alligator on breakers reef

[Jupiter31]

WOW!
And I was scared outta my mind when I ran into a 30' hammerhead out there 2 years ago.


Chug
Likes Gators....But LSU Tigers are the BEST!

If you had, it would have been a world record - they "only" (only....) reach 20' maximum.

But I hear ya - lots of things look - or seem - bigger in the water, especially sharks - and not too many of us carry a tape measure when we dive.

 

[Orlando Eric]

Walter-- Nice catch. I have seen may many exaggerations of GIANT gators since my arrival to Florida in 1981. I personally saw one in Orlando / st cloud which made the paper then was internetted to be 20 ish feet. It was around 12'. --- Too many people willing to believe crazy stuff like Nigerian Bank Scams.

A big WOW on the salt swimming Gator though. Amazing... unbelievable which is why I confirmed it first before buying that...

 

[Chugwhump]

And as to the Hammerhead I encountered off of Palm Beach I alluded to in an earlier post, It was truly not an inch over 29'
I apologize to all for my reckless exaggeration.
Chug

OK OK OK.........
So it was not really an inch over 28'.
Clearly I encountered the world record holder.

I refuse to drop below 25' though.....

Chug
Like big ole' sharks in the ocean when he cannot see them, and on Discovery Channel when he can.

 

[Jupiter31]

Since we are on the subject.....

There is a reef in the Key's called Alligator - obviously named for the 'gators encountered there

PS Walter - I'm just kidding!!

 

[Chugwhump]

Since we are on the subject.....
There is a reef in the Key's called Alligator - obviously named for the 'gators encountered there

I am unsure if anyone other than me is aware of this, but Alligator Reef that you are talking about there Mr. Jupiter (formerly known as Zeus) was named after the HMS Alligator Royal Navy ship.
It exploded and sank there during a training exercise during the initial deployment of laser beams in ship to outer space combat systems by the Royal Navy.

I think Mr. Peabody was pretty much to blame using his "Way Back Machine" while transporting Austin Powers to a Ladies Ninja Conference in Islamorada...or was it a Lady Pirates networking social?

Either way...I might be just a little fuzzy on the history but I think I mostly have it right.

Chug
Likes History.

 

[RickI]

One of the most interesting hammerhead encounters I had years back involved one only about 5 1/2 ft. long. I was looking for a boat that had been sunk somewhere on or around the third reef. I was towing a pattern at this point through a buoy grid between 70 and 90 ft. Viz. was poor, about 20 ft. in brown water courtesy of low tide and the nearby inlet. I'm towing along and I see this baby hammerhead lying motionless stomach up on the bottom. It was about a foot and half long. I'm mulling about dropping off the tow line to pick it up, messing up my search run in this part of the grid when I saw another. Shortly after, saw a third one, all dead. Then I saw what I took to be the mom. It was also lying on the bottom, about 5 1/2 ft. long with a girth of about 1 1/2 ft.. Curious thing was, she was only half there, the aft half. So, had the tail but no anal fin making me think intact she may have been ten feet or so. There was nothing feeding on any of this, so feeling more than a little uneasy pending getting back on the boat, called it a day.

 

[Chugwhump]

Curious thing was, she was only half there, the aft half. So, had the tail but no anal fin making me think intact she may have been ten feet or so. There was nothing feeding on any of this, so feeling more than a little uneasy pending getting back on the boat, called it a day.

The only thing better than seeing half a 10' shark....is seeing your feet on the deck of the boat immediately!

Chug