# Scariest Saltwater Experiance......



## Parker Phoenix (Jan 19, 2008)

What is the scariest encounter you have experianced on saltwater?


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## dawg2 (Jan 19, 2008)

Going diving miles out in the ocean, having a squall blow up with blinding rain and lightning, coming back to the buoy where the boat and driver was and finding 80 feet of rope laying on the sea floor.  Then when coming up there is no boat and lightning hitting all around, visibility due to driving rains is about 6-10 feet, and having a big aluminum tank on my back waiting to get get hit by lightning.

Luckily I had looked around before we jumped in and took a shot with the compass at the other buoy a few hundred meters away so i knew about where it was.  So I got all 4 of us back under about 10' because we had maxed out our bottom time, and swam that direction.  Luckily the guy was there and he got an earful for moving.  He should have stayed put and circled and we could have come up on his outer perimeter of his circle.


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## MudDucker (Jan 19, 2008)

In the 60's

Being 15 miles offshore with only a compass and a CB radio when a storm blew around Cape San Blas out of nowhere and the seas went to 20 feet.  We were in a 20 foot boat.  4 hours back to the hill and then had to surf a breaker into the pass at Mexico Beach.

Just a couple of years ago:

Being 60 miles offshore and having a thunderstorm form over the top of us in less than 5 minutes where the seas went from 1-2 to 15-25 in minutes with lightning popping all around the boat.  We were in a big 32 foot boat and it felt like a row boat.

Both times I wondered if it was my time to meet my Maker.  Folks wonder why I won't go out in an inadequate boat and iffy weather.  Both of these occurred in what was great weather one minute and real bad the next.


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## Apex Predator (Jan 19, 2008)

I had a large (40#) barracuda take a bait close to the boat.  He turned in bound immediately and jumped at the boat from about 3o feet.  It happened so quickly that all I had time to do was raise my arm and shield my face.  He struck me in the armpit/pec region full force and landed in the boat.  I was knocked down by the impact, but have never gotten to my feet and up on the gunnel faster!  My dad and stepmom were freaked out, and we all knew that I had likely lost a big hunk of flesh and would probably bleed out and die.  We were shocked that I had a spectacular pattern of teeth marks around my torso from nipple to my back, but it didn't even break the skin!  It was pretty cool when about twenty little teeth mark bruises apeared the next day.  If the impact angle had been any different I probably wouldn't be typing this.  I feel very fortunate.


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## Jeff Raines (Jan 19, 2008)

Apex Predator said:


> I had a large (40#) barracuda take a bait close to the boat.  He turned in bound immediately and jumped at the boat from about 3o feet.  It happened so quickly that all I had time to do was raise my arm and shield my face.  He struck me in the armpit/pec region full force and landed in the boat.  I was knocked down by the impact, but have never gotten to my feet and up on the gunnel faster!  My dad and stepmom were freaked out, and we all knew that I had likely lost a big hunk of flesh and would probably bleed out and die.  We were shocked that I had a spectacular pattern of teeth marks around my torso from nipple to my back, but it didn't even break the skin!  It was pretty cool when about twenty little teeth mark bruises apeared the next day.  If the impact angle had been any different I probably wouldn't be typing this.  I feel very fortunate.


Wow,maybe your handle should be-apex predator bait


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## bukhuntr (Jan 19, 2008)

My brother in law and I were on about a 30' charter boat out of Gulf Shores about 6 years ago.  We were heading out and were about 35 miles offshore.  I'm standing next to the skipper making small talk, he is showing me how the radar works etc.  All of a sudden, there is a very loud bang, the skipper comes off his seat and takes the stearing wheel in the chest, I'm slammed up into the gunnel, the first mate wipes out on the floor, then half a second  later, another bang.  We all look toward the back of the boat and see a 60' telephone pole covered in barnacles rolling out from under the boat.  We T'boned it running about 3/4 throttle.  The skipper starts calling out Mayday giving out our coordinates, the first mate is throwing life jackets to everyone.  He then pulls back the hatch to inspect the hull.  I can see it like it happened this morning.  I was fully expecting to see sea water pouring in the hull.  It was bone dry.  The mate just fell back on a seat and started thanking the Lord.  We messed up a prop and had to head for the hill.

On the way back the skipper was telling me about a boat a couple of months before that took a telephone pole through the bow like a spear.  He said the boat was underwater in about 45 seconds.

I have been through every Air Force survival school, including Water Survival.  I taught refresher training to pilots for four years, but I have to say, if there is one place I don't want to put my skills to the test it would be the ocean.  All we had were life jackets.  Even though I feel confident we would have been picked up by someone in a matter of minutes, it still makes me shudder to think how close we came that day to taking an unexpected swim.


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## SELFBOW (Jan 19, 2008)

I got bit by a shark. 13 stitches worth. We had a 3 footer on by the boat and i reached down and grabbed him by the tail he swung around so fast I didnt even see it coming right on the forearm.
lucky for me it ended up just a flesh wound and no muscle damage. you should have seen the crowd at the boat ramp. We had called the ambulance(not knowing the severity of it) and the ramp was packed.


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## jimbo4116 (Jan 19, 2008)

Back in the early 80s friend bout an 18 foot pontoon boat, said it was the best thing going to fish the flats.  We went out of Ecofina and headed down to Rock Island.  Beautiful day, until about 3 pm.  We could see a big thunder storm coming in but we were to far from Ecofina to head back in so we ducked in behind Rock Island. Then we watch as twin water spouts passed within a mile of us.  They never made lands as far as we could see them.  But that was one awsome sight and you don't want to be on a pontoon in rough water and high wind.  Thought were going to be blown over a couple of times.  Never been out on a pontoon since.


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## Hooked On Quack (Jan 19, 2008)

Well, I got a story, but compared to ya'lls, my story would suck.


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## Apex Predator (Jan 19, 2008)

Another time in the North Atlantic we spent 7 days in 30'+ seas.  The Captain came on the announcing system and said that there was a squall headed our way with 60' seas in it.  He said to hold on, as he planned to out run it!  We were already taking 40-50 degree rolls and had injuries all week due to equipment breaking the welds on their foundations.  I had to see this "squall" with my own two eyes!  It took me 15 minutes to make my way up to the 04 level and out on to the deck.  All the weather decks had been secured all week, so I couldn't be seen.  I could see what looked like a wall of water rise up out of the 30' seas we were in, and it was a spectacular sight!  The most amazing thing I have ever seen.  This was onboard the USS Bainbridge CGN-25 around about 1991.


