# Shark horror stories while diving



## Turtlebait (Dec 3, 2008)

I'm a new member, but I've been reading the scuba posts for several months. Some of the recent posts about shark "encounters",prompts me to tell of my own humbling experiences. First a little background. Being a Navy brat, I certified at the "tender" age of 17 at NAS as a NAUIdiver during the months of December/January 1974/1975. To say I thought I was "invincible", is a gross understatement! My SEAL instructor told us(about 30 kids), that if we didn't almost drown every night in the pool, he wasn't doing his job! Bear in mind that this was before BC's, pressure gauges, computers, safe second's etc., became commonplace. Buddy breathing for two hours while doing skills in the deep end of the pool is a confidence maker if you don't drown doing it!

I've dove the entire coast of Florida from P'cola to the Keys. I've seen the Freighter go from a majestic ship, mostly intact, to a feeble pile of plate. The rock jetties at Pickens and Mcrae are my second home. When I dove "private" wrecks decades ago, 20-30lb snapper were common. 50lb grouper and amberjack were like bugs on a bumper. Alas, those days are gone.

Surprisingly,in those days,shark encounters were rare, very notable and always peaceful. That cannot be said today. In the past few years, encounters with sharks, barracuda and even turtles have been harrowing in the least, and down right prone to injury for the diver. Last year in August on the FAA barge and towers, I shot a 5lb black snapper at the stern of the wreck. My buddy John had a 5lb red snapper tangled in the towers. Cruising over the top of the wreck, a 6ft barracuda attempted to take my supper off my stringer which was clipped to my weight belt. After we argued for a few minutes, him losing a couple of teeth and lots of scales, I kept my supper intact. I proceeded to the bow of the barge, went into flounder mode, got out my light, held my breath and went into the dim narrow crevice. As soon as I got ready to gig a flounder, I started to go sideways across the bottom. Thinking I had been hooked by a trolling fisherman, I took out my knife to cut the leader and rolled upright to get a handle on things. I now have an 8ft bull shark in my lap eating my snapper. As soon as I put the brakes on, the shark became insistent that the snapper was his and promptly treated me like a rag doll at 80ft! 

To say I was Scared Sh*tless doesn't come close. They say to bump their nose, poke their eye or jab their gills. Well, I'm here to tell you that at that time the shark had transformed into a set of swimming teeth! Period! No head. Just TEETH!!!. 

Just when I thought I was going to become the entree for the shark after he finishes the appetizer, thess clip on my stringer brakes and Mr. Shark hauls ass with the snapper and my stringer! I decided to become the worlds first Human Ballistic Missle. Right when I started to launch, damn a countdown,my buddy John literally lands on my shoulders to stop my panicked takeoff. He calms me down, takes inventory of my person to make sureI was not injured, then leads me to the anchor rope never letting go of me, cause frankly,if he had let go, I would have continued the aborted launch to the surface and safety in theBoat.

When I got to the surface, John slowing me down the whole time, my stupid brother-in-law was taking his sweet time taking off his gear before boarding the boat. After waiting an eternity, probably 5mins, he gets aboard and I flew into the boat flippers and all! I fell on the deck grateful for the barrier of fiberglass between me and Mr. Shark. Brother-in-law asks stupidedly," Something wrong?" I began a rant about sharks, diving, snappers and Godknows what while John calmly removes his gear and boards the boat. Some where along the line I had shed my gear and started pulling the anchor rope up while still carrying on like a lunatic ona full moon. 

John forces me to let go of the anchor rope and begins for the next 2hrs to explain why I shouldn't give up diving, how the shark probably has my stringer stuck in his throat and will probably die a slow and agonizing death. My brother-in-law, upon getting all the pieces of what happened together and seeing the effect it had on me, immediatelygives up diving. 

Knowing I had to get back on the horse that threw me or I would never get back in the water, John and I, with a vehement protest from brother-in-law, change tanks and down the anchor rope we go. Giving the bow of the barge a wideberth, I go to the sandy side of the barge and quickly get 2 nice flounder stacked on my shaft, remember Mr. Shark has not returned my stringer(how rude!). While eyeingmy 3rd flounder, Mr. Shark makes a grab for the 2I have stacked. Iget totally pissed and commence to spear the greedy bugger! Luckily, my shot merely glances off his tough skin and he bugs out to find an easier lunch.

