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Basking
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Peel bound: Manx Independent reader Ian Judd took these photographs from his kayak off Contrary Head on Sunday morning
THESE stunning photographs of basking sharks in waters off Contrary Head were taken by Manx Independent reader Ian Judd.
The 43-year-old Spanish teacher, who works at Ramsey Grammar School, was out kayaking on Sunday when he noticed the creatures feeding.
‘It was a sublime Sunday morning with no wind and no boats out when about three-quarters-of-a-mile off Contrary Head I noticed a fin of a basking shark,’ said Mr Judd, who lives in Peel with his wife and baby daughter.
‘Within an hour I was lucky to be in the middle of six sharks which were nonchalantly feeding between a mile and a mile-and-a-half off Contrary Head along with a solitary harbour porpoise whose gasps of air when it surfaced broke the ghostly silence.
‘In addition I was lucky enough to see two medium sized sharks swimming nose to tail and in circles as if displaying a courtship ritual.’
It was a memorable encounter for the keen diver and kayaker, who has a strong interest in marine life and has spent a lot of time diving with great whites to hammerheads worldwide.
‘I have seen many, many basking sharks over the last seven years but I was extremely made up as basking sharks have been few and far between this summer,’ he said.
‘The previous day I had seen a shark breach full out of the water just 30m from me – I have never witnessed this so close and it’s a memory that will always live with me.’
Ian submitted a report on the sighting to www.manxbaskingsharkwatch.com
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Weather for Isle of Man
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: North west