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## deedly (Jan 19, 2008)

30 miles offshore, been trolling all morning, all of a sudden the boat list to one side, I look back and water is coming over the gunnel and the motor is half way under water. Pull bilge hatch and bilge is Full.  MAYDAY MAYDAY. I turn  both bilge pumps on and start making way back in. The  Coast Gaurd met me halfway in and escorted me to shore. Took awhile to pump all the water out and to this day I don't know how we took on so much water as I never found a leak. All I can think of is the plug, which is the threaded type, leaked, but I could not check that because I pulled the plug to help drain the rest of the water. Another time we were 10 miles offshore and had engine trouble , so I cranked the kicker and headed home. A storm hit us halfway in and had so much lighting the air was full of electricity, I looked at the wife who has long hair, and it was literally standing up on end, and  when I told her, she pointed at mine and it was standing up also. The storm was not like a regular squall as there was no rough water or wind. The seas layed down flat as glass, but the rain and lightning made up for the lack of heavy seas. It was a moment for a prayer for sure.. Apex,,  I went through the same thing in the North Atlantic on a destroyer and it was no fun. I looked out and knew it was daylight, but it appeared as night and the waves were unbelievable. I looked out of the officers mess port hole, which is on the superstructure, and watched as the front of the ship would supmerge almost halfway under before the next swell would lift her up. Prayed that time if I got back to land I would never go back into the N Atlantic again. Well I made it back and intend to keep my word.


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## gotta biggn (Jan 19, 2008)

10-12 years ago, I took my 25 ft center console out as far as I had ever gone in my boat at the time. It was at the R-2 navy tower. i had left out of the Sapelo sound near Shellman Bluff. The seas were slick as we trolled around the tower catching kings, AJ's and a few spanish, then out of nowhere and totally contrary to the forecast howling winds began to blow. i watched for a while as I expected them to be rogue winds and would pass shortly. Quite the contrary as the winds got stronger and stronger. i took up lines and headed for the hill. The seas got up to 12-14 feet as we would disappear into trough of the swells and the bow would dip into the next wave. It was tough to keep the boat into the swells, for we prayed not to turn sideways for fear of certain doom. Imagine someone throwing a five gallon bucket of water directly into your face with every bound, and that is no exageration. Five boats sank that day in the Sapelo Sound we later found out, and we still hadnt made it there yet. We  did make it back through the sound and back to the dock and i kissed it when we made it. i gained experience that day.


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## Parker Phoenix (Jan 19, 2008)

Man, these are some hairy situations you fellas been in. I've been caught in  8 footers in the Gulf, which are  different types of waves than the Atlantic, and I thought that was bad.

I have been in the boat with my wife , when she told me my hair was standing straight up, hers too. All the antenna's and rods were buzzing, and the fishing line came out of the water. This was on the backside of a storm, we thought the worst was over. We rode out the storm because my motor had overheated, and was waiting for a buddy to come pick us up. All we could do was get the rods down and hope we wouldn't get hit. We were stuck and just waiting. I was at the helm when the lightning hit, luckily it wasn't close, as all I felt was like a charge from a 9 volt battery run through me, my wife didn't feel a thing.

Lightning is scary,worse than fog. Fog will let you kill yourself, lightning will kill you.


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## kingfish (Jan 19, 2008)

Making the crossing to the Bahamas a few years ago.  Left St. Lucie inlet at dawn to slick oceans.  As we were making the 30 mile mark it got cloudy, windy and rough (10-15 footers) within 30 minutes.  A huge thunderhead formed and we were in the middle of a bunch of water spouts.  We zigged and zagged trying to shoot the gap between all the thunderstorms. It wasn't just ugly, it was UGLY and we were only half way there.  We went down in the cuddy and brought up the life raft and all 4 of us had our e-pirbs around our necks and our life jackets on.  By the time we got to the bank where it usually lays down a bit it was still 4-6 feet and we were all wrecks.  What normally takes about 3 1/2 hours to cross, took 9 to get to Walkers.  One time in my life I kissed concrete on purpose was when we hit the dock at Walkers.  I made a looong visit to the church that used to be there that day.    Kingfish


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## deadend (Jan 19, 2008)

#1:  Going 18 miles out of Hilton Head to spearfish.  We were in a 22' Grady White.  The seas kicked up and there were some 8-10's but typical atlantic seas they were manageable.  Went down and shackled into the wreck and the three of us were gearing up when somebody said "did we just change directions?"  I said no, we just pivoted on the anchor line.  We splashed in and went down the line to shoot the first fish and to our horror met up with the anchor chain dragging through the sand after it had torn off the wreck.  We were glad we were still in contact with the line to get back to the boat.

#2: 2 years later in PCB, anchored over the Accokeek wreck.  Went down and shot several nice AJ's and gags.  During the dive a mid column current picked up and started ripping.  We were unable to get to the anchor line.  We came up and the boat looked like a speck.  Two of us held onto all the gear while the third took his gear off and started finning for the boat.  Luckily he made it after an hour of frantic swimming.  That could have been bad as it was during the week and no other boats were out that day.

#3: 2 years later several of us were on a 2 night spearfishing trip to the Fla. Middlegrounds 80 nm from Carrabelle on a 46' Newton dive boat.  Slept the first night and lost the anchor on some rough bottom and couldn't find it after a couple of dives on the #.  Made 7 or 8 dives the next day and got some decent fish.   An unexpected storm blew in with the wind blowing from shore.  Decided to head in early.  Seas kicked up to about 10' and were bunched together tight.  Spent the next 12 hours chugging at 5 knots taking waves over the bow.  Lots of hurl on that trip.  We had to try and lay on the deck because it was too rough to stay in the cabin.  Very glad to get back on dry land the next morning.


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## dawg2 (Jan 19, 2008)

Parker Phoenix said:


> Lightning is scary,worse than fog. Fog will let you kill yourself, lightning will kill you.



Lightning when I dive scares me more than any shark, I'm just glad I'm in the water when it hits, that way no ne knows...


