Watch: Kayaker captures stunning basking sharks footage off Sliabh Liag

A kayaker has had a breathtakingly close encounter with basking sharks just off the coast of Donegal.

Roisin Watt allowed us to share her footage with our readers, but she wishes to stress the importance of not interfering in any with these magnificent creatures.

Basking sharks are among the largest fish in the world, second only to the whale shark. They move through the water with their huge, gaping mouths wide open, feeding on plankton. 

An adult weighs around five tonnes, and they can be solitary or seen in groups, as is the case in this video. Indeed, groups of more than 1,000 have been recorded off the coast of Canada. They are found across the North Atlantic from Europe to North America. 

Paddy Byrne of Sliabh Liag Boat Trips also reported seeing basking sharks in the area in recent days, taking to Facebook to share a video and to say: "The gentle giants are back."

And they have also been spotted and filmed by the Tory Ferry.

A post on the organisation's Facebook page simply reads: "The basking sharks have landed."

Basking sharks have been swimming the Atlantic for 30 million years and are still as enchanting as ever. They are the subject of numerous studies, particularly in light of their dependency on plankton and its relationship with the health of our seas. 

A notable sighting in the study of basking sharks took place off Donegal in October 2020. Michael Early was diving off Arranmore with Patrick McElroy, supported by coxswain Oscar Duffy when he found himself in the midst of 30 basking sharks. He captured the magical experience on video which can be seen here

The basking shark is classed as a protected wild animal in Irish waters under the Wildlife Act.