Those in Wales will have heard about the Porbeagle shark at Fishguard harbour, well I was there. Having received a report of bottle nose dolphins at Fishguard harbour from RBA we headed over on our way back to the caravan from haverfordwest. Immediatly upon parking the car a fin showed about 20-30m out. It took a few minutes to click that I was looking at a shark as I snapped away with the SLR. A crowd gathered rather quickly and wildlife trust volunteer with a camcorder turned up (you would have seen him on the news). immediatly upon realising that It was a shark I said, the dolphins must have drove it into the harbour, the person with the camcorder said exactly that on the news report (I don't mind, but he could at least not take the credit) Anyway, here's a snap shot of 'jaws'
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Porbeagle shark at Fishguard. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ant
- Start date
dantheman
Bah humbug
Nice one :t:
I saw the footage yesterday, down here in Kent on 'Newsround', so must have been nationwide on that program (kids news round up program).
Lots of schoolkids on camera, one saying his mum told him it was a 'Basking Shark'. I guess Porbeagle must have been much more unexpected, and unusual. Exciting stuff.
I saw the footage yesterday, down here in Kent on 'Newsround', so must have been nationwide on that program (kids news round up program).
Lots of schoolkids on camera, one saying his mum told him it was a 'Basking Shark'. I guess Porbeagle must have been much more unexpected, and unusual. Exciting stuff.
Hi Ant, I was the guy on the TV who filmed the shark! I am the director of Sea Trust. We have an office at the harbour and had been filming the Bottles from the outer breakwater which we have access to. As we were filming, some of our people told us there were also some Common Dolphins in the harbour. We left the Bottles to join up with our guys on the beach to see the Commons. In doing so we lucked in on the Porbeagle!
Sorry you think I was copying your thoughts but it was more a case of great minds thinking alike I suppose. Interestingly we had seen Porpoises on the far side of the breakwater, bottlenose dolphins at the harbour mouth and then a group of 4/5 common dolphins in the middle of the harbour. Happy to give you credit for getting the photo! Pity we did not get together 'cos that photo was /maybe still is worth money! If you are interested give me a bell on Fishguard 875639, allthingsgood,cliff
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ooh, I'm rather jealous. Would love to have seen that! (I take it it's not hanging around!)
I'll be looking for porbeagles this time next week (nr Bude) and if we find any I'll be jumping into a cage with them (they won't be in the cage with me). It's a trip put on by Richard Peirce of Shark Cornwall and we'll be trying our luck with blues the following week. Unfortunately it's all very weather-dependent and my trips were cancelled 3 times last yr. I just hope the low predicted to develop in the western approaches on thursday doesn't! If worse comes to worse there's always baskers off Porthgwarra visible from the clifftop - I see someone had 35+ a few days ago!
I'll be looking for porbeagles this time next week (nr Bude) and if we find any I'll be jumping into a cage with them (they won't be in the cage with me). It's a trip put on by Richard Peirce of Shark Cornwall and we'll be trying our luck with blues the following week. Unfortunately it's all very weather-dependent and my trips were cancelled 3 times last yr. I just hope the low predicted to develop in the western approaches on thursday doesn't! If worse comes to worse there's always baskers off Porthgwarra visible from the clifftop - I see someone had 35+ a few days ago!
Brilli Ant! Them feet look very familiar hmmm...so does the Fish. Some would say they are my best feature especially having seen the other end on their telly's. Sadly I blew any chance of getting any dosh for Sea Trust with my film as I gave it to the BBC without thinking- doh!
Seriously though, would love to see more of your shots. The Sun was offering up to £2,000 for any good pictures on Thursday since then people have used video Grabs from my film.
Looking at the different news sites it looks like the Shark Trust seems to be taking a lot of the credit, have you got any shots of ther Shoes?
link to film on BBC News site; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/7511212.stm allthingsgood,cliff
Seriously though, would love to see more of your shots. The Sun was offering up to £2,000 for any good pictures on Thursday since then people have used video Grabs from my film.
