BASKING SHARKS AND DOLPHINS AND PUFFINS

[martinguilfoyle]

Last weekend while paddling in the Inis Oirr and Inis Meain area of the Aran Islands we spotted a Basking shark about 70m off the light house at Inis oirr..We continued our trip to Inis Meain and returned by the inside of Inis Oirr and met what I presume was the same guy just at the pier where the ferry pulls in. He was within 15m of us and probably a lot closer to one of the party. There was over 100 sighted off loop head by the IWDG.
We had many puffins in attendance on the trip. On returning to Doolin we met a dolphin an dshe came very close inshore We were stood in 0.75m of water and she would swim up to you. I have a few short shots of her and peter but cannot put them up.

Martin Guilfoyle

[alanhorner]

Dolphins, Basking Sharks & Puffins also spotted in around Skelligs & Puffin Island March 28th last
Alan

[eddieoshea]

We also had a close encounter with Basking Sharks near Inishnsbro, Blaskets last weekend.
A first for me was a pod of 15 - 20 common dolphins riding the bow wave of the kayaks . They stayed with us for 15 - 20 minutes. What a geart experience.

Here\'s a link to some more photos.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1031141253 ... 9887027426 [img size=800]http://www.irishseakayakingassociation. ... 40113b.jpg[/img]Post edited by: eddieoshea, at: 2012/04/06 01:48

[conormurray]

It was quite unbelievable really. 3 Basking sharks and 1 Minke whale on Saturday. 3 seperate pods of common dolpins on Sunday + one more close up with a giant basking shark, easily 6 metres long + one more Minke whale.
The bow riding common dolphins were incredible as up to 5 would breach at the same time, only inches from the kayak. I even got a tail slap on one occasion!!!!
[img size=800]http://www.irishseakayakingassociation. ... common.jpg[/img]Post edited by: conormurray, at: 2012/04/06 08:59

[conormurray]

I put my camera under the kayak and hoped for the best...


[img size=800]http://www.irishseakayakingassociation. ... /dolph.jpg[/img]Post edited by: conormurray, at: 2012/04/06 09:08

[conormurray]

Basking shark wth nose, dorsal fin and tail fin all showing..

[img size=800]http://www.irishseakayakingassociation. ... asking.jpg[/img]

[johnbrophy]

Those are some great shots. Hugely jealous. Have yet to bump into a basking shark.

John

[Maurice]

Wow, Conor!!!! By all accounts 2011 was a great kayak year for you, it now looks like 2012 will out strip that by far!! Congrats on this experience..... Maurice.

[conormurray]

Yes Maurice, it\'s been an incredible start and a little surreal to be honest.
From the humback off hook head, to thousands of guillemots off Lambay, tide races off Wicklow and the absolutely incredible display off the blaskets, I\'m not sure where the rest of the year will be like, but needless to say, there are one or two more itches to be scratched!!!!!!

Just a note on the Basking sharks around Inisnabro and Inisvickillane - based on our report and others along the west coast, the Basking shark group headed out from Dingle and successfully tagged 10 sharks and recorded one \'monster\', 9 metres long! So keep on reporting sightings, no matter how small.

ECSKC are hosting a slideshow and talk by Padraig Whooley of Whalewatch Ireland on Thursday 12th April, which will include some ariel photos taken by the air corps of the same basking sharks off the Blaskets, and the recent Humpback whale sightings off Hook Head, so that should be very interesting.
Cheers,
Conor