This is the awe-inspiring moment a surfer came face to face with a group of up to 20 basking sharks.
Tom Gillespie, 34, and his friends stayed in the water with the creatures for two hours off the coast of Co Clare in Ireland on Saturday.
The group could hardly believe their eyes as they watched the sharks open their huge mouths to hoover up plankton.
Mr Gillespie, a former surf instructor who lives in west Clare, was able to film the majestic moment on his GoPro camera.
He told Mirror Online: "It's a strange feeling to see a fin coming at you.
"I've never been in the water and seen one before. The moment of putting my head under the water and seeing the first shark was pretty surreal.
"At first I was a bit intimidated as they are so big."
However, the PHD student said this fear soon transformed into awe as he watched the creatures slowly move past him.
He emphasised that he and his friends, who are experienced surfers, kept still and calm to avoid startling the animals.
"We all know the sea very well and we were so lucky to be there to see it," Mr Gillespie said.
"It was an amazing experience. I was lucky to have the GoPro at the time."
He and his friends went out to find the sharks after hearing reports of them in the area near where they live.
The surfers found the sharks around 200 metres off the coast, initially spotting their fins.
Basking sharks are the second largest shark species in the world and are harmless to humans.
The creatures are reportedly drawn into Irish waters every spring, although there has been an increased number in sightings this year.
