Basking Shark

It doesn't look like much, but this is a basking shark.

It was not a large specimen, probably about 12 feet (the distance between the dorsal and the tail was about 8 feet).

Basking Sharks are filter feeders (much like our blue whale friends). They cruise along with their mouths open to gather phyto and zooplankton. This guy was cruising at about 5 knots.

They common in most waters, but still rarely seen. This was the second time the captain of the boat had seen a basking shark off Santa Barbara.