Believe it or not, you can talk underwater, especially when you see your buddy do something stupid. While reloading my gun, I distinctly heard-"You stupid idiot! Areyou crazy?"-coming over my right shoulder. I turn around, John's eyes are livid with rage, and he wrestles me back up the anchor line and into the boat. He brings me back to reality with a firm but compassionate speech about how stupid and dangerous it is to shoot a shark unless your using a bangstick. I humbled myself and promised never to do it again(Yeah right!). 

I'm still diving but with a new found respect for the Apex predator-Mr. Shark. I nowput my catch in a mesh bag to confuse Mr. Shark and Mr. Cuda. I still ring the dinner bell when I shoot a fish, butat least I have a fighting chance to get my supper to the boat. 

In recent years, sharks, cudas and even seaturtles(That's another story!) have come to know-a diver in the water='s easy dinner.

Thank's ahead of time for you patience.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Welcome to the forum. And great story. Sharks are definately more prevalent now. Didn't see any yesterday when we dove. But that was probably because we couldn't see period.


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

Great story I also use a mesh bag and love it I have had a few sharks mess with me this year and did have to shoot one that got too close


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## Misn 1 (Jul 14, 2008)

Turtlebait, awesome story! And welcome to the PFF. It's a dream of mine to get certified, but living in Mississippi, I don't have many opportunities to do it. I read a lot of the diving posts and dream of being down there too. A lot of the stories are told so well, I almost feel as though I'm there. Good luck in the future and I look forward to reading future posts with pictures.

:usaflag


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

Welcome to the forum! There are few of us here from the "old school of diving".

I remember a story of one instructor making students do pushups with a steel 72 on their back!

A turtle did this to me several years ago on the three barges. Through a 6mm wet suit. Came from behind and clamped down on my right hip. I had to use the butt of the gun to knock him/her off!


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## Turtlebait (Dec 3, 2008)

OUCH!!! That's gotta hurt. 

Which reminds me of my own "encounter" with the gentle, toothless(thank God) and much adored seaturtle. After my shark encounter on the FAA towers/barge, my buddy John, his son and myself(notice the conspicuous absense of my brother-in-law) went to the 3 barges to initiate John's son to the kiddie pool for new divers. Having only recently certified, John's son was anxious to say the least, and admittedly so was I. But let's face it, this is the 3 barges. Every grandma or grandkid who gets certified goes here because its "SAFE", as far as wrecks go. 40ft. deep. Lots to see fishwise. And no threatening species worth mentioning. And if you're lucky, you might see a turtle! Did I mention they are non-threatening(yeah right!).

We suit up, go down the anchor line-reminding John's son to equalize while descendin-hit the bottom with a good 30ft of viz. John and I point out some viable supper candidates swimming around the wreck,when I spot a flounder. Showing John's son the fine filet-o-fish sandwhich to be,I spear about a 3lb-er. While trying to put my supper on my new stringer and clip, my left hand is almost crushed. Flashbacks to Mr. Shark overwhelm me and I almost bolted to the surface. Controlling this inherent response took superhuman effort on my part. Getting my act together, I see Mr. Turtle(about a 300lb-er) has designs on my supper. Shaking the blood back in my left hand from the crushing it took from Mr. Turtle's mouth, I played keep-away from him for several minutes before I gave up and donated my flounder to the "benign" denizen of the 3 barges.

I always thought turtles ate jellyfish but, after a bit of a hassle, Mr. Turtle finally got it down its throat. Low on air,apparently I inhaled half my air tank when I got bit, I indicated to my buddies Iwas ascending and left them to marvel at the great air breathing, flounder eating turtle.

When we all get back in the boat, my two buddies are all agog about the turtle till I show them my severly bruised, purpleish left hand. They get all sympathetic for a minute, then started to say I deserved it for riding all those turtles over the years.

We decided to pick up anchor and move to the other side of the barges, hopefully to find some different stuff to showJohn's son,and maybe to get out of Mr. Turtle's territory. 