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## larpyn (Jan 19, 2008)

year b4 last going spearfishing out of suwannee. got caught in the perfect storm at 9:00 am after running for 2 hrs to get to the first number. never made one drop. spent the next 3.5 hrs running from lightning storms and sideways rain. nothing scares me more than lightning on the water.

one day that same year we had already done two dives. all the tanks were empty but we left a bunch of fish on a rock. decided to H&L. they started to bite real good. against my better judgement we stayed on the bite with a storm approaching. i started hearing a sizzling sound, like bacon grease popping on top of the hardtop. i finally figured out it was the radio antenna and a rod in one of the rocket launchers getting lit up by a static charge. talk about getting out of dodge in a hurry. we did. when i got on a plane the only thing running on the boat was the motor. antenna down and all rods in the bottom of the boat.
i've had too many close calls with lightning. i hate that stuff.


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## one_shot (Jan 19, 2008)

while fishing a cruiseship on auto pilot almost run over us,the people waved as we cranked & -------out!


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## gamefish (Jan 19, 2008)

I was wade fishing one summer around the Chandler Island south of Bolixi. Had not caught a fish in several hours but finally had about a  four pound red on so I took my time with him and was really enjoying the fight.  He finally played out was on his side and when he was about two foot from me a six or seven foot Bull shark came completely out of the water and landed on my red like a bass hitting a topwaterplug.  Just a few feet closer and he would have had my arm too.  Needess to say I stop fishing and waded back to the boat.


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## Robk (Jan 20, 2008)

fishing from the kayak at night on the ICW near Tampa.  Sitting back sipping a cold one and having a cigar a 8ft bull shark swam right up along the side of my kayak.  scared the snot out of me.


R


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## MudDucker (Jan 20, 2008)

jimbo4116 said:


> Back in the early 80s friend bout an 18 foot pontoon boat, said it was the best thing going to fish the flats.  We went out of Ecofina and headed down to Rock Island.  Beautiful day, until about 3 pm.  We could see a big thunder storm coming in but we were to far from Ecofina to head back in so we ducked in behind Rock Island. Then we watch as twin water spouts passed within a mile of us.  They never made lands as far as we could see them.  But that was one awsome sight and you don't want to be on a pontoon in rough water and high wind.  Thought were going to be blown over a couple of times.  Never been out on a pontoon since.



I forgot about water spouts.  Might have been the same day you were behind Rock Island, I was coming back into Keaton from offshore and saw 2 spouts run the coastline within a 1/2 mile of each other.  Scary site.  When I got closer to Keaton, I saw two overturned boats and pulled 6 folks out of the gulf on my way in.  Got in and the warden would not let me go back out, said the spouts were coming back.  They didn't, but others out there picked up more folks.


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## seaweaver (Jan 21, 2008)

I was delivering a sailboat to Palmbeach from sav and off of Canaveral at night ran into a storm w 12' waves and high winds from all directions. My buddy screamed from the hatch  that the UFO's from the triangle were going to get us.  There was no pattern to the wind or waves and the lightning was wild. It would not have helped but I dove thru the hatch about 6x when it would pop close by. I ran the boat in circles w/ a storm trisail trying to find a comfortable tack but there was none.
We lost our companion vessel.They showed up 2 days later in PB.
cw


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## Dixiesimpleman32 (Jan 21, 2008)

trout fishing around dogisland in my 17ft lowe bassboat when storm brewed up.i decided to make the 5mile run back to river ramp less than halfway back it kicked up and had me shook up some but i kept my cool made it back.gained alot experince that day.
fishing near the tower off dogisland in buddies 25 ft 30 year old centerconsole in 2 to 4s.seas kicked up to 6 or more and we came in slow was nervous but learned alot.


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## Slayer (Jan 22, 2008)

Cumberland Island Jetties (the very end)+ 18' bass boat + 5' rollers out of nowhere + winds jumped to about 30 mph( and just got worse by the second) = very very bad day!!!!!!

fished there many times, but never had weather just appear out of nowhere like that!!!!  about half way back into the river, I had already lost most of my tackle and rods over the side from waves washing over us.....I looked at my best friend and told him "I love ya bro!!!! but we aint gonna make it!!!"   I was having to scream at him for him to hear me, and he was in the seat right next to me......at the first bend in the river heading back in, we were plowing water due to the fact that the boat was 1/2 full of water.... ran by boat up into the first grass/sandbar I could find.....never in the history of man, has there been a more thankful person....I yelled, screamed, cried, shook, and finally laid down on the deck of the boat and pulled a tarp over me to wait out the rest of the storm.....about 3 hours later we finally got the boat bailed out enuff to float it off the sand and get back to the St. Marys boat ramp....


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## Georgiagator (Jan 22, 2008)

keaton beach   had a storm come up while we were scolloping it had a water spout in it also it got so close the rain felt like someone shotting BB;S so we ditch the boat at pinney piont  we knew we couldn;t make it back to the marina. While we were on piney point we saw a boat get flip over with three men in it. My dad said boy we got to go and get them, so off we went we got to the first man he was holding on to the cooler got him to pinney point he told us that one of his buddies couldn;t swim  so we went after him next . Got to him and he couldn;t pull himself into the boat so my dad had to help, while helping the man in he fell out of the boat catching the ancor ring on the way out, when he stould up you could see the bone running down his arm he had cut it so bad, so I had to jump in and help them both into boat, took them to pinney point and went after the third man by that time storm was gone and he was pulling his boat to shore,said he was ok, went back and got my dad andwent to the marina never slowed down going into the canal. think my dad ended up with over a 100 stiches in his arm from that storm


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## Parker Phoenix (Jan 22, 2008)

These are some good reads guys. I'm glad your all still here to tell about them.


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## Doyle (Jan 22, 2008)

I've got one to beat them all.  Remember, this area is OLD FOLKS RETIREMENT CENTRAL.  Down here we have an island in the mouth of Tampa bay called Passage Key.   It is a federal bird sancuary so you can't go up to the island itself but there are 3' flats all around it.   On any sunny weekend, there will be up to 100 boats anchored up together and not one bathing suit in sight.   

Have you ever seen dozens of wrinkled old people laying out nekid?


