heading off towards Saundersfoot.”
He says that the shark was only two feet shorter than the 16ft fishing boat he was on.
Despite the shark’s scary appearance, the fisherman believes the shark he saw was a basking shark, which is very often seen in the UK.
It’s estimated that basking sharks can grow up to 36ft and they are the second biggest species of fish after whale sharks.
However, basking sharks over 33ft is a rare sight in 2022 as overfishing has greatly reduced their population.
They are classified as endangered species and are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park says the basking shark is the largest creature to visit the park’s coast.
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They estimate that this type of shark’s size is “as large and heavy as a double-decker bus”.
However, they also state the shark lives entirely on plankton, microscopic plants, and animals, making it harmless to humans.
According to Wildlife Trust, little is known about the basking shark, and what is known is due to satellite tracking.
It is common to see the basking shark in British waters during the summer between May and September, and are often spotted in the Irish Sea near the Isle of Man.
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