Looking at the different news sites it looks like the Shark Trust seems to be taking a lot of the credit, have you got any shots of ther Shoes?
link to film on BBC News site; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/7511212.stm allthingsgood,cliff
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Farnboro John
Well-known member
The shark looks a bit battered about the nose, maybe it has had a run in with those naughty Bottlenoses. Just hooligans, thats all they are, that Douglas Adams was right when he said never trust an animal that smiles all the time.....
John
John
Isurus
Well-known member
Be interested to hear how this goes - I did the blues/baskers trip the first year but would love to hear that the porbeagle trip works out well - after all there are plenty of places with good blue shark dives but this would be something else entirely!
you mean you actually got out?? (weather not looking ideal at this point in time)
Maybe we'll get an opportunity in British waters with your namesake, Isurus. That would be worth doing B
Maybe we'll get an opportunity in British waters with your namesake, Isurus. That would be worth doing B
Isurus
Well-known member
you mean you actually got out?? (weather not looking ideal at this point in time)
Maybe we'll get an opportunity in British waters with your namesake, Isurus. That would be worth doing B
yeah - we got cancelled once and went out the second time. The problem is you need pretty good conditions or the cage becomes unusable. We went without the cage and just hung on the line the bait was attached to but even in mildish seas that was hard work too (I'm fairly sure I may have hoofed the shark for example).
There is a review of our day out written by one of the other guys on it here:
http://expedition.sharksafaris.com/blog/UK/_archives/2006/8/27/2530656.html
Matt Prince
Sharkbait
Fingers crossed. Sea state slight
Jhanlon - if you are out tomorrow - I'll be seeing you on the boat, fingers crossed for the sharks. You'll have been told by now that we won't be using a cage :t: - lets hope the sharks don't mind.
Isurus - I was told earlier today that latest trip had a 'beagle hang around for a full hour..
..and for all those that saw the fishguard porby - you're very very lucky - not many peeps ever get to see these fish alive without a fishing line hanging out of its mouth..
Won't get any easier to see this endangered beast either - due to the greed of a few opportunistic fishermen :C
Jhanlon - if you are out tomorrow - I'll be seeing you on the boat, fingers crossed for the sharks. You'll have been told by now that we won't be using a cage :t: - lets hope the sharks don't mind.
Isurus - I was told earlier today that latest trip had a 'beagle hang around for a full hour..
..and for all those that saw the fishguard porby - you're very very lucky - not many peeps ever get to see these fish alive without a fishing line hanging out of its mouth..
Won't get any easier to see this endangered beast either - due to the greed of a few opportunistic fishermen :C
Matt Prince
Sharkbait
Shark Cornwall - porbeagle trips.
It turned out that the porby trip I had booked for, had changed to a blue trip - wires got crossed somewhere. In some ways just as well, because it turns out the 'beagle research for yesterday didn't have any joy at all, whereas our blue excursion turned up two - eventually!
Anyway, I spoke to Richard Pierce about porby trips and he doesn't want to offer them without a realistic chance of people at least seeing the sharks - and they are very skittish if people try and get in the water with them. He is still orchestrating tagging of porbeagles, and did say that if they had regular success with that they might lay on an extra day for paying pax - but with managed expectations of success. I for one would be up for it - even without a realistic chance of getting in the water, of course you've got to get out on the water first to even see the beasties! Of four attempted shark trips I've got out on one!
Anyway yesterday, I saw one bueatiful blue, two peeps made it in for a close encounter in the water - I sadly didn't get in - Interfering common dolphins scared sharky off :C . Added bonuses bonxie, manxies, loadsa stormies and a sabines gull:t:
It turned out that the porby trip I had booked for, had changed to a blue trip - wires got crossed somewhere. In some ways just as well, because it turns out the 'beagle research for yesterday didn't have any joy at all, whereas our blue excursion turned up two - eventually!
