Turtle Attack!?
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Aligator snappers are big, well equipped to do damage, but thankfully easy to spook. I've never even heard from someone who has seen one in the wild (now I assume we will)<G>.
I've seen them before Tha, and your right they do get spooked very easily but if you mess with the wrong one they will snap, i've seen them eat baby ducks swimming in the water and we have cought one before in a trap took a shovel and let it snap on the end of it and the turtle wouldn't let go.... Anyway about this divers death i'm sure they will come out with a movie "Attack Of The Turtles" or something not jaws but turtles this time 
Always descending,
c.h.
Always descending,
c.h.
dutchpickle
Contributor
Down in the swamps of Georgia I saw a big one crossing the dirt road. I wanted to get a good look at it and tried to prevent it from getting to the other side of the road. Not having a stick or anything I took off my shoe and tried to push it back.
With lightening speed that turtle grabbed that shoe out of my hand and chomped down hard. I would have been in deep poop if he got my hand. I quit harassing turtles after that.
With lightening speed that turtle grabbed that shoe out of my hand and chomped down hard. I would have been in deep poop if he got my hand. I quit harassing turtles after that.
rjk75
Contributor
dumpsterDiver,
Glad to hear you survived. That is far out. But I think you may have started a new sport--Underwater Bareback Turtle Riding, just like bull riding, bronc riding, etc. Stay on for 8 seconds and get a prize.
Glad to hear you survived. That is far out. But I think you may have started a new sport--Underwater Bareback Turtle Riding, just like bull riding, bronc riding, etc. Stay on for 8 seconds and get a prize.
Here is a sobering tale. ... Willie
There are pictures on decostop if you are a member there.
Date: Mon Mar 7, 2005 2:14 pm
Subject: Divers Attacked by Large Turtle ~ 5.??.2001 rizaljp
Well, here is the whole sordid tale:
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=170050&postcount=18
May 2001? I think. I'll check the log.
Not sure of the size, but note that he is several feet behind us and still
larger than our torsos...Kevin and I are both about 6'2" and about 220lbs.
.....
We were headed out to find a navy fighter that was lost in deeper water,
and we searched for some time without success. When we had had all the fun
we could stand, we came back into the shallower areas (60-80 fsw) off
Pensacola just to get a dive in. We splashed, did leak checks and were
dropping when I got hit hard from behind and shaken violently. My first
thought was that this had to be one of my friends (what else are friends
for), but a quick glance up showed that Chip and Jack were together far in
front of us (and on the bottom) and that Kevin was right there with me. My
first thought was "what in the hell has a hold of my gear...something
big...am I actually being attacked by a friggin shark?" I started to reach
back and see, and it suddenly occurred to me that this could be a real
problem. To be honest, I just couldn't believe I was being attacked by
anything in free-water, some 40 feet below the surface.
So I switched on my best defense mode and immediately attacked...really
beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. I slammed my doubles into
it as hard as I could manage and felt something big get pushed back but not
let go. I had now convinced myself that a large predator had hold of my
wing, and I just knew that I was going to be telling someone how to sew me
up. It didn't let go the first time, so I hit it harder and it released me.
I turned around half expecting to get a face full of teeth and was stunned
to see a very large (300 lbs+) turtle staring at me. He advanced with mouth
open, so I smacked him on the head to get him away from my arm and spun him
around by the shell&giving him a shove in the right direction (away from
me). He was surprisingly easy to move around in the water..but then again,
turtles are Hogarthian rigged, as they are definitely streamlined. 1729226.jpg
At this point, I thought the event was over, as did Kevin who had noticed
the commotion and come over to help out. The whole thing lasted less than
10 seconds at most. Like clockwork, I signaled Kevin that my wing had been
bitten, and he was on top of it checking it for damage (I am happy to
report that my Halcyon wing is highly turtle resistant and suffered no
visible damage&I still dive the same wing). I was doing my part monitoring
our depth and watching the other team that had by now come up to join us
and see what was going on. The picture you see is of this moment in time.
What neither Kevin nor I knew was that the turtle did a U turn and came
back for more diver a-la-cart. Neither of us could see the turtle because
of the angles of our masks, and I thought that Chip (photographer) was
trying to signal me to get closer to Kevin for the photo. I remember
thinking this will be a great training photo. Communication was off because
we didnt have a pre-arranged signal for: Hey, the big turtle came back and
is going to bite the stew out of your buddys arm, so you might want to turn
around and let him know about it&I know, I know, lack of planning on our part&
At any rate, the next thing I saw and heard was Kevins elbow jerk back and
forth in front of my field of view several times and some choice words
through his reg. I realized that our friend must be back and that Kevin was
to defending himself. As I turned I saw the turtle latched onto Kevins arm
and some blood in the water. Oh, this is getting real interestingI am
thinking, at this point praying that it didnt get a good hold of Kevin.
