# Lake Blackshear Gator



## Dep6 (Sep 13, 2008)

I tell yall it was the fight of fights for me in my small 5 year Alligator hunting career. Been hunting a good bit, taken some folks off of here even. Yes I have half way claimed to being a guide even but this thing. WOW. We started out a little after 9 and hit the lake, rode for a while before even spotting the first one, it was wayyyyy too small. Nothing but small ones too small to be legal. Saw some 1 and 2 year olds but that was it. We rode and rode and looked and looked finally saw 2 nice ones at about 400 yards they let us get to about 100 yards and dove on us. I forgot my pole with the 12/0 hook and 100 pound test line on it so they were gone, we kept on looking. Around 2:30 we decided to give it up, headed back north on the River and spotted 2 more in the river, decided to try the trolling motor and crept up on them but they dove on us, spotted a 3rd set further around the curve and kept going, I saw a LOG, yes I said LOG, and my partner with the tag says keep going, I had turned off the spot light and he had his Stinger in his mouth, right as Shane rared back to throw the harpoon, I almost freaked, it was NOT a log, he threw and the fight was on, it took 4 long hard hours to beach this beast. He did not cooperate with the bangstick at all, we wound up between a 9mm and 40 caliber, finally able to dispatch him, we did get a second dart in him but he pulled it out when he got hung on a stump for a while, he was able to eventually pull it out. Fight of a life time, I sit here still exhausted from all the adrenaline. May post more of the story later on but hands still cramping.







Us with the prize





Called DNR for an official measurement so we took him to the certified scale for weight as well. Thanks to Ranger Josh Swain for his assist!!





Took the farm tractor for an assist.





No way we were gonna get him in the boat, so we tied his legs off to the boat and dragged him back to the boat ramp.





Measured at 13 feet 7.5 inches and weighed in at 680 pounds. A night of my life I will never ever forget!!


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## Hooked On Quack (Sep 13, 2008)

Congrats, that is a monster gator.  How old do you think he might be?


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## diamondback (Sep 13, 2008)

good job guys.man that looks familiar with them legs tied off to the cleats.and I thought my boat was small,is that a river hawk.I know that was an exciting night.Congrats.


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## BIGDADDY317 (Sep 13, 2008)

man what a gator... great post


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## Nitro (Sep 13, 2008)

Holy Schnickies Randy, 

That thing is a MONSTER!!!!!!!

Congrats to all of you!


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## Dep6 (Sep 13, 2008)

Ty sir, thanks all!!


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## JasonF (Sep 13, 2008)

Congrats again on the beast!


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## h20fowlin (Sep 13, 2008)

Randy...you owe me a pair of underwear for helping out...but congrats. You and shane deserve front page GON with this man beast.

I never seen two guys get beat up so bad in a 4  1/2 hour time frame....PATIENCE paid off.


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## njanear (Sep 14, 2008)

Nice gator!


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## Steven Farr (Sep 14, 2008)

h20fowlin said:


> Randy...you owe me a pair of underwear for helping out...but congrats. You and shane deserve front page GON with this man beast.
> 
> I never seen two guys get beat up so bad in a 4  1/2 hour time frame....PATIENCE paid off.



They do deserve it but I am sure it will probably go to someone that hunted the Banks Farm or the Penningtons


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## FERAL ONE (Sep 14, 2008)

wooo hooo !!!! great lizard and story !!!!


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## Goddard (Sep 14, 2008)

Good golly Miss Molly!!!!    Congrats on the gator....  to think that I swim in that lake.... I might not any more!!


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## Al33 (Sep 14, 2008)

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story with us. What a Leviathan!!!!


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## thedman (Sep 14, 2008)

wow,glad you got him in,nice one


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## h20fowlin (Sep 14, 2008)

This is what i posted on my personal blog....gives a little more insight-----------------


Location: Lake Blackshear, Georgia

Parties involved: Shane Wilson (Tag holder), Randy Pounds, Greg, and Myself

Departed Camper's Haven boatramp at 9:45pm 9/12/08

After winding through many cypress trails, and having no luck in getting close to any shining red eyes, we were about out of options. Then we made a few back tracks to a few area's we had seen some gators earlier in the night. 

At approximately 2:30am 9/13/08 Shane saw what he thought was a log in the water. He took the harpoon with gator getter' tip atached and stuck this man beast to begin an epic battle. The spear point attached and the gator scambled off to the murky depths with 50 feet of braided cord and float atached.

