I’ve always been a sucker for accents, my ears perk up whenever I detect a hint of something that sounds foreign. It’s not a judgmental thing, it’s a genuine curiosity to listen closely and try and see if I can pinpoint their origins.
The Irish accent is one in particular that really gets me and puts a smile on my face. That’s why I was instantly drawn to this video, the opening statement, and that only increased when I saw the footage of thousands of basking sharks breaching off the coast of Ireland.
“What the craic lads? I’m here in Loop Head of County Clare and there are basking sharks everywhere,” says the narrator, an Irish nature and wildlife enthusiasts by the Instagram name of @steveswildandwonderful . Yep, his proper Irish accent, got me right away. From what I know, “craic” (pronounced crack) in this context means, ‘what’s up’, but can also be used to describe a good time, like, “that was a great craic”.
After the opening, the footage is beautiful, of the basking sharks breaching and swimming en masse in a unique kind of surface activity. I originally saw the clip as a repost on the page @pangeaseed, which is an epic organization that raises awareness for marine life and ocean health by commissioning giant murals from talented artists.
Basking sharks are the second largest fish in the sea, behind the mighty wale sharks, and just ahead of the notorious great white sharks. Like the whale sharks, they are considered gentle giants and can usually be spotted near the surface. What’s captured in this video goes beyond their usual activity and may even be part of their mating rituals.
Although they are some of the largest creatures in the sea, there is much we do not know about their lives and should serve as a reminder that, as the post says, “protecting these species and their habitats is essential to keeping our blue planet in balance.”
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