People

“I set up the Manx Basking Shark watch in 2004, primarily as a public sighting scheme because we have about half a dozen extreme hot spots where you can see sharks very close into the shore.

Tagging sharks off the Manx coast

“In 2007 some scientists came over from Scotland to show us how to put archival satellite tracking devices on these sharks.  The results were absolutely stunning, absolutely amazing!

“Previous tagging work had indicated that the basking sharks travelled up and down the British coast which was against what the genetic work was revealing.  This showed that there appeared to be close links between the basking sharks here, the ones in America, Taiwan, South Africa and New Zealand.

“So it didn’t make a lot of sense until we tagged a very large shark, a female called Tracy.  She was almost 8 meters long.  That is almost as long as a bus.

“We found that she had travelled right the way across the Atlantic from the Isle of Man and dropped her tag near Canada. We were stunned that she had crossed the Atlantic and gone nearly 10 thousand kilometres.

“You cannot help but be enthusiastic about these animals.  I’ve been studying them now for 5 years and at the beginning of each season when we take our boat out for the first time, and I look out from the boat and see one of these enormous animals, I’m amazed every time. It still takes my breath away.

“Unfortunately I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of the shark season in 2006.  And I said to the surgeon, ‘I’m sorry I haven’t got time to have breast cancer.' He thought I was joking but it was true.  I just didn’t have time.

Jackie tagging basking sharks

“Having the basking shark work to do was my saviour during a very difficult time.  I had 3 lots of surgery, 6 months of chemotherapy, and 6 weeks of radiotherapy.

“I have always had a passion for life.  I mean most of us just do don’t we?

“I had a very nasty thing happen to me in 1991.  My husband and son were killed in a kayaking accident.  That had a powerful effect on making me realise that life is short.

“When I was diagnosed with the breast cancer, I thought oh God not another character building exercise.  But the cancer was nothing compared to losing close loved ones.

“I see it as another catalyst for getting on with your life.”