Awestruck East Lothian family captures stunning footage of shark 100m from shore
Alan Nash, who shot the footage from a drone, said the creature was so close you "could have just swam out to it," estimating it was only 100 metres away.
Alan and his family of five discovered the basking shark off the shores of Longniddry Beach around 5pm on April 30.
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He told Edinburgh Live: "It was amazing. We got about 45 minutes of footage. It was very close to shoreline. You could see its fin breaking the surface of the water.
"Along East Lothian there are basking sharks, dolphins, and seals, but to get that close to a basking shark - which I wouldn't recommend - isn't common."
Alan and Abby Nash, with their children Skyla, 11, Hunter, nine, and seven-year-old Rocky heard rumours that a basking shark was spotted in the area the day prior, but Alan says they didn't think anything of the news.
On Wednesday, the family was swimming in their usual spot when a friend shouted that there were sightings of a basking shark further along the beach.
Luckily, Alan had his drone on hand and the family hurried down the shore to catch a glimpse of the creature amid the surf. Upon launching the drone, Alan was eventually able to locate the massive shark.
Their footage shows the shark gliding through emerald-green water in Wednesday's balmy 20-degree weather.
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Alan added: "It was so peaceful and majestic. Not many people knew it was there but once we all got very excited, a bit of a crowd began to gather."
The family found the experience particularly special after returning in February from a six-month journey, which took them across 10 countries including Candada, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Their adventures allowed them to take part in once-in-a-lifetime experiences like swimming with whales and walking alongside bears.
Alan said: "[The shark] was incredible for us personally. For this to be here in Longniddry was amazing. It shows how adventurous and exciting Scotland can be that these creatures can be so close to us.
"Seeing the shark reminds us that these amazing creatures are out there. There has been quite a buzz around the village."
The Nash Family shared their adventures across the globe on their YouTube channel, The GET AFTER IT Family.
Basking sharks primarily eat zooplankton and small crustaceans through filter feeding. Generally considered docile, they do not normally pose a threat to humans.
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