Wildlife 'nut' Rupert's dream becomes real

By ksmith

A SELF-CONFESSED wildlife nut has snapped his dream picture after finding himself surrounded by five monster sharks.

Vet Rupert Kirkwood from Holsworthy was canoeing just off the Cornish coast at Land's End when he saw big black fins belonging to 20ft beasts circling his kayak.

Recognising them as harmless basking sharks, Rupert, 49, stuck his waterproof camera under the water and hoped for the best.

He said: "I do a lot of sea kayaking and am canoeing the entire South West coast line.

"I was about 20 yards from the shore off Land's End when I found myself in the middle of a feeding circle of basking sharks.

"The first thing I saw was the big black fins. They were circling around feeding on plankton and were right under me. They came to me, I didn't go to them.

"I was not nervous as they are slow, gentle creatures. I had a small waterproof digital camera with me and stuck it under the water.

"They were so obliging and slow with these extraordinarily big mouths.

"I was amazed at the pictures — it has always been a dream of mine to get a picture like that."

Rupert, who is a partner at Penbode Veterinary Practice in Holsworthy, where he has worked for 25 years, added: "I am a wildlife nut and have seen dolphins, porpoises and many sea birds but this tops them all.

"I have seen basking sharks from a distance before but never anything like this. There were four or five, but two came right up to me in the calm bit of the sea in a sheltered bay.

"It was an amazing experience."

Rupert's quest to conquer the South West coast in a kayak now continues.

He has already covered an estimated 600 miles taking in every creek and estuary across the West Country until he reaches a dead end.

"I started about three years ago on days off circumnavigating from Holsworthy up the River Tamar and River Torridge", he said.

"I once paddled from Shebbear along the River Torridge to Lundy, ate a Pot Noodle and came back again."

Rupert is now tackling the northern part of the coast. He believes he has about 100 miles still left to cover which he is looking forward to hopefully completing by the end of this summer.