Fiona Clarke just about escapes the clutches of the snow shark. Picture: Fiona Clarke.<\/p>\n
First there was Jaws, then The Meg and now there is another chilling shark on the loose but this time much closer to home.<\/p>\n
Those heading into the waters of one of Cairngorms National Park\u2019s gems Loch Vaa – or should that be Loch V-aaaaahhhhhhh – be warned.<\/p>\n
What onlookers are describing as a snow shark has been spotted circling just a short distance from the shoreline of the loch just north of Aviemore.<\/p>\n
Fiona Clarke and Nicky Howell come face to face with the monster from the deep in Loch Vaa. Picture: Highlens (https:\/\/highlens.co.uk\/)<\/p>\n
Wild swimmer Fiona Clarke just managed to escape its jaws after going for a dip in the snow and freezing temperatures yesterday afternoon as her picture shows.<\/p>\n
The fantastic snow sculpture bears an uncanny resemblance to a Great White Shark about to swallow its prey whole.<\/p>\n
Fiona, from Aviemore, told the Strathy: \u201cIt took a couple of hours to create the shark.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout halfway through the its creation, Rory Whytock, from Grantown, and his sister Heather Cameron-Whytock turned up.<\/p>\n
Rory Whytock helps to creates the ice hole for the wild swimmers. Picture: Highlens (https:\/\/highlens.co.uk\/)<\/p>\n
\u201cRory had a dip in the pre-cut water hole next to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started chatting and they kindly offered to help out with the shark creation.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy friend Nicky Howell, from Kingussie, joined us just in time for the shark dip and Rory was so keen he put his wet swim stuff back on for a second dip!\u201d<\/p>\n
A year ago Fiona Clarke was catch of the day, also at Loch Vaa. Picture: Fiona Clarke.<\/p>\n
Photographer Travis Toy, of Highlens, said: \u201cI was out in Aviemore getting some content of the frozen lochs and other wintry scenes when we bumped into Fiona and asked if she was going for a wild swim.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said kind of\u2026 then told us about her plans to make the snow shark.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went and got some other photos and came back to capture the images of the build and fantastic final result.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some Strathy readers may recall that Fiona was catch of the day when she was hooked by a penguin fishing at a snow hole created at Loch Vaa at the start of last year.<\/p>\n
So what does she have in mind for 2027? Fiona revealed her next ice project could be even more ambitious.<\/p>\n
She said, perhaps with tongue in cheek: \u201cThe next one is going to be Nessie with a See You Jimmy hat.\u201d<\/p>\n