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## How2fish (Jan 22, 2008)

Georgiagator said:


> keaton beach   had a storm come up while we were scolloping it had a water spout in it also it got so close the rain felt like someone shotting BB;S so we ditch the boat at pinney piont  we knew we couldn;t make it back to the marina. While we were on piney point we saw a boat get flip over with three men in it. My dad said boy we got to go and get them, so off we went we got to the first man he was holding on to the cooler got him to pinney point he told us that one of his buddies couldn;t swim  so we went after him next . Got to him and he couldn;t pull himself into the boat so my dad had to help, while helping the man in he fell out of the boat catching the ancor ring on the way out, when he stould up you could see the bone running down his arm he had cut it so bad, so I had to jump in and help them both into boat, took them to pinney point and went after the third man by that time storm was gone and he was pulling his boat to shore,said he was ok, went back and got my dad andwent to the marina never slowed down going into the canal. think my dad ended up with over a 100 stiches in his arm from that storm



One thing is for sure you was raised RIGHT..if your Dad is still with us tell him..he is the Man..too many people would have turned a blind eye to those men...my hat's off to him for certain and for sure..


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## Nitram4891 (Jan 22, 2008)

Being part of this news story and getting airlifted out. This was on the saturday of thanksgiving weekend and the water was cooooold.  Later found out there was a crack where the platform the motors were mounted to butted up against the main hull.  I think we were on a 25 foot Mako.  Luckily it was not our boat, we were just guests.

From newspaper:

A Coast Guard crew rescued four people after their fishing boat sank near Ossabaw Island on Saturday.

Just before noon, the Guard in Savannah was called about a distressed group of boaters about 500 yards off of the Georgia barrier island.

Ed Brown, James H. Brown, 56, Jean Jaques Arignon, 45, and Martin Arignon, 17, were on a fishing trip when their boat started taking on water.

When the rescue helicopter crew took off, they were told the boaters had two working pumps on board. By the time the crew arrived, the 25-foot craft had lost engine power and was overturning.

The boaters put on life vests and swam clear of the sinking boat. Then a rescue swimmer assisted with hoisting them into the helicopter.

The victims were said to be in good condition with only mild cases of hypothermia.


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## Nitram4891 (Jan 22, 2008)

We were fishing some structure in front of ossabaw when we noticed the back end of the boat was really low and the waterline really high up on the motors.  We opened the bilge and it was full of water so we turned on the two bilge pumps.  We pulled up the anchor and started back towards the sound but couldn't go very fast due to shallow water and a storm which was becoming pretty intense.  We were paralleling the coast when we lost the first motor.  That's when the owner of the boat radioed the coast guard.  At first we thought we would need a tow so they sent a boat to meet up with us.  When the second motor started struggling we took a 90 degree turn towards the beach because we knew we would not make it to the channel and back to the ramp.  This is all happening as a storm is coming in and the water is getting rougher by the minute.  Right when we made the turn towards land, the second outboard quit and we then radioed the coast guard to find out their ETA.  They said they would be there in 20 minutes and thats about the exact moment the first wave crashed over the side.  We had hit a sandbar and the boat was no longer able to roll with the on coming waves so just about everywave came over and fillet the boat.  Based on this information the coast guard sent out the helicopter and they were there fairly quickly.  When they were above us they told us to jump out of the boat and swim away so as not to get caught underneath or get hit if the boat flipped over.  One of the guys panicked because of the cold water and tried to swim to the shore (500 yards) but with the mid tide current he had no chance.  The chopper picked him up first a couple hundred yards away from us and took him to the beach with a medic (he had previous heart problems and was not doing good).  They then they came back and lifted the three of us out with the basket.  We went back and picked up the fourth guy from the beach and landed at Hunter AAF with ambulances waiting.  I think we ended up in the water for about 20 minutes and definately had started getting hypothermia.  I have to thank the coast guard for the amazing job they did.  I think the weirdest part was when that first wave came over and our coolers, tackleboxes, and anything else on board ended up scattered in the ocean around us.  It was a hard to watch you stuff float away helplessly.  

The boat was recovered but the T-top, center console, and both outboards were ripped off from it rolling around in the surf so it was worthless.  I think the forecast that day was 4-6' waves and definately proved big enough to destroy a twenty-five footer.


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## Ol' Red (Jan 22, 2008)

We ran out of gas 40 miles off shore....the boat owner was NOT going to call SEATOW....luckily, a boat came by and towed us in....

Red


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## Parker Phoenix (Jan 23, 2008)

Ol' Red said:


> We ran out of gas 40 miles off shore....the boat owner was NOT going to call SEATOW....luckily, a boat came by and towed us in....
> 
> Red



Why would he NOT call SeaTow?


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## GAGE (Jan 23, 2008)

Fishing in Venezuala a few years back, the seas went from 10 to 20 and and even though we were in a 42 Viking,  that was my last off shore trip.


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## Ol' Red (Jan 23, 2008)

Parker Phoenix said:


> Why would he NOT call SeaTow?



He didn't want to pay the money...He came very close to mutiny.....

Red


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## Swab (Jan 23, 2008)

*Capsized...*

...an 18' center console at 4:30 PM in late October in the Catalina Channel 15 miles off the Southern California Coast.  Glad the the boat was "unsinkable" because we weren't rescued until noon the next day.  20 hours drifting (12 of them in the dark) with most of the bottom half of your body in 51 degree water while hugging another man closer than you've ever hugged a female will make you think odd things....to say the least.  BTW, uncontrollable shivering takes a toll on your muscles and joints, I couldn't stand for most of the following day.


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## Nitram4891 (Jan 23, 2008)

Swab said:


> ...an 18' center console at 4:30 PM in late October in the Catalina Channel 15 miles off the Southern California Coast.  Glad the the boat was "unsinkable" because we weren't rescued until noon the next day.  20 hours drifting (12 of them in the dark) with most of the bottom half of your body in 51 degree water while hugging another man closer than you've ever hugged a female will make you think odd things....to say the least.  BTW, uncontrollable shivering takes a toll on your muscles and joints, I couldn't stand for most of the following day.




That's a story..glad you made it.  Did you ever try to swim under the boat to get any supplies that might still be in there? (flares or anything else useful)?


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## Wild Turkey (Jan 23, 2008)

One time Forest and I were shrimping on the Jennie and a hurricane overcame us. We toughed it out and were fine the next day with the exception of a newly found zest for life.


