Basking Shark spotted off Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - A rare treat for sightseers and fishermen off the Florida Coast. A Basking Shark was spotted cruising near the Bay County Pier. A Kayaker discovered the shark. Basking Sharks are not dangerous to man, they only eat Plankton.

The Kayaker says the shark he saw was 14-feet long. The Basking Shark is the second largest shark in the world, behind the Whale Shark. The largest Basking Shark ever caught measured over 40-feet in length and weighed an estimated 17 tons.

They usually cruise the more temperate waters of the world and are not usually seen off the coast of Florida.
 

REPORTED BY NBC