It’s that time of year again – basking sharks are back on the West Cork coast
16:54, 06 May 2026Updated 17:01, 06 May 2026
Baltimore Sea Safari, basking sharks watching off Baltimore in West Cork yesterday(Image: Baltimore Sea Safari)
Some very lucky whale watchers got an incredible encounter with some huge basking sharks right up next to their boat, just outside Baltimore Harbour this week.
Baltimore Sea Safari brought a group of people out on one of their routine wildlife spotting trips, and they had a magical experience when the basking sharks came over for their own look!
There were at least four sharks in the water, coming into very close contact with the tour group, giving them photos, videos, and memories that should last a long time.
The Basking Sharks are truly gentle giants – although they can grow to up to ten or even 12 meters in length, they feed only on plankton, moving slowly through the water, close to the surface, with their huge mouths open as they sieve massive amounts of water.
The sharks represent a real bright spot in the story of Ireland’s seas. After decades in which they were hunted – or came to a sad end in the drift nets that were finally banned in 2007- the Basking Shark population appears to have made a major rebound from perilously low levels.
And they are now very well protected – as of October 2022, basking sharks are fully protected in Irish waters under Section 23 of the Wildlife Act. It is now illegal to hunt, injure, or willfully interfere with their breeding or resting places, and it is an offense to chase, harass, or disturb them, with penalties for violations.
West Cork is now gearing up for a very busy whale-watching season, and many thousands of visitors are expected to be out on the waters looking for their own encounters over the coming months.