Swimming with sharks!

Stage 2 students diving as part of their undergraduate course just south of Plymouth Breakwater last week were lucky enough to have a visit from a large adult basking shark during the end of course intensive training period. Estimated at over 6 metres in length Basking Sharks feed just under the surface mainly on plankton and are quite harmless to divers.

"Just as we were ascending from our diving assessment we could see a large dark shape coming towards us.  It was fantastic as a huge mouth opened as it came out of the gloom" said one of the undergraduates. 

"It wasn't quite as scary as our diving instructor though!"  another added cheekily...

The instructor did manage to catch some video of their once in a lifetime experience.  Click on the image to watch the clip.