Connel Gresham was circled by a shark. Image: Connel Gresham/Facebook.
A paddleboarder and his partner have said they feel “incredibly lucky” after coming close to sharks in the Moray Firth.
Connel Gresham, from Shetland, and his partner headed to the Nairn on Thursday after hearing that basking sharks had been seen off the coast.
They paddled nearly 230ft off the coast and found themselves close to sharks, who circled them about four or five times.
Mr Gresham’s partner also saw the sharks. Image: Connel Gresham/Facebook.
Basking sharks are not considered dangerous to passive observer and are generally tolerant of divers and boats.
However, their sheer size and power should not be underestimated.
Speaking to STV, Mr Gresham said he feels “incredibly lucky”, adding: “We could see the sharks off the beach when we arrived. We slowly paddled out and then stopped about 70m (229ft) off the shore.
“There was a juvenile one initially that swam by and then we saw this big one further away making its way towards us.
Connel Gresham is from Shetland. Image: Connel Gresham/Facebook.
“It swam past us, turned, and swam away. It then circled us four or five times before heading away again.”
After the experience, Mr Gresham and his partner saw about 10 more sharks along the coast but decided to head back onshore.
Find out more about basking sharks in Scotland from our local expert:
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Paddleboarders circled by basking sharks in Moray Firth
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