Sunfish

George’s boat Non Pareil

Basking shark

Puffins

The Sunfish is named after their habit of ‘sunbathing’ on the surface of the sea. These ocean wanderers can grow to be several metres across but feed almost exclusively on jellyfish. They are native to tropical seas but are occasionally seen around the British Isles although usually much later in the summer. George Guille recalls seeing a basking shark: “The sea was really calm,” explains George, “so at first I noticed just the shark’s fin on the surface but when we got closer we could see that it was feeding with its mouth wide open and the tip of its nose out of the water. We watched it gliding around just below the surface. Magical!” (For those who enjoy swimming in the sea around Sark there’s no need to panic – basking sharks are the original gentle giants, feeding only on plankton.) While such unusual wildlife encounters can never be guaranteed, there are always stunning views of Sark’s coast to be enjoyed from George’s boat and during the summer sightings of peregrines, puffins, guillemots and razorbills as well as other seabirds, and even dolphins are common. The trip takes about three hours and can be booked by calling George on 01481 832107.