Customers were delighted when we spotted a sunfish on our North Coast Kayak Adventure on the 25th August this year. Kayaking along the St Agnes Coastline towards Newdown Head the sunfish was seen on the surface!
Sunfish as incredible creatures. Described by Cornwall Wildlife Trust as the heaviest bony fish in the sea, they state it sometimes turns up in British waters after storms out at sea.
Sunfish are long and flat and grey in colour and consume jellyfish, salps, squid, crustaceans, small fish, fish larvae, and eel grass. We are yet to see Sunfish over at eel grass on the Helford River yet on on Frenchman’s Creek Kayak Adventures, nor our Helford River Cruises. Our only sightings being our North Coast Kayak Adventures.
However, the diverse range of food it consumes indicates that the sunfish feeds at many levels, from the surface to deep water! With more than 40 species of parasites on their skin and internally! They will bask on their si
de at the surface, allowing seabirds to fees on the parasites from it’s skin. This is the most common way we spot them on our Koru Kayak Adventures.
Ocean sunfish often swim near the surface, and their protruding dorsal fins are sometimes mistaken for sharks! However, sunfish swing their find in a sculling motions, whereas Sharks swim by moving the tail sideways while keeping the dorsal (central) fin stationary.
Meanwhile a grey seal looks on to see what all the fuss is about!