After 45 minutes of following the float, the gator re-surfaced. Shane was able to get a second point and float into him for insurance. Alot of anxious moments, and a few well placed shots abled shane and randy to pull 685 pounds of dead weight nearly to the surface. 

The gator appeared to be expired. We could only see the center top of the gators back, as it was about as long as the boat. LUCKILY, they did not tie him off to the boat. Thank God they didnt. Because after 10 minutes of me photo documenting this hunt, 5 feet in front of this gator, i saw him raise his head up out of the water, make an awful, deep gutteral sound, and i about messed my drawers. I couln't get it out of my throat fast enough to warn them, before he started screaming off with the lines and floats (which were neatly stacked back in the buckets). That was a very tense moment. They were 2 minutes away from tying him off to the boat. If that had of happened, they would have been capsized with a 685 pound, wounded bull gator. Who by the way, was very pee'd off.

He managed to pull the second float out, and went straight to the thickest cabbage weed in the lake. He got up underneath the cabbage grass, and made it very hard for us to get leverage on him. 

After 2 more hours of drama, the last rounds were finally placed. Took about 45 more minutes to get him out from underneath the vegetation.

Once we knew 100% he was dispatched, we tied him to the boat, and slowly made our way back to the boat ramp.

The spectacle at the boat ramp was a sight to behold. Then we realized we could possibly have a state record on our hands.

The Georgia department of natural resources met us at a cerified scale in Butler. The official measurement was 163 1/2 inches. Weight was 685lbs.

The largest recorded live trap gator on DNR records was 13' 4"

We are still unsure about the state record, but this gator should make the front page of GON (Georgia Outdoor News).

Regardless, it was one of the most rewarding nights in all my hunting. The adrenaline was draining, and i was glad to be a part of it.

Shane and randy did all the risk taking. My boat simply assisted and organized equipment, maned the lights, took 300+ photographs of the process, and stayed clear of those massive jaws!

Anyone can apply for a gator permit on the Georgia DNR's website. I highly recommend going after a gator tag. There are hundreds of guides that will take you for a very minimal fee. They just enjoy the rush.
Or, let me know, and i'll be glad to take you. I can't wait to go again. Unfortunately, since im going to Louisianna and texas, i won't be able to fill my tag unless i come back early. The season ends October 5th.

This Alligator was close to 100 years old. He will be part of my, and three other guys lives for as long as we live. The night was incredible.


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## Nitro (Sep 14, 2008)

Dayum!!!!!!!!!!

I am putting in for a tag next year and I would love for you and Randy to help me get an old Dog killer.

Awesome story and a great job by all of you!

AG


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## huntin man (Sep 14, 2008)

sounded like alot of fun


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## Smiley (Sep 14, 2008)

Congrats on your hunt of a lifetime! What a gator!


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## Lloyd72 (Sep 15, 2008)

congrats what a gator


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## Dep6 (Sep 15, 2008)

Thank you all, my boat is a Seminole Classic made by Paul Dixon in Bainbridge with a 25 hp Go-Devil on it.


Nitro your welcome in my boat anytime.


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## h20fowlin (Sep 15, 2008)

CORRECTION............we cant do basic math.....
The calculations on the feet/inches at the scales were wrong.
Here is a photo showing the DNR holding the tape. Halfway between 163 and 164 inches.


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## trailhunter (Sep 15, 2008)

Imagine all the knee boarders and tubers and skiers that guy has watched go by over the years.  Heck of a gator.


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## Dep6 (Sep 15, 2008)

Makes me wonder how many goats and dogs have disappeared around there.


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## h20fowlin (Sep 15, 2008)

Randy...what did the inside of the stomach look like?  Any watches or belts...or undigested dog collars?


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## Dep6 (Sep 15, 2008)

Wasn't brave enuff to cut it open.


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

Hey Congrats On Your Gator ..but I Have A Few Questions If U Don't Mind...where Exactly Where Yall Friday Night ....me And My Buddies Were Out Their Too....i Think We Saw Yall A Couple Of Times......yall Were Further Up  River Then Us...we Got Off The Water About 1am.  My Buddy Could Not Stay Out All Night .......we Actually Got On 1 But He Got Away I Think This Might Be The Same Gator.....he Broke The Line And Took Hook...
Were There Any Hooks Stuck In Him.......


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## chuckb7718 (Sep 15, 2008)

Dang! That's a lot of purses there! Heck of a gator! Congrats!


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## Dep6 (Sep 15, 2008)

I don't remember seeing yall there Donny, and yes we were up on the north end of the lake. There were no hooks in this one at all. Some healing scars that looked like bites from another Gator on his leg but nothing that looked like manmade marks. Except for ours that is.


