Mal Kellys account of what he thinks might be a pair of mating basking sharks

Mal Kellys account of what he thinks might be a pair of mating basking sharks off Contrary Head, Peel, Isle of Man, July 6th 2008. Mal runs the boat Fiollan Beg out of Peel. Three or four pairs were in close courtship (nose to tail following at less than one quarter of a shark body length) about half a mile off Contrary Head for possibly two hours, feeding but obviously teasing. Suddenly one pair started thrashing about in the water, very close together, with one tail coming completely out of the water.

That was the most action but the water was agitated under the surface for up to a minute after with obvious action just under the surface. This was all taking place in a small area just 20m from the boat. At the conclusion the pair swam of in courting formation as before but started swimming South which suggested to me that this area off Contrary maybe a favourite courtship area. I have seen them here before. The pair I reported doing the same thing about three weeks ago were just inside this area.