Swimming with Basking Sharks

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Welcome to Adventure Fix, the newsletter that helps you discover extraordinary journeys and experiences across the globe.

Today we are heading to Oban, Scotland to…

Swim with the second largest fish in the world, basking sharks.

You can see these creatures in many places, but Scotland’s coastal waters around the Inner Hebrides, Isle of Coll, and the Sound of Mull are considered some of the best sites to swim with basking sharks.

Swimming with Basking Sharks

Each year in July and August, basking sharks gather and feed in large numbers in the waters around Scotland.

The increased sunlight and water temps create plankton blooms. As filter feeders, plankton is a favorite food for basking sharks.

While feeding, these creatures come close to the surface, making seeing them much easier for snorkelers and divers.

Of course, there are no guarantees. Basking sharks don’t need to come to the surface to breathe like whales do and they can’t be baited.

But, when they do show up, it is an amazing sight to see.

Sometimes you can see over 100 basking sharks in one day. There’s nowhere else in the world you can see that.

Getting in the water with the world’s second-largest fish can seem intimidating, but these gentle giants are harmless.

Watch as they cruise along with their mouths gaped open sucking in plankton like a giant vacuum cleaner.

On the boat ride out, watch out for basking sharks leaping in the air. Some can breach as much as 4 feet out of the water!

There are lots of wildlife in this area of Scotland like sea otters, grey seals, dolphins, whales, and puffins.

Some longer tours take you out to see nearby sights like Fingal’s Cave, snorkel in the kelp forests, explore the islands, and swim with seals.

Explore More

If you would like to learn more, here are some links you can check out to get more information about swimming with basking sharks.

• Solstice: Scotland’s Basking Sharks (video)

• Basking Shark Scotland (blog)

How To Swim with Basking Sharks in Scotland

Most tours are based on the Isle of Coll, situated in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. To get to the island, take the Calmac ferry from Oban where your adventure starts.

Basking Shark Scotland is the top tour operator in the area. They are based in Oban and offer a variety of trips based on how much time you have and your interests.

Since the season is so short, tours tend to be booked out months in advance, so if this is an experience you want to have, be sure to book with plenty of time.

The best time to see basking sharks in Scotland is in the summer. The peak season is from June to September.