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

We Hooked On One But Like I Said He Broke The Line And Kept The Hook...about 25 Yards Away Was As Close As He Would Let Let Us Get....he Looked To Be About At Least 10 Foot..was Hard To Tell In The Dark......did Yall Come Down From Troup County We Saw Truck With A Troup Tag..figured It Had To Be The Same People We Saw On The Water....


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## rip18 (Sep 15, 2008)

Congratulations!  That sounds like quite a night!!


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## Ta-ton-ka chips (Sep 15, 2008)

WOW!


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

Did Jesse Jackson Really Say That....


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## h20fowlin (Sep 15, 2008)

Hey Donny....did yall have a full size white chevrolet parked next to the outhouses? Thats the only truck that was there with a trailer...

And we heard an outboard at approximately 1:30am or so up north of Campers haven...we were back in there a bit when we heard it..

Where did yall hook into one at approximately?


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

We Were In A White F250 4x4.....hooked Gator About 2 Miles Down River....


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

Yeah We Parked Right Beside The Outhouses....


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## h20fowlin (Sep 15, 2008)

ok...we saw your truck when we came in right around 9ish or shortly thereafter.

Yall should have stayed.....you missed a good show for sure


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## DONNY31904 (Sep 15, 2008)

Where Were Yall When U  Hooked Him...i Still Gotta Try And Fill A Tag...did He Have Any Freinds Lurking Around With Him....


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## Nicodemus (Sep 15, 2008)

Congrats on a sho-nuff BIG gator!


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## gaboy1 (Sep 15, 2008)

We were a hop skip and jump from where we put in. Heck of a night. I haven't had time to type anything been too busy skinning, cutting up and verifying everything. Let me tell you that was a fight I will never, ever forget. It was the time of my life and I got to do it with my great friends. I'm just plain whooped right now, I'll talk to ya'll later.

Donny P.M me about location........Shane


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## Shine Runner (Sep 15, 2008)

Congrats!  Have seen a lot of big gators up that end while fishing.  Lots of folks ski that above the no wake zone by Campers Haven.  Hope they see this and quit so we can fish!!!  I don't know if ya'll can hunt in Boy Scout Slough, but there was a big one close to the fishing pier.  Bet he ate a lot of hogs along those banks.  Congrats again.


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## Gadget (Sep 15, 2008)

WOW!  Hoss of a gator!


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## tsknmcn (Sep 15, 2008)

That's one awesome gator.  Congrats to all involved.


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## h20fowlin (Sep 16, 2008)

Appears this may be in the October issue of GON....

Yall be sure to pick a copy up and get the intire story...it will be a good read.


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## sweet 16 (Sep 16, 2008)

Recon my waders will protect me when I hunt woodducks near Campers Haven?


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## The AmBASSaDEER (Sep 16, 2008)

Awesome Hunt!


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## GAX (Sep 16, 2008)

Dang! Hope all the big ones stay on the North end! We see smaller ones, if you call 7-8ft small, around Swift Creek during mating season.


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## tinytim (Sep 16, 2008)

My Congratulations To All!!!!!!

Looks like ya'll had some fun.


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## ugabulldog56 (Sep 17, 2008)

Congrats!!!!  Nice gator.


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## Dep6 (Sep 17, 2008)

TY all it is definitely the ONE hunt I will never ever forget.


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## Dixiesimpleman32 (Sep 18, 2008)

congrats on the monster gator.that joker has a big head to.


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## gaboy1 (Sep 18, 2008)

Big doesn't even begin to describe it believe me. That bull was large, the head is being mounted as we speak and i should get the hide back in 1-2 weeks.

Man, that hunt was a blast, tiring but a blast.


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## frydaddy40 (Sep 21, 2008)

*Good Job*



Dep6 said:


> I tell yall it was the fight of fights for me in my small 5 year Alligator hunting career. Been hunting a good bit, taken some folks off of here even. Yes I have half way claimed to being a guide even but this thing. WOW. We started out a little after 9 and hit the lake, rode for a while before even spotting the first one, it was wayyyyy too small. Nothing but small ones too small to be legal. Saw some 1 and 2 year olds but that was it. We rode and rode and looked and looked finally saw 2 nice ones at about 400 yards they let us get to about 100 yards and dove on us. I forgot my pole with the 12/0 hook and 100 pound test line on it so they were gone, we kept on looking. Around 2:30 we decided to give it up, headed back north on the River and spotted 2 more in the river, decided to try the trolling motor and crept up on them but they dove on us, spotted a 3rd set further around the curve and kept going, I saw a LOG, yes I said LOG, and my partner with the tag says keep going, I had turned off the spot light and he had his Stinger in his mouth, right as Shane rared back to throw the harpoon, I almost freaked, it was NOT a log, he threw and the fight was on, it took 4 long hard hours to beach this beast. He did not cooperate with the bangstick at all, we wound up between a 9mm and 40 caliber, finally able to dispatch him, we did get a second dart in him but he pulled it out when he got hung on a stump for a while, he was able to eventually pull it out. Fight of a life time, I sit here still exhausted from all the adrenaline. May post more of the story later on but hands still cramping.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