We go down to find the anchor has dragged about 50ft from the wreck and were in the sand. I am sandwhiched between John and his son and am showing Lil John how to engage the anchor in the sand when they scream. I look up in time to see Mr. Turtle coming at me like a B-52 with hismouth wide open. John grabs the turtle at the last minute, turns it away from me and "bulldogs" him into the sand. I pull a Hank Snow and race to the barge to hide in its bowels and safety. 

I waited for quite a while inside the wreck trying to control my panicked breathing. I ease out the other side with no sign of Mr. Turtle. Confidence building, I go into flounder mode and eye a 5lb-er just outside the opening in the barge. Perfect shot between the eyes and I'm stringing him up. Lo and Behold, who shows up but, you guessed it, Mr. Turtle himself. Determined to keep this fine filet, I commence to reenter the barge, shoot out the other side, enter another barge an hunker down to make sure I lost him.

After several minutes of no turtle sightings and running low on air, I slowlymade a free ascent to the surface. As luck would have it, I'm about a 100 yards from the boat. Taking a bearing I proceed for the long swim back. Just as I was thinking how smart I was losing the turtle in his own element, I get hammered in the side. You guessed it, Mr. Turtle.

Now I don't mind sharing my catch on occassioned, but enough is enough! I start to pummel Mr. Turtle all about the head and neck with my pole spear while engaging my warp speed fins into red line. The race is on, but Mr. Turtle's on me even though I give him a not so friendly whack on the head on occassion. Getting closer to the boat I hear my two buddies yelling encouraging words between guffaws about the whole scene.

After ridding myself of my gear and proudly showing off my prize flounder, I turn to the back of the boat where Mr. Turtle is waiting expectantlly, and shoot him the BIRD!!!(with my right hand-my left one still hurts like hell!).

SCORE- Turtle 01 Diver- 01(but mine was bigger!)


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

Both great stories!


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

Awesome Stories!!!!!


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## Bigg J (Nov 7, 2007)

Welcome to forum man, great stories. Bad subject though with one that goes by Jarhead, he's a little scurred of the sharkys :moon


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## Turtlebait (Dec 3, 2008)

Sorry if I awakened any bad memories in anyone, but what I was trying to point out is how I went from scared sh*tless to an avenging harpooner in just a coupla hours.

At this point in time I assume all sharks are after me (or something on my person), and am prone to attack first, ask questions later.

If anyone has a surefire way of keeping a shark at bay, I'm all ears.


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## BADBOY69 (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey John, where is 'Jarhead'? I just noticed that he hadn't posted recently and I know he was getting out there alot. I think I saw his Cape for sale a while back...he still around?


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

> *Turtlebait (12/4/2008)*
> 
> If anyone has a surefire way of keeping a shark at bay, I'm all ears.


I've heard great things about the Sharkshield, but haven't personally seen one in action.


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## Bigg J (Nov 7, 2007)

> *BADBOY69 (12/5/2008)*Hey John, where is 'Jarhead'? I just noticed that he hadn't posted recently and I know he was getting out there alot. I think I saw his Cape for sale a while back...he still around?


I need to call the man for sure, haven't talked to since the end of Oct. He was talking about selling the Horn though.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Turtlebait (12/4/2008)*"If anyone has a surefire way of keeping a shark at bay, I'm all ears.


:doh Sure....Stay in the boat.......:banghead


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *FelixH (12/5/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *Turtlebait (12/4/2008)*
> ...


I have one and can assure it works as advertised. Sharks stay out 10+ feet from me even with fish on my stringer.


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

10' that is to close for me I thought it kept them 30' away?


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *TONER (12/6/2008)*10' that is to close for me I thought it kept them 30' away?


The exclusion zone is 3-5 meters from antenna centerline. The last personal experience was better than 15' from me with fish on the stringer and that was with the shark coming staraight at me before doing an about face. I can live with that.


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## deepsixrich (Oct 31, 2008)

> *FelixH (12/5/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *Turtlebait (12/4/2008)*
> ...






Watch it in action... Check out the test on Makos, Oceanic White Tips, & Great White's



http://sharkshield.com/Content/Photos+Video/List+Videos/



Honestly, I don't think it would stop a charging, mind made up, monster like pictured here. 

But they work great for their common activity like stealing fish, circling, bumping and intimidation they use trying to get a easy meal.


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