Blue shark encounter while digging lug (yes, that's right)

best photo ive ever seen on the site

id say it was a unreal experience

james were you tempted at all to grab a rod and do a bit of "pretending"

fantastic story and pics, thankyou for sharing, well done.

james were you tempted at all to grab a rod and do a bit of "pretending"

Seanie, I was very tempted

Amazing... but I can safely say as a freediver and spearfisherman.... H@LY SH!!!!€€€T

I was only diving there last saturday for scallops!!

james were you tempted at all to grab a rod and do a bit of "pretending"

You beat me to it

best photo ive ever seen on the site

id say it was a unreal experience

i totally agree...

I thought you were looking for bait. Never heard of a shark flapper?

best photo ive ever seen on the site

id say it was a unreal experience

The funny thing here is that I was once in Santa Monica, California, and all over the pier there are signs telling anglers not to throw scrap bait into the sea. Couldn't make any sense of it until I realized they were afraid of drawing in Great Whites. At the time, I thought "there's one thing you needn't worry about in Ireland."

Not so sure now ...

Hmmmmm

Just an opinion, but those photos look fake to me. The shark looks like it hasn't budged at all in any of the 3 pics but they are taken from different angles. This is strange as the shark would need to keep moving in order to breathe. If it was stranded it would thrash around struggling to free itself. It also looks a lot shallower immediately behind the fish, in fact impassible for that fish and it appears that the photos were staged.

They are however, good photos!!!

the shark would need to keep moving in order to breathe

thats not true, its a common misconception but was proved to be untrue by famous marine bioligists and shark fanatics Ron and Valerie Taylor when they shot footage of several different species of sharks lying motionless on the bottom, almost looked like they were sleeping.

well man what can i say.. it is one in a like time photos.. well done ,, as history goes on this site you will always have the one or two that say it is not possable.... but ha you know best you where there not us.....you should give the aptartment name a mention you might get a free weekend end out of it..........

Hmmmmm

Just an opinion, but those photos look fake to me. The shark looks like it hasn't budged at all in any of the 3 pics but they are taken from different angles. This is strange as the shark would need to keep moving in order to breathe. If it was stranded it would thrash around struggling to free itself. It also looks a lot shallower immediately behind the fish, in fact impassible for that fish and it appears that the photos were staged.

They are however, good photos!!!

Conor, I'm not going to let myself get wound up by this, considering what your comment implies about my motives, so let me say it clearly: the photos are not staged. The shark hasn't moved because while I was up close to it, it stayed stock still. Much of the darkness in the slightly deeper water is sediment stirred up by the shark thrashing about after it beached itself. And for the record, just because a fish is facing a given direction doesn't mean it came from that direction. It came in from the left, hit the shallow, and beached itself as it turned. Doubtless it was panicked about the dolphins, which is probably why it was there in the first place. See the pic below for more detail on the place of the shark in the harbour.

I recognise that people will be sceptical, given how unusual something like this is. However, I'm not going to explain myself again on this issue. I put up the pictures in good faith, and I would hope that they will be treated in the same way.

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theres always one.......

Hmmmmm

Just an opinion, but those photos look fake to me. The shark looks like it hasn't budged at all in any of the 3 pics but they are taken from different angles. This is strange as the shark would need to keep moving in order to breathe. If it was stranded it would thrash around struggling to free itself. It also looks a lot shallower immediately behind the fish, in fact impassible for that fish and it appears that the photos were staged.

They are however, good photos!!!

Hmmmmm

Just an opinion, but those photos look fake to me. The shark looks like it hasn't budged at all in any of the 3 pics but they are taken from different angles. This is strange as the shark would need to keep moving in order to breathe. If it was stranded it would thrash around struggling to free itself. It also looks a lot shallower immediately behind the fish, in fact impassible for that fish and it appears that the photos were staged.

They are however, good photos!!!

For god's sake Conor. Why the hell would he stage it? I think you owe him an apology.

Conor, I'm not going to let myself get wound up by this, considering what your comment implies about my motives, so let me say it clearly: the photos are not staged. The shark hasn't moved because while I was up close to it, it stayed stock still. Much of the darkness in the slightly deeper water is sediment stirred up by the shark thrashing about after it beached itself. And for the record, just because a fish is facing a given direction doesn't mean it came from that direction. It came in from the left, hit the shallow, and beached itself as it turned. Doubtless it was panicked about the dolphins, which is probably why it was there in the first place. See the pic below for more detail on the place of the shark in the harbour.

I recognise that people will be sceptical, given how unusual something like this is. However, I'm not going to explain myself again on this issue. I put up the pictures in good faith, and I would hope that they will be treated in the same way.

Fab pic!!
Without seeing the shark it would look perfect for a nice swim with the kids....
I gotta show my daughter this, she will never paddle again

Brilliant. Definitly one of those sights you'll never forget. I always considered digging bait a rather dull experience but I'd sh*t myself if i saw that!!!! Nice one lodore.

As has already been said, once in a life time photos and experience.............why am I never that lucky

I'd have been tempted to get in and give him/her a helping hand back to sea.

Did you send a report to any of the news stations ?

Dont mind the knockers, cant keep everybody happy all of the time

As donnybrock says, the pics will scare a few kids for sure.

I remember fishing a dublin bass mark the year before last, I was rather p*ssed at the fact a bunch of junior leaving cert kids were swimming and larking around within 20 ft of me...........I hooked into a fish that I was sure was a double figure bass as it was running with such power, I was not quite as suprised as the kids when I landed a fiesty 4lb baby shark (which was a smoothound).

Needless to say I dont think they will be swimming there again in a hurry when I told them this was only a baby compared the the 10ft monsters often caught there

that area looks very very fishy

maybe i,ve been casting too far thats got to be the madest thing ever! alot of lads would have picked it up for a trophy shot
the funny thing is people would prob believe a phoney report saying you hooked it while tope fishing rather than the fact you told the truth