Boat trippers got a treat in the incredible weather this weekend: one of the world’s largest sharks was spotted off Faro, and a minke whale was caught on camera a little further west near Carvoeiro.
Neither animal poses any danger to the public and thus their sightings were “thrill moments” for all concerned.
The basking shark, described as around seven metres long, was filmed by sports fisherman Pedro Gonçalves, apparently out on the water with friends.
Basking sharks are regular visitors off the Algarve coast, it is just ‘rare’ for people to get quite so close to them.
They are described as “slow-moving filter feeders” due to their habit of feeding at the surface, appearing to be basking in warm weather.
Minke whales (translated in Portuguese as ‘dwarf whales) are also known to be present in the Algarve’s waters, though not usually so easily seen.
This one – also around seven to eight metres long – was photographed close to the Alfazinha lighthouse, off Carvoeiro, by ‘dolphin watching’ firm X-Ride which has uploaded a clip onto its Facebook page, saying: “We started the weekend the best way …”