With two of us beating on his shell and head, he released Kevins arm at
some point and headed on his way, circling a couple times as we ascended,
believe it or not. We got everyone out of the water and broke out the kit I
always carry to patch up Kevin&which is the other photo I posted.
Everyone lived, including the turtle, and Kevin and I never have found a
good place to sit down and have turtle soup&so if you know a good restaurant&.
One of those odd things that happens once in a thousand dives or so&
Kevin, Jack or Chip can add their perspective if they want...they are all
members here.
Richard
There are pictures on decostop if you are a member there.
http://www.thedecostop.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=617&sort=1
http://www.thedecostop.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=618&sort=1&cat=all&page=1
From: "Marv Gozum @ CI Server" <mxg003@...>http://www.thedecostop.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=618&sort=1&cat=all&page=1
Date: Mon Mar 7, 2005 2:14 pm
Subject: Divers Attacked by Large Turtle ~ 5.??.2001 rizaljp
Well, here is the whole sordid tale:
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=170050&postcount=18
May 2001? I think. I'll check the log.
Not sure of the size, but note that he is several feet behind us and still
larger than our torsos...Kevin and I are both about 6'2" and about 220lbs.
.....
We were headed out to find a navy fighter that was lost in deeper water,
and we searched for some time without success. When we had had all the fun
we could stand, we came back into the shallower areas (60-80 fsw) off
Pensacola just to get a dive in. We splashed, did leak checks and were
dropping when I got hit hard from behind and shaken violently. My first
thought was that this had to be one of my friends (what else are friends
for), but a quick glance up showed that Chip and Jack were together far in
front of us (and on the bottom) and that Kevin was right there with me. My
first thought was "what in the hell has a hold of my gear...something
big...am I actually being attacked by a friggin shark?" I started to reach
back and see, and it suddenly occurred to me that this could be a real
problem. To be honest, I just couldn't believe I was being attacked by
anything in free-water, some 40 feet below the surface.
So I switched on my best defense mode and immediately attacked...really
beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. I slammed my doubles into
it as hard as I could manage and felt something big get pushed back but not
let go. I had now convinced myself that a large predator had hold of my
wing, and I just knew that I was going to be telling someone how to sew me
up. It didn't let go the first time, so I hit it harder and it released me.
I turned around half expecting to get a face full of teeth and was stunned
to see a very large (300 lbs+) turtle staring at me. He advanced with mouth
open, so I smacked him on the head to get him away from my arm and spun him
around by the shell&giving him a shove in the right direction (away from
me). He was surprisingly easy to move around in the water..but then again,
turtles are Hogarthian rigged, as they are definitely streamlined. 1729226.jpg
At this point, I thought the event was over, as did Kevin who had noticed
the commotion and come over to help out. The whole thing lasted less than
10 seconds at most. Like clockwork, I signaled Kevin that my wing had been
bitten, and he was on top of it checking it for damage (I am happy to
report that my Halcyon wing is highly turtle resistant and suffered no
visible damage&I still dive the same wing). I was doing my part monitoring
our depth and watching the other team that had by now come up to join us
and see what was going on. The picture you see is of this moment in time.
What neither Kevin nor I knew was that the turtle did a U turn and came
back for more diver a-la-cart. Neither of us could see the turtle because
of the angles of our masks, and I thought that Chip (photographer) was
trying to signal me to get closer to Kevin for the photo. I remember
thinking this will be a great training photo. Communication was off because
we didnt have a pre-arranged signal for: Hey, the big turtle came back and
is going to bite the stew out of your buddys arm, so you might want to turn
around and let him know about it&I know, I know, lack of planning on our part&
At any rate, the next thing I saw and heard was Kevins elbow jerk back and
forth in front of my field of view several times and some choice words
through his reg. I realized that our friend must be back and that Kevin was
to defending himself. As I turned I saw the turtle latched onto Kevins arm
and some blood in the water. Oh, this is getting real interestingI am
thinking, at this point praying that it didnt get a good hold of Kevin.
With two of us beating on his shell and head, he released Kevins arm at
some point and headed on his way, circling a couple times as we ascended,
believe it or not. We got everyone out of the water and broke out the kit I
always carry to patch up Kevin&which is the other photo I posted.
Everyone lived, including the turtle, and Kevin and I never have found a
good place to sit down and have turtle soup&so if you know a good restaurant&.
One of those odd things that happens once in a thousand dives or so&
Kevin, Jack or Chip can add their perspective if they want...they are all
members here.
Richard
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