Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) movement patterns and growth rates over annual cycles remain entirely unknown. Here the re-sighting of a female identified by a highly distinctive first dorsal fin, after a 3·1 year period is described. Our results show this individual foraged at the surface in coastal areas off south-west England in at least two of four summer seasons and increased in total length by 2·4 m over this period. The growth increment observed was similar to that predicted from the growth model for this species.