Anyway, I spoke to Richard Pierce about porby trips and he doesn't want to offer them without a realistic chance of people at least seeing the sharks - and they are very skittish if people try and get in the water with them. He is still orchestrating tagging of porbeagles, and did say that if they had regular success with that they might lay on an extra day for paying pax - but with managed expectations of success. I for one would be up for it - even without a realistic chance of getting in the water, of course you've got to get out on the water first to even see the beasties! Of four attempted shark trips I've got out on one!
Anyway yesterday, I saw one bueatiful blue, two peeps made it in for a close encounter in the water - I sadly didn't get in - Interfering common dolphins scared sharky off :C . Added bonuses bonxie, manxies, loadsa stormies and a sabines gull:t:
Isurus
Well-known member
That sounds to be similar to what I heard.
Sounds similar to our day - the dolphins were a real pain eh? Mammals and sharks don't seem to mix too well - I can remember lining up a lovely shot on a seven gill cow shark in SA when a mobbing seal bounced off its head and scared it off.
Matt Prince
Sharkbait
Division
Isurus - that has to be the definition of a shark nut, most 'sane' people will be hoping for a little mammalian company when faced with a potentially dangerous shark, only the obssessed pray that flipper and sammy stay away..
..at least up to the point that the shark moves from curiousity to really serious intent...
You've also put me in my place - its easy to be pretty well read about sharks - lets face it, their isn't that much well written about them - but its a lot harder to rack up in-the-water experience...
Hell, I'm having trouble finding catsharks!:eek!:
Isurus - that has to be the definition of a shark nut, most 'sane' people will be hoping for a little mammalian company when faced with a potentially dangerous shark, only the obssessed pray that flipper and sammy stay away..
..at least up to the point that the shark moves from curiousity to really serious intent...
You've also put me in my place - its easy to be pretty well read about sharks - lets face it, their isn't that much well written about them - but its a lot harder to rack up in-the-water experience...
Hell, I'm having trouble finding catsharks!:eek!:
Well we got out both days and had nil sharks in total. Very disappointing obviously (esp as the prev 3 trips were all successful). BUT I did find 2 Wilson's in amongst the chum then tried desperately to get a boat load of non-birders interested! At least one had a camera - only a 210mm lens tho' and he still hasn't sent me the pics.
Like you I THOUGHT it was a porbeagle trip but indeed, wires crossed and it was blues we went for. Richard is trying to do a one dayer for the porbies next yr if he gets success on the research trip. So now after 3 trips cancelled due to weather and 2 no-shows I'm trying again (for both) next yr.
Wouldn't mind seeing some more elasmobranchs in UK waters, even cat sharks, dogfish etc. Anyone know any good snorkelling spots?
BTW Richard's new book 'Sharks in British Seas' is a good read. It really lays out what he's trying to achieve and why this cage-diving thing is a good idea. Just hope it's not too late.
Like you I THOUGHT it was a porbeagle trip but indeed, wires crossed and it was blues we went for. Richard is trying to do a one dayer for the porbies next yr if he gets success on the research trip. So now after 3 trips cancelled due to weather and 2 no-shows I'm trying again (for both) next yr.
Wouldn't mind seeing some more elasmobranchs in UK waters, even cat sharks, dogfish etc. Anyone know any good snorkelling spots?
BTW Richard's new book 'Sharks in British Seas' is a good read. It really lays out what he's trying to achieve and why this cage-diving thing is a good idea. Just hope it's not too late.
Isurus
Well-known member
Cheers - the 7 gill dive is an awesome one. I wasn't remotely worried about them; it was the bigger fish that cruise just outside the kelp near capetown that worried me! I think my list is on 27 from memory (it should be one more but I fluffed the id on what in hindsight i'm convinced was a spotted gully shark on the same cow shark dive). Trying again for GWS in November (isla guadelupe) to round out the big 3. I still need both the british catsharks too!
