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Lunchtime bathers in Cork today got a visit from massive basking shark

No need to panic though, these sharks are veggies.

10489189_863397720355728_1319447274_n Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape. Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape.

“WE’RE GOING TO need a bigger boat.” This is something that the kayakers down at South Harbour could have been saying today as a giant basking shark decided to pay a visit to the bay.

While swimmers and kayakers were out enjoying the summer sun, the basking shark decided to take a closer look at what was going on.

Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Cape Clear Ferry and Fastnet Tours Cape said the giant visitor came into the bay at about 1.20pm.

10422768_863397730355727_82763008_o Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape. Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape.

The shark was “curious” she said and was “not perturbed” by the swimmers and kayakers nearby.

“I was just there in the right place at the right time to catch the whole thing on my Samsung phone,” she said.

She told TheJournal.ie that basking sharks often visit the bay, but that there are rarely people actually swimming alongside them. The video can be seen here.

10461919_863397723689061_982678631_n Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape. Best photos of Baltimore Ireland and Niamh Ni Driscoiel of Fastnet Tours Cape.

“The water was so calm and clear today so you could see everything. It is rare to see people alongside the sharks, it really puts their scale into perspective,” said Ni Driscoiel.

“The shark was happy enough to play along with the swimmers and there was nothing to worry about as basking sharks are vegetarians, they only feed on plankton,” she said. Phew!

Read: Despite what you may have heard, great white sharks are NOT at risk of extinction>

Read: Incredible photo captures huge shark approaching swimmer off Kerry beach>

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53 Comments
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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:23 PM

    I would be confident that I still would soil myself nonetheless.

    1523
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    Mute Mickey finn
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:28 PM

    When u first got into the freezing cold water

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:30 PM

    If it was that cold I can guarantee I wouldn’t be in it!

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:49 PM

    confident to soil oneself?!! – trying to decipher which is more disturbing, your comment or your 100 likes!!

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:09 PM

    soils oneself, present participle soiling oneself, simple past and past participle soiled oneself

    12
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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:24 PM

    Irish people are forever thinking of themselves, even whereby sharks are concerned….

    19
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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:30 PM

    a beautiful tranquil happening & the general consensus flows toward fear & the anticipation of one soiling oneself. Ireland s full of people soiling themselves…constant flow of fools who never taste a shark..

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    Mute ✨ Shnarp ✨
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:36 PM

    Having a conversation with yourself there Michael…

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:39 PM

    lol..thanks Shnarp…kind off, yes

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:44 PM

    but hey, I do not advocate the word hysteria..the prime minister, that’s his word of the week, an awful word when you think of it; but does work for sharks, soiling oneself and the general Irish way of thinking..must go walk the dogs, they’re two otters in the Liffey I’m hoping to catch a glimpse off

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    Mute Dervy O' S
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    Jun 17th 2014, 9:54 PM

    Clearly Michael forgot to take his meds!

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    Mute Ava Emc
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:17 PM

    So would I. I never knew there were “Veggie” sharks. Thought they were all meat eaters

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    Mute Tony Gregan
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Everything alright there mike?

    69
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    Mute Bevinreilly
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:28 PM

    It’s more that they eat plankton, which is a mix of little sea plants and animals. The Sharks swim around with their big gobs open all the time…Kinda like Michael there.

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    Mute paulanthony
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:37 PM

    Basking shark are not “Veggies”or vegetarian even. it’s true they feed on plankton, but plankton spawns are predominately invertebrates.

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    Mute Gabriel Lardner
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:40 PM

    Class. Big gob open. Like Michael. Ha!

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:55 PM

    Baskin shark spotted…. Long brown cloud that suddenly appeared behind Mr deluvio seemed to warn off the beast and swimmers!!

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 17th 2014, 11:34 PM

    @Dervy O’ S – “Clearly Michael forgot to take his meds!” – dervla, oh Dear Dervla, you see, sometimes I merely see things that others do not see! Your derogatory, labeling comment may well be liked by the 77 people, there is however one or two who know that you are a rather chubby girl, who’s life’s focus is upon giggling & making snide comments. Your nothing but a chubby girl from Meath or some place, and that is your story, now go handcuff yourself to a treadmill and pant your opinions away…You sum up my whole point

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    Mute Brendan Quinn
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    Jun 17th 2014, 11:38 PM

    *kind of

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    Mute Brendan Quinn
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    Jun 17th 2014, 11:38 PM

    *glimpse of

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 18th 2014, 12:07 AM

    Michael, you seem to be great craic altogether. I can only surmise from your wit, grammatical precision and heightened appreciation for nature’s wonders that you are indeed the “Go To” guy for a great night out. The women must be throwing themselves at you.

    We should be friends.

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 18th 2014, 12:40 AM

    sure, on one condition…that you do not go soiling yourself?!