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## potsticker (Jan 23, 2008)

I missed old limitless on here but lets get started. He had a 17 ft sea hunt center console, in panama city. We catch bait near treasure island and head out off shore to then c, and d bouy. I had caught a decent bonita near c bouy and had him to the boat when limitless gets his orange glove on and tells me he is going to tail it. The fish has swallowed my hook, he reaches down to tail the bonito when a shark, snatches it away. We both had our faces just inches above the water, leaning over, we both got wet. The shark has the bonito and one left orange glove in its mouth, i couldnt set the hook, it didnt matter, one surge and the steel broke. No one but the glove was injured, dont put your hands where it dont belong!


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## Swab (Jan 23, 2008)

Nitram4891 said:


> That's a story..glad you made it.  Did you ever try to swim under the boat to get any supplies that might still be in there? (flares or anything else useful)?



We were able to retrieve a small bottle of water (1/2 full) and life jackets from an air pocket under the boat but that's all we could find.  Man that water was good....


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## deedly (Jan 24, 2008)

Ol' Red said:


> We ran out of gas 40 miles off shore....the boat owner was NOT going to call SEATOW....luckily, a boat came by and towed us in....
> 
> Red



What was that skipper thinking,


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## Ol' Red (Jan 24, 2008)

deedly said:


> What was that skipper thinking,




He wasn't.  I told him I wasn't spending the night on a 24ft. boat in the middle of the ocean.  Not a nice conversation.

Red


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## larpyn (Jan 24, 2008)

deedly said:


> What was that skipper thinking,



given the situation ol' red was in; 'skipper" seems like too nice of a word.
i would have beaten that guy senseless


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## Ol' Red (Jan 24, 2008)

larpyn said:


> given the situation ol' red was in; 'skipper" seems like too nice of a word.
> i would have beaten that guy senseless



Almost did.  Needless to say we haven't spoken sense.

Red


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## wes tanner (Jan 25, 2008)

*bad day on cumberland island*

Headed out of st marys to go to cumberland island to fish and cast net for shrimp.We were in a crosby sled with a 20 horse johnson.Came out of river and went across a wide open area of water to get to island.The wife and boy who was 10 at the time were playing on beach while i threw cast net for shrimp.Started seeing all these big boats coming in from jetties and was thinking the fish must not be biting for them to come in this early.Before i new it the wind had picked up and a thunderstorm had blew in.Well the waves were to big for me to try to get back across sound and back to river.So here i was with waves coming over the back of my boat because it was lower in the back than front.Told wife to go to edge of woods with son while i turned boat around where front of boat was facing waves.I had to hold boat that way while it was thundering and lighting and hope i did not get struck by lighting until storm passed. When storm passed took boat pulled plug and run water out.Got wife and son and got back to ramp. Went to motel only to find out from explorering island earlier that day that we were covered in small ticks about the size of a pin head.we picked over 20 ticks off of each other.Was suppose to go back out next day to fish some more but decided it would be safer to go to movies and then come on home. I will never go out in the ocean again with that small of a boat i dont care how calm it is.  Wes tanner


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## wes tanner (Jan 25, 2008)

*st marys submarine tower*

Me and my buddie mike and his brother were fishing out at the submarine tower not catching a whole lot when we here this guy on another boat yell peanut butter and jelly.So we get closer and find out he was catching spade fish.We could see them right under the water but they would not hit our shrimp, pin fish, or lures.Then here goes this guy with another big fish on yelling peanut butter and jelly again so we move in closer and mikes brother realizes that there using cut up jelly fish balls which are floating in the water.We catch some jelly balls and start to fish catching four or five that probably weighted 3 to 5lbs each.When mike says we gotta go.I said are you crazy were on good fish.Thats when he says you see over there that  is a thunderstorm and its headed this way.We start out and im sitting in front of con sole and keep hering this beeping sound i yell out whats that sound and mikes brother yells back thats just the wind whistling through bimini top.Well the bottom fell out raining and lighting so i move behind mike and his brother and hold on to seat when i see this light blinking and here the beeping. The light on console said check oil.Mike pulls the throttle down to idle.By now rain pouring and lighting popping every where. Mike says chris you did put the extra oil in boat for injection.Chris says its in the truck .Well mike starts cussing callingchris a dumb ********* and says Im gonna blow it up before i sit here and get struck by lighting.He pushs throttle full speed just knowing it gonna seize up before we get back to dock.We made it and found out that the suzuki motor had a warning system that beeped when oil got low but tank stiil had plenty of oil to get back to ramp. I still laugh when i think about them two fighting about who was at fought about the oil not being in the boat.   Wes tanner


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## wes tanner (Jan 25, 2008)

*panama city*

This aint scary but its funny.Friends of mine mike  chris  and kinsler were fishing and stopped to get gas at the marina.Chris put the gas hose in tank on boat and begin to pump the gas.Well mike says how much gas have you put in there. Chris looks at the pump and it read over 50 gallons.Thats when kinsler pointed out to chris that he had the nozzle in the built in rod holder which was right beside the built in tank.The rod holder ran down to the the inner hull of boat which now had 50 gallons of gas in it causing boat to sit real low in water.Need less to say they had to drive slow back to dock no smoking and mike giving chris ************ about how stupid he was.Pulled boat out drained gas no major damage.If you know chris you need to ask him how much gas  that high performance rod holder holds. wes tanner


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## Hunting Teacher (Jan 25, 2008)

