This amazing video captures the moment a shark measuring 12 feet long is discovered off the coast of Wales.
The big fish may be seen drifting slowly in waist-deep water close to Tenby, a well-known tourist destination in Pembrokeshire.
A local Tenby sailing club member named Alex Brace captured the footage while standing in the ocean docking a boat.
Alex told WalesOnline, “We had just gotten back in and were in ankle-deep water when we discovered it.”
“My companion was standing behind me, and we could just make out these fins in the water, then we realized it was a shark after a few seconds.”
It stayed close to us for perhaps two or three minutes before moving in the direction of Saundersfoot.
Its overall length must have been close to 12 feet because the space between each of its fins was approximately five to six feet.
“I spoke to a couple others and showed them the footage, and they thought it was probably a basking shark given the manner it was going.
That’s the first one I’ve seen, said Alex, who resides in Tenby and owns Alex Brace Bike Mechanic in Saundersfoot.
In the waters in and around Tenby, Alex, a frequent visitor, continued, “We do see porpoises and seals, but normally not sharks.”
I’ve talked to a few of the other local boaters, and they stated it’s unusual to see one.
It was probably only in water that was waist deep or less. Really, it was rather fantastic.
After the enormous whale shark, basking sharks are the second largest species of shark.
Although most basking sharks are between 22 and 29 feet long, they can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh a whopping 5,200 kg when they are an adult.
Despite their large size, basking sharks do not represent a threat to people since they are slow-moving filter feeders who depend on the zooplankton, a type of aquatic microbe.
The world’s temperate oceans, including the coastal waters of the UK in the summer, are home to the sharks, which are considered a vulnerable species.
Around southwest England, Wales, and the west coast of Scotland, more sightings have been reported.
The Scottish Hebrides’ Isle of Skye and Isle of Mull, as well as the Isle of Man, Devon, and Cornwall, are their hotspots.