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 18th 2014, 12:52 AM

    Promise not to float around me for the night with your mouth open?

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 18th 2014, 1:03 AM

    we would not like the same night out. you like chasing popularity – I like rescuing dogs.
    You go gooey over Sharon Ní Bheoláin – I sip coffee over Toiréasa Ferris. if the four of us were approached in the water by a great white shark, you would soil yourself, as you say above????!! ..anyways this thread is dead!

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 18th 2014, 1:17 AM

    Insightful. I can’t help it if I’m loved. What has drinking coffee with a gun runners daughter got to do with anything?
    Enjoy your alone time Hand Solo.

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    Mute Michael Brady
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    Jun 18th 2014, 1:23 AM

    your loved for soiling yourself…I’m not loved for not soiling myself…I can live with that Summer flower

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    Mute Keith Ó Domhnaill
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:32 PM

    Sneaky Samsung advert thrown in there too I see. Well played.

    298
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    Mute James St John Smith
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:31 PM

    “Catch the whole thing on my Samsung phone” … jaysus.

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:38 PM

    Only thing that I remember from the entire article! So out of place!

    188
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    Mute Pauliebhoy
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:44 PM

    Congrats Ted for not typing Plaice

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    Mute Simon Bevis
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    Jun 17th 2014, 9:58 PM

    You’re giving me a haddock.

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    Mute P O Leary
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:33 PM

    What an experience it would have been to be swimming beside this shark. Even though they are harmless id say the old ticker would skip a few beats if this swam up to me……

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    Mute Tom Fennelly
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:48 PM

    its a pity it wasn’t captured on a JVC CX-100 Camcorder instead of a rubbish Samsung phone !

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:31 PM

    Harmless creature, used to row right up against these as a kid in Cork harbour many years ago

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    Mute Murph11
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:33 PM

    If I was swiming there , I reckon there would be a major oil slick. V embarrassing for all those involved!

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    Mute Lára de Siúin
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:30 PM

    Squeaky bum!!!!

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    Mute William O'Shea
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    Jun 17th 2014, 9:16 PM

    Lol can’t help chuckling at the idea of a “veggie” shark!

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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    Jun 17th 2014, 9:55 PM

    Wow, looks stunning, love to have been there

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    Mute Pauliebhoy
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:43 PM

    Pffftttt! Call yourself King of the Jungle?

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    Mute Flash Gordon
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:46 PM

    Pretty small for a basking shark – must be a juvenile . Say it’s max a 10 footer!

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    Mute Vincent Knight
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:09 PM

    Yup, that’s only a baby, seen them twice that size off connemara

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    Mute Weddingcar Ie Wexford Limo
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:58 PM

    It was massive Boy !!

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    Mute Lovely weather
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    Jun 17th 2014, 11:49 PM

    Such a difference to what the fate is of whales and dolphins entering the waters off the Faroe Islands beginning tomorrow. Google Grind Faroe Islands to see the sickening reality. It’ll be broadcast live each day on sea shepherd.org. (Those of TV program ‘Whale Wars’ fame).

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    Mute Amanda Melia
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    Jun 17th 2014, 9:26 PM

    You would think it would of been in more fear of us considering were meat eaters mmmm

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    Mute Zossima
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    Jun 17th 2014, 10:31 PM

    I had to work today, and tomorrow

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    Mute Dylan Kearns
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    Jun 17th 2014, 11:17 PM

    Hey, make sure you get my beard in at an angle so people can see that i have a beard like everyone else.

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    Mute Tricia Sheehan
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    Jun 18th 2014, 1:08 AM

    As a kayaker it would be a wow to be in the water with a basking shark, those lucky Baltimore folk. .. It’s a rush to kayak with a dolphin dancing around you but the sheer size of the basking shark would be amazing. ..

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    Mute Jpf
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:21 PM

    I know a good fish monger!

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    Mute Frank
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:33 PM

    Its a scare monger we want.

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    Mute Jpf
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    Jun 17th 2014, 7:44 PM

    There boring sharks ,a great white would be cool!

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    Mute Bevinreilly
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:15 PM

    Jpf, are you directing the boring Sharks? Where should they go?

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    Mute Frank
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:25 PM

    There would be no fun in it..

    Great White Sharks are now electonically tagged.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/great-white-shark-tracked-1-200kms-off-irish-coast-1.1719286

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    Mute Jpf
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:28 PM

    So are humans :-)

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    Mute Gavin O'Brien
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:43 PM

    Apparently he demanded money from bathers before he left ……… He was. Loan Shark !!

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    Mute Gavin O'Brien
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    Jun 17th 2014, 8:33 PM

    Apparently the shark demanded money from bathers before he left …………. He was a Loan Shark !

    1
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