It also was the scariest experience of my life!
During Sportsman Lobster season two years ago my brother, daughter, nephew and I were diving with one of our lifelong friends.
We were diving off a 42 ocean my friend, a captain, ran. We had made a couple of dives on a flat calm, unlimited visibility perfect Boynton Beach day. Our friend, my daughter, and I were diving and had caught two bags full of "bugs." My friend haeded up and my daughter and I did a slow ascent and did a safety stop at 20 feet. We were fine on our decompression time, but just were being extra safe like we all always do. 
While hanging at 20 feet, we all of a sudden hear the most awful noise I have ever heard. I knew it was a large prop hitting something hard but i didn't know what it was. I grabbed my daughter and swam, pushed her back down to about 40 feet thinking two boats had collided.
After a couple of minutes we cautiously came up and as my head broke the surface my brother was screaming at me to go get my friend who had just floated to the surface. The sound we had heard was the boat running over my friend!
Now before you start something had went wrong with the electronics in the boat and the controls were in the neutral position but did not disengage one engine. It is also a very common practice on large diesel boats to leave the engines running. Back to the story.
When I realised my friend had just been through a 26 in prop I stealed myself for what I was going to find when I got to him! I swam the 30 yards in olympic time and grabbed him by the shoulder and said his name.
He answered me immediately and said "I'm still here."
The tank had been completely ripped off of him, his head had a gash in it, his wetsuit was shredded and he was bruised and battered. 
OK, very long story short. He was taken in by a sheriffs boat and after a couple of weeks made a full recovery. God obviously has big plans for him here on this earth because almost no one goes through a 26 in prop and lives to tell about it. And they sure don't come through without MAJOR injuries, but he did!!!
The sound we heard was the tank taking the blows  from the prop until the engine stalled.
To this day I believe God sent an angel to steer my buddy through that prop and get him out relatively unharmed considering how it should have come out!!
It just goes to show you how quickly things can go wrong when you are on the ocean. One thing I can guarantee you.If I am driving, I will NEVER back down on a diver and if i'm in the water I will NEVER swim up to a boat when the engines are on.
Teacher


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## capt stan (Jan 25, 2008)

I guess about 5 years ago on fathers day I took my son several buds and their kids out kingfishing. We had two storms come together went from 1 ft to 4 and 5 in no time, Thats not much for seas but we had 5 count them 5 waterspouts drop out of the same storm all around us at once. The kids were scared to death It was about all I could do to maneuver around them and then take it back to the hill. Lil' dude, still don't like the "tornadoes and big waves". hes still spooked about going on the boat.

In fact the avatar I have is lil dude with his first king of THAT Day. Look in the back ground and you can see the clouds that were starting to form. It just developed so fast there was no way to avoid it.

It was  just suppposed to be a fun day for the kids


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## jneil (Jan 25, 2008)

I have no exciting stories, just my one and only time out in the gulf. The seas where 3 to 5 feet and rolling and rolling... my face was green and this was a 12 hour trip. I didn't do any chumming, but plenty of others were. The experinced folks kept laughing at us and ate BBQ and drank beer.


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## Mako22 (Jan 25, 2008)

I went out on a three hour cruise with some folks I didn't even know. We got caught in a bad storm, a hole got knocked in the side of the boat and we ended up stranded on an island with a small lagoon. So there I was stranded with a millionaire and his wife, a fat boat captain, a professor, a movie star and  a pot dealer named Mary Ann............


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## CHITOWN (Jan 25, 2008)

me and my buddy were in my 17 foot Sundance skiff and the fishin' was good. My father in law, his brother, and one of our buddies was in another boat, a 24 foot Carloina skiff. Well, a storm came in and it was low tide and we couldnt get in the short route...We had to go way out before we could come in. I really didnt know the way so I had to follow the bigger boat and he was flying(and it was dark)...We were like Bay watch! Jumping every wave..And let me tell ya,  A Sundance Skiff is one tought boat!







another time, while not scary, well..sort of...Me and my wife's uncle were fishing and the fishing was good....it was getting dark and we waited to long to go in. The tide was turning and we found ourselves in very shallow area before we knew it......long story short,..we spent 5 hours stuck in the mud,.....waiting for high tide to come....dark,...cold......and miles from shore....it was kinda scary.......................it sucked!...everyone else back at the house that it was funny..we still have a good laugh about it once in a while.


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## potsticker (Jan 25, 2008)

while out only 8 or 10 miles off panama city, we were using a sabiki rig to get bait. I hooked into a small king fish with that rig, knowing that i wuz going to lose that rig, i jerked up and broke off. i tossed my big pole out with a fresh bait when another king hit, i had him to the boat when limitless (with a new orange glove) tried to tail it as it was too small to gaff. He had the tail and all the sudden it wuz gone, I reeled in a head of the fish, we saw what looked like a silver sub, it wuz a wahoo, limitless put out a bait but the wahoo circled the boat and attacked my fish again, this time searing the fishes skull plate like a chainsaw. It just went out of sight, we both just collapsed in the bottom of the boat. Strike two! we were in a 18 ft boat and i swear that wahoo was allmost as long.


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## Incawoodsman (Jan 26, 2008)

Wow, you guys have some crazy stories....

  One time at the age of 15  my cousin and I were vacationing with my parents at Clearwater Florida and we thought that I would be a great Idea to swim across the clearwater pass to Sandkey Park , you know, we were young and invincible.

   Well we made it out all the way to the middle of the pass doing just fine when I went to take another stroke, right where my had was to hit the water, a huge grey fin popped up and the body of this huge gray thing brushed up against me, needless to say I almost died right then from fear, my cousin and I pretty much walked on water all the way back to the beach. When we got back to the beach we were surprised that we were still alive and not shredded to pieces. 

  Now for the great part, it turned out to be a pod of dolphins. Those things are HUGE, way bigger then I thought they would be. Anyhow it was still a scary experience even though it wasn't jaws. The only other time I have been that scared is when I was in a car that started spinning in a tornadoe!! I still have a fear of the ocean to this day, that pretty much ruined it for me, lol. I love going to the beach and ocean, but I don't stray far from shore at all.


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## potsticker (Jan 29, 2008)

Old flipper can, at times get confused. They can take a hand off just like a shark.


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## Hunting Teacher (Jan 30, 2008)

potsticker said:


> Old flipper can, at times get confused. They can take a hand off just like a shark.


I assume you're joking.
Dolphin are way too smart to make a mistake like that. I've swam with them in the wild at least two dozen times. Mostly they ignore you. If they do come near they are just curious and are very aware exactly what you are. They have no interest in us as food.
I have never, ever heard of a reported dolphin attack on a person other than when one may get tired of someone at Sea World pestering them.


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## Doyle (Jan 30, 2008)

Dolphins can and will bite but it isn't from a mistaken identity.  There is one down here that has bitten several people out of pure spite.   He lives in the intracoastal waterway near Venice.  People have feed him for years (very illegal) and now he comes up to boat to beg.  Several people have found out the hard way that if they try to pet him without giving him a fish, he'll bite.