    Way to go guy's. Truely a trophy gator.   Great job.
     Gary Frye    Happy acres expeditions


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## Mlrtime (Sep 21, 2008)

That is some exciting story! Congratulations!


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## swamphawg (Sep 21, 2008)

Congrats guys. Hard to believe that old fella had been swimming for almost a century. True dinosaur. Heck of a story and heck of gator. I know y'all ain't gonna forget that night for a long, long time.


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## Big Timber (Sep 22, 2008)

a grown one


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## Dep6 (Sep 22, 2008)

Yes sir he was full grown, that I will attest to anywheres!!


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## Jim Thompson (Sep 23, 2008)

good lord what a beast!


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## Jranger (Sep 23, 2008)

DUDE.... you need a bigger boat!!! Nice Gator!!!


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## southwoodshunter (Sep 23, 2008)

WOW!!!! I grew up fishing & swimming in there..
I will be sure not to let my son see those pics... He was swimming in there on Sunday... 
first time he went out with me in a boat he said 
" I'm not getting in that water... you don't know what's in there... 
seems he may have known something I didn't..

Congrats on the Gator..... Nice to know he will not be in there next summer...


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## Dep6 (Sep 23, 2008)

My portion is in the freezer I promise.


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## EON (Sep 23, 2008)

Jeeze, that's a monster for sure.  Congrats, you guys deserve it.


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## gaboy1 (Sep 23, 2008)

"We need a bigger boat" did come from my lips the first time  I saw his head rise from the water. Randy had a 16ft plus Dixon and we also had my 16ft Go-devil and that gator made 'em both look tiny.

Funny thing was watching the other guys in my boat suddenly make sure all arms and legs were in the boat when they finally got a good look at him. I told them I stuck a dinosaur and they looked at me like,surrrrrre. Then he surfaced and the look on their face was priceless. We were all dead tired from staying up all night until that point, from then on it was like we had a shot of coffee and sleep didn't cross our minds.

The one thing i will never forget is looking at that gator right before I stuck him , thinking he's big and hearing Randy say "that's a log". The point struck home and then it was on.


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## Dep6 (Sep 23, 2008)

YEAH YEAH YEAH I know I will never live that one down.


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## gaboy1 (Sep 23, 2008)

Pretty lively log, huh.


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## gaboy1 (Sep 26, 2008)

DNR is now saying the one we took  at Blackshear is the state record at13''7'.


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## Shine Runner (Sep 26, 2008)

Congrats! Ya'll crazier than me!


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## Dep6 (Sep 27, 2008)

I can't believe it is the


NEW STATE RECORD

13 FEET 7 INCHES


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## h20fowlin (Oct 1, 2008)

Well, whoever said it wouldnt be on the cover was right, but kudo's to GON for a good article.

Page 70 something....

It's also on the GON website....


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## 3d foam killer (Apr 7, 2009)

i know im a little late butt cograts uncle randy and shane on that hoss cant wait till me and russ can go stick 1 with you


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## Dep6 (Apr 7, 2009)

TY Tyler


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## turkeys101 (Apr 17, 2009)

what a gator!!!


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## Dep6 (Apr 17, 2009)

TY sir


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## olhippie (Aug 9, 2009)

....That's every one's dream gator! I just want ONE gator kill in my lifetime, BUT I want one like the lake Blackshear monster! Am I greedy?...I got to find a big one in zone 8 this year!...Ian


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## gatrhntr (Aug 16, 2009)

*Gator*

Wow congrats, A massive gator and a great story. My son and I both got drawn this year but for different zones. Im in zone 3 and he's in zone 2. Sounds like I might be going to Blackshear and I think he's going to Seminole.


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## Ronnie T (Aug 16, 2009)

By my calculations, your boat ain't big enough.


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## Dep6 (Aug 17, 2009)

At one point right after Shane hit him with the first harpoon and we had the explosion in the water beside us, I would have agreed with you but it worked out!!


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