Video of Great White off of NC.

[GrierHPharmD]

I found this nice little video of a Great White off of NC in the Deep South Divers section. It was posted on 6/2. Thought you guys might like to see it and hear some authentic carolina boys' commentary. (Listen to this when you think I have a strong accent!)

http://oregoninlet.us/poacher/videos.asp

 

[jviehe]

Nice. scary, but nice. would you jump in if you had your gear with you?

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Not me. I hear that they like salchichones... (or was that salchichones cojones?)

 

[freedive]

Hi Grier,

That was a pretty impressive video. I had seen it when it post on E Divers, it's a good thing those good ole boys were fishing and not diving.
Seeing that reminds me of a particular fishing trip I was on with 3 friends when I lived in NY. We were out about 20 miles east of Montauk Point fishing for Blues on my friends 20 foot center console Boston Whaler. We would chum while drifting and the usual would be to have 4 lines out baited with butterfish. We would also have one line on a 9.0 reel baited with a whole mackerel for the occasional mako or duskie. On this particular day the 9.0 began to click sporadically in very short burst. With rod and reel in hand Bob began to crank the reel expecting it to run at any moment but to our surprise he reeled in the line without a fight until the line led directly under the boat. I walked to the stern and saw this massive tail extending about a foot past the outboard and got a sinking feeling in my gut. I then ran to the bow and this sharks BIG, WIDE head was right there even with the bow of the boat !!!.
I yelled to Bob to cut the "freaking" line because the shark was bigger than our boat. Of course he did not believe me at first so I grabbed the pole and had him take look. All this time I was praying this thing would not start thrashing under us. As soon as he got a look he cut the line and this Great White slowly began to swim away. I can't ever remember being that scared because if this thing wanted to us we were certainly no match for it. This fishing trip was in the summer of 1981 and to this day I remember that scenario like it was yesterday.

Juan

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Wow! Guess you didn't try to pet it's nose, like those South African boys do...

Great story! I can't say that I wish I had been there, but what an experience!

 

[CBulla]

Thats one of those animals that remind you who the apex predator of the waters are.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Guess it's not me, eh?

 

[freedive]

Thats one of those animals that remind you who the apex predator of the waters are.

Yeah no kidding, a magnificent animal but it will put the fear of god into you, especially when he is bigger than your boat.

 

[cra2]

Nice. scary, but nice. would you jump in if you had your gear with you?

On the one hand I think it'd be scary just to be ON that boat knowing that sucker was in the water, just circling and waiting. I mean heaven-forbid the boat spring a freakish leak and start sinking.. or you slip reaching for a beer and fall in.

But, on the other hand, you may NEVER get to see a fish of that size and stature EVER again in your life. So, as long as he wasn't directly next to the boat, I think I'd grab only a mask and slip softly into the water CLUTCHING that ladder, ready to spring back up if the shark got within 25'... or even turned and looked at me too hard. lol.

Course.. I'd only do it if I really trusted the rest of the guys in the boat not to mess around or toss chum in or something. And only if I trusted one of them to keep their eyes on the water BEHIND me in case that monster had a buddy we hadn't noticed yet.

 

[SDAnderson]

Here's a clip of another GDGW encounter off North Carolina: http://www.dejavideo.net/great_white2.mpg