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## dutchman (Jan 30, 2008)

I've been in some heavy for and heavy seas, but that was nothing compared to the day when we left the dock and forgot the ice and didn't realize it until we caught our first fish.


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## Israel (Mar 20, 2008)

carters93 said:


> I went out on a three hour cruise with some folks I didn't even know. We got caught in a bad storm, a hole got knocked in the side of the boat and we ended up stranded on an island with a small lagoon. So there I was stranded with a millionaire and his wife, a fat boat captain, a professor, a movie star and  a pot dealer named Mary Ann............



Ha, lil buddy! 
Call me fat again and I'll swat you with my hat.


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## Corey (Mar 20, 2008)

Great Storys guys glad yall are all ok and still with us. 

1 1/2  years ago my wife and I went to PC for out Honeymoon
everything was great we went out to the beach and was doing
what young love birds do kissing and hugging. I was holding her 
in one arm and fiddling with my new ring in the other hand. 
Never wore them before so I was not use to it. Well all of a 
sudden a nice set of waves hit us and you guessed it I dropped 
my new wedding band. I set there for a min with that warm 
feeling you get when you know you just did something stupid 
and pondered if I should tell my wife or not. 

I guess she could tell by the look on my face something was 
up. So being new to the marriage I told her the truth. The sun
went away and the seas got to 30 foot, all the little fish that 
swim at your feet took off like a bat out of Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ----. Red flames 
started coming out of her ears and lightning shooting from 
her fingers. I could have sworn I heard a fog horn when she 
said.....(long sigh) Dang honey I knew you were going to 
end up doing that. Ha I just knew she wanted to bring down 
the wrath of God on me but I guess the new had not worn off 
yet. So I lived to Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ----Edited to Remove TAC ---- her off another day..but I had reather take
a butt chewing anyday than to here her bring this up every time 
we have a fight.


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## Golden BB (Mar 21, 2008)

60'ish miles out bottom fishing, had a storm come up out of nowhere with 20-25ft. seas. Captain took me and put me in the cabin area because I couldnt hold on to the railing, to my defense I was 12. Anyway the boat cocked side ways and I was bouncing from wall to wall when I got thrown into the steel poles that his chair was mounted on and I threw my arm up to protect my head and ended up having a bone stick 3/4 " out of my arm from the impact. Four pins, 14" of wire, 42 staples and two surgerys later I was good as new thanks to the folks at Piedmont Sports Clinic in Macon !!


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## teethdoc (Mar 21, 2008)

On a cruise ship after high school we got caught on the edge of a tropical storm.  They closed everything down and confined everyone to their rooms.  The next morning the capt. mad an anouncement that he had been the capt. of that boat for 20+ years and that was the first time he had ever been sick.


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## teethdoc (Mar 21, 2008)

HuntinTom can share his story, but he and some buddies left out of destin for an over nighter got caught in a storm and ended up off the coast of MS several days later.


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## dapper dan (Mar 22, 2008)

I may have lived some of these stories already. I was stationed at CG Station Tybee from 99 to 03. I'll tell you what I hated the most. Was going out on a SAR mission and when we could finally come back home it could still take us a few hours, when it would only take the Helo 20 minutes. I ran a case where I had to go 38 miles offshore when a helicoptor crashed at I believe R2 off St. Cats. I was the only person on the boat still functioning and i had to run a search pattern. Finally we got relieved by the CGC Yellowfin out of Charleston. We were already bagged and still had a 3 hour trip in 4 to '5s back to the station. The next morning when I got up I found out that Angel 1 out of PI crashed at the same spot, and my buddies were out there looking for 1 of there men. All but 1 made it from Angel 1. That was a night i'll never forget. I've had so many I wish i wrote them down in a journal.


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## bassjake (Mar 25, 2008)

When I was about 15 me and my buddy took a little 14 ft skiff with a 9.9 outboard 2 or 3 miles out from the river in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Probably one of the dumbest things I've ever done.When we went out the seas were about 2ft but then the wind picked up and they went to 4 or 5 ft, which wouldn't have been bad if we had been in a bigger boat. We almost rolled over about 10 times but somehow we made it back to the river completely soaked with a ton of water in the boat. Needless to say the rest of the trip we never left the river even though the fish were biting better out past the island.


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## chambers270 (Mar 25, 2008)

I go over to Sapelo Island pretty regular and I have taken a boat many times. I took  a 14ft Jon Boat with a 40hp over there. The last time we were chosen for a hunt so I had to have the boat to get from the house we were staying back to the hunting camp. The winds picked up so we left about 3 hours earlier to try and beat the rough weather. 

On a pretty calm day it would take us 20 minutes to make the trip, it was so rough we stopped and put on rain jackets. It ended up taking us 45 minutes to get across the sound and we were getting pounded by waves.

I know this is not as bad as alot of the other stories but it was pretty hairy in a jon boat.

Chris


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## huntmstr (Mar 26, 2008)

I have two that scared the living daylights out of me.

The first was lobster season 1988, Lower Matacumbe, FL.  I was chased out of the water by about a 13' hammer head who had thought I looked a lot like a tarpon.  I was being dragged behind the boat by my father when the fin came up about 10 yards behind me. Dad pulled me away on plane and then got me into the boat.  Almost drowned, I drank so much sea water, but it beat the heck out of being lunch.

Second was same place, 42 miles of shore 1993.  We were trolling the weed lines along the Gulfstream rip when we came upon floating debris.  Little by little we realized we were at a very recent sight of a boat that was most likely pirated and scuttled.  We began to find items like full gas tanks, pieces of hull with scorch marks, and a large Persian rug all floating on the surface.  We marked the spot on Loran, called in the USCG and got the heck out of their before we found a body or became the next victim.  It still sends chills through me thinking about it.


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## AnesMerc (Mar 26, 2008)

Thanks for the stories, glad to hear that most everyone came out alive. I have a nice 22.5 CC and have been boating for 8 years. Thank God I have never had to encounter any of these situations.


