Massive Shark Sighted Off Hampton Beach, But No Worries, It Doesn’t Have Teeth

Basking sharks are huge. Like 40 feet long huge.

I would not want to bump into one on a swim, but they are out there.

The latest sighting of a Basking shark was 8 miles offshore from Hampton beach, according to seacoastonline.com, and my body is not capable of swimming 8 miles, so I’m cool with these sharks.  And they don’t have teeth.

So far this year, fishermen have not reported any sightings of sharks dangerous to humans off Hampton beach other than a few Mako’s, and they are more than 8 miles out to sea, according to seacoastonline.com.

No Great Whites or Porbeagles. Those sharks are dining on schools of herring and whiting in the Gulf of Maine right now.

The Basking Shark is an amazing creature and has made a great comeback from nearly being overfished into extinction.  They were highly prized for their liver oil in the 1800s, according to seacoastonline.com.  They were easy prey for humans back in the day when we used their liver oil to light our lamps.  Fortunately for us, they just eat plankton, the article states.

Although to see these fish with their mouth open underwater feeding on plankton is terrifying, they pose no threat to humans. The second-largest fish in the ocean, they are spotted frequently basking in the sun off the coast of New England’s waters, according to seacoastonline.com.

Maybe that is why they are called “Basking Sharks.”

They can be as big as 40 feet long, the article states.

One safety tip provided by seacoastonline.com is to not swim in ocean waters if you see a seal.  Not only are they the Great White's favorite snack, and you could be mistaken for one, but apparently seals pose a risk of disease for us.

A sighting of a Basking shark off the coast at Hampton is just a reminder of how amazing the world is.  There are so many creatures we know so little about.  I was happy to learn of this fish called a shark that has no teeth. You learn something every day.