Dark fin off Wexford coast

shivermetimber

Was down on the beach last weekend just north of the Blackwater stretch and spotted an fin in the water about 100m out. I know this stretch has plenty of seals, they are quite friendly and see them all the time so it definitely wasn't them. No binoculars or zoom camera but could clearly see the dorsal fin for a minute or two at a time at that distance and guesstimate it was around 1-2ft and dark in colour. Didn't see a tail fin at any stage and no body but it was quite windy that day so waves were strong. It was on it's own and not swimming in a fashion I'd associate with dolphin or porpoise, it was lurking and staying in spot before disappearing and reappearing a few times. I'm thinking blue shark or thresher maybe? Any ideas?

dodderangler

shivermetimber wrote: »

Was down on the beach last weekend just north of the Blackwater stretch and spotted an fin in the water about 100m out. I know this stretch has plenty of seals, they are quite friendly and see them all the time so it definitely wasn't them. No binoculars or zoom camera but could clearly see the dorsal fin for a minute or two at a time at that distance and guesstimate it was around 1-2ft and dark in colour. Didn't see a tail fin at any stage and no body but it was quite windy that day so waves were strong. It was on it's own and not swimming in a fashion I'd associate with dolphin or porpoise, it was lurking and staying in spot before disappearing and reappearing a few times. I'm thinking blue shark or thresher maybe? Any ideas?

Dolphin or porpoise?

CeilingFly

probably a Basking Shark - fairly common to be seen off Irish coasts.

https://www.irelandswildlife.com/first-basking-sharks-and-humpback-whales-ireland/

dodderangler

CeilingFly wrote: »

probably a Basking Shark - fairly common to be seen off Irish coasts.

https://www.irelandswildlife.com/first-basking-sharks-and-humpback-whales-ireland/

Not so much down that way. That's why I didn't say basking shark. You'd also see the rear fin aswell

shivermetimber

dodderangler wrote: »

Dolphin or porpoise?

Wasn't swimming like any I've seen before, no real movement to it as it just hovered in the same place a few times. Plus it would be unusual to see one solo no?

HeidiHeidi

dodderangler wrote: »

Not so much down that way. That's why I didn't say basking shark. You'd also see the rear fin aswell

I've only seen basking sharks once - off Scotland - but there was only one dorsal fin, no rear fin showing. They were also like you described - just hovering there, not really moving at all.

OBaoghil.7

Basking sharks are fairly common but as you quite rightly state, you would usually see the tail fin when its meandering. It could be a Blue shark. We have had a very hot summer and the water is warm. It is these conditions that bring these sharks closer to our shores. The Sun fish is another Ocean fish that seem to come close to us when the temerature increases. They too have a large dorsal like fin and they are slow moving fish.

shivermetimber

OBaoghil.7 wrote: »

Basking sharks are fairly common but as you quite rightly state, you would usually see the tail fin when its meandering. It could be a Blue shark. We have had a very hot summer and the water is warm. It is these conditions that bring these sharks closer to our shores. The Sun fish is another Ocean fish that seem to come close to us when the temerature increases. They too have a large dorsal like fin and they are slow moving fish.

Sun fish is a good shout, didn't realise we had them. Would explain the lack of tail fin and they do see to get big enough.

Mickeroo

shivermetimber wrote: »

Wasn't swimming like any I've seen before, no real movement to it as it just hovered in the same place a few times. Plus it would be unusual to see one solo no?

That really makes it sound like the head of a seal popping up to me, though you're fairly certain it wasn't a seal by the sounds of it.

dodderangler

OBaoghil.7 wrote: »

Basking sharks are fairly common but as you quite rightly state, you would usually see the tail fin when its meandering. It could be a Blue shark. We have had a very hot summer and the water is warm. It is these conditions that bring these sharks closer to our shores. The Sun fish is another Ocean fish that seem to come close to us when the temerature increases. They too have a large dorsal like fin and they are slow moving fish.

Hot weather doesn't mean the water is warmer. Water temperature is same as it normally is this time of year every year. Water temp comes from the currents from Atlantic etc etc.
Or so I'm told.

OBaoghil.7

dodderangler wrote: »

Hot weather doesn't mean the water is warmer. Water temperature is same as it normally is this time of year every year. Water temp comes from the currents from Atlantic etc etc.
Or so I'm told.

The Gulf stream means we have a steady stream of warm water continually around Ireland and the british Isles but the temperature of the water does vary between winter and summer and the temperature of the water will rise even further if we have long periods of hot weather as we have this summer and say "76". The difference in temps doesnt have to great to bring the ocean fish close to our shores. It is significant.

Mickeroo

Water temps in winter here are around 8 degrees if I remember right, summer goes up to about 14 or so I think. Water tends to be at it's warmest around September/early October and at it's coldest in April or so.

wexandproud

shivermetimber wrote: »

Was down on the beach last weekend just north of the Blackwater stretch and spotted an fin in the water about 100m out. I know this stretch has plenty of seals, they are quite friendly and see them all the time so it definitely wasn't them. No binoculars or zoom camera but could clearly see the dorsal fin for a minute or two at a time at that distance and guesstimate it was around 1-2ft and dark in colour. Didn't see a tail fin at any stage and no body but it was quite windy that day so waves were strong. It was on it's own and not swimming in a fashion I'd associate with dolphin or porpoise, it was lurking and staying in spot before disappearing and reappearing a few times. I'm thinking blue shark or thresher maybe? Any ideas?

sounds like a basking shark . would be difficult to see the tail if the water is a bit choppy .There have been plenty of them spotted down here in the past couple of weeks . Sunfish would be a slight possibility but haven't seen or heard of one for a couple of years