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## fishing fool (Mar 28, 2008)

flying off of a boat going 60+ miles in mako sharks water    smallest mako had to bee 400 pounds         was my hair


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## BOWHUNTER! (Mar 28, 2008)

We lived in Fla when I was 14yrs old. I fished under the Port Orange bridge in Daytona every day. I had my bucket filled with water and my rod set up on the concrete wall. I went down to the waters edge to cast my net and looked up and my rod tip was bending around the bucket. I tried to get back up on the wall as fast as I could but it was too late. Right when I got there, the rod swung around the bucket and went into the river. The only thing I figured on such short notice, was to jump in after it ( barnacles and all ) so thats what I did. Keep in mind that this was right outside of a busy seafood restaurant too. I go in and land right on top of the rod...I fight the fish for about 5 min and it turns out to be a danged jack crevale.. I was scared but it was just instinct to jump in..I ended up getting cut from the shells on my feet and knees. I wonder what the people eating in the restaurant were thinking..


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## fredw (Mar 28, 2008)

*Wow*

Amazing stories.

You guys have convinced me to keep these old bones in sweetwater.


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## teethdoc (Mar 28, 2008)

BOWHUNTER! said:


> We lived in Fla when I was 14yrs old. I fished under the Port Orange bridge in Daytona every day. I had my bucket filled with water and my rod set up on the concrete wall. I went down to the waters edge to cast my net and looked up and my rod tip was bending around the bucket. I tried to get back up on the wall as fast as I could but it was too late. Right when I got there, the rod swung around the bucket and went into the river. The only thing I figured on such short notice, was to jump in after it ( barnacles and all ) so thats what I did. Keep in mind that this was right outside of a busy seafood restaurant too. I go in and land right on top of the rod...I fight the fish for about 5 min and it turns out to be a danged jack crevale.. I was scared but it was just instinct to jump in..I ended up getting cut from the shells on my feet and knees. I wonder what the people eating in the restaurant were thinking..



If you were broke like us, you knew you had to get that rod back no matter what b/c it was all you had.


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## JR (Mar 28, 2008)

Ol' Red said:


> Almost did.  Needless to say we haven't spoken sense.
> 
> Red



Mack, you really should forgive your dad, and start talking again!


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## boohoo222 (Mar 29, 2008)

back in the 80s i was running a 49 ft party boat(im a 100 ton capt.) and during the winter business gets slow so myself, another capt., and 2 mates would go comm. fishing for 7 days per trip. one trip we left out of port orange fla. and went 65 miles out from jacksonville, anchored and fished 17 hours till 2pm the others went to sleep i kept fishing and kept seeing lights from a sailboat mast slowly circleing our boat, this went on for 3 hours, finally i woke everyone up and they saw the lights too, we pulled anchor and headed to the sailboat, when we were close enough to  light it up with our spotlight we did and there was nothing there, at the same time a friend called in a mayday, said a old timey sailboat ran in to him broadside and he was sinking, and the sailboat dissapeared, not sank, dissapeared.....poof.....we headed home full throttle, scaired us all..looking at the chart 2 days later we were in the bermuda triangle..i am now a believer.......


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## Back2class (Mar 30, 2008)

My tales are not too extreme. I did grow up spending summers at our beach house. I have watched several boats destroyed in storms on the rocks and seen some very scared boaters coming in after a freak storm.


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## MudDucker (Mar 30, 2008)

spam4 said:


> My tales are not too extreme. I did grow up spending summers at our beach house. I have watched several boats destroyed in storms on the rocks and seen some very scared boaters coming in after a freak storm.



Spoken like a true democrat...or is it that you are afraid there was a camera there to record the non-event


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## Back2class (Mar 31, 2008)

MudDucker said:


> Spoken like a true democrat...or is it that you are afraid there was a camera there to record the non-event



???????


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## leftystar (Jul 3, 2014)

>>>


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## GLS (Jul 3, 2014)

After a day at the stream off Savannah, seas turned ugly with 10'-12'  following seas between my 25' Bertram and 2W.  A buddy was at the helm when a following sea almost broached us just before we could see Wassaw Island. It didn't happen in slow motion.  I took back the helm and white-knuckled the boat back to home.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 3, 2014)

We put in at the Port St Joe city ramp right at daylight Wednesday was a week ago. Didn`t get half mile out and here came the storm. We outran it back but there were 2 boats ahead of me tryin` to get out before the bad stuff hit. Sheryl got out on the dock and I had her go get in the truck because lightnin` was poppin` hard and the rain was so hard you couldn`t see through it. the other 2 got out and about that time the wind caught my boat. I found out right fast this wasn`t my river boat. As I was tryin` to hold it off the other side dock my knee gave, I went off the dock onto the walkway, and rolled off into the water still holdin` the rope, wind shifted and pushed the boat back against the dock. Only problem was about that time I came up and got mashed between the boat and the dock. 

I don`t know how this old man pushed that boat away from me in all that wind, but I did and rolled up on the walkway. I finally got the boat tied off safe and went to the truck till the rain quit. A couple of scratches on the boat, it ain`t hurt, but I`m beat and bruised from the top of my head to my feet. I got lucky on that one. I ain`t ashamed to say that scared me purty bad. I`m still bruised up, and my jaw feels broke. I`m mighty thankful that boat didn`t crush me any worse than it did.


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## oops1 (Jul 3, 2014)

I got two sabiki rig hooks in my thumb at the same time... Was very painful. Seriously.. Y'all have had some scary experiences out there.. Glad y'all made it and hope I never go through it .


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## High Center (Jul 14, 2014)

15 of my 20 years in the Coast Guard have been spent at SAR stations up and down the coast. Whenever I saw a bass boat or a pontoon boat heading (even remotely) in the direction of the inlet or sound- I followed at a polite distance.

It is interesting reading the other side of the coin.


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## olcop (Jul 14, 2014)

*Scary*

Fishing just outside the breakers, between Jax and St. Augustine in a 32' SF.
Certain times of the year the Manta Rays migrate through, and they were jumping that day----a huge one came up and jumped right behind the boat,
Looked big enough to crush/sink us, but I don't know if it saw us or just did it, but it turned a back flip and went back in the water and no damage to us
thankfully----I was on the flybridge looking back at the guys fishing and had a front row seat, and I swear his wingspan was wider than my boat and it probably weighed over a thousand pounds. Would have done some serious damage and hurt or killed some of us if it hadn't back flipped
olcop


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## Parker Phoenix (Jul 14, 2014)

Wow, this thread is back from the dead, some good stories here.


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