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Randy Jordan: Divers meet great white shark at Hole in the Wall
By Randy Jordan
outdoors columnist
July 24, 2005
All this talk about sharks being man-eaters never really worried me ... until now.
Two scuba divers spear-fishing at the Hole in the Wall dive sight off Jupiter were alarmed when they came face to face with a great white shark. Now you have my attention!
Keith Hennessy and Danny George were out in 130 feet of water when they came upon a nice 20-pound grouper. Hennessy took the shot and impaled the big fish while George opted to shoot a mutton snapper that came over to see what was going on. The fish "holed up" in a cave structure on the ledge.
As Hennessy fought to free the prey and recover his shaft, his buddy began honking on his underwater signaling device. Annoyed, Hennessy turned to see what had George excited enough to violate his quiet solitude.
George was on the other side of what was unmistakably a great white.
"When I first saw the fish, it looked like a submarine. Just like you see on TV with a gray top, white belly and big black eyes." Hennessy told me.
The guys both agreed they were more in awe than scared.
"The shark was slowly swimming south into the current and did not seem to show any interest in our activities," Hennessy said. "The caudal or tailfin was taller than Danny's 6-2 profile and we estimated the shark to be 15 to 17 feet long weighing about 2,000 pounds."
Hennessy and George have been diving "a long time." They live in Vero Beach and come down here two or three times a week to enjoy our clear waters and bountiful harvest.
Until now the biggest shark they had seen was a 12-foot tiger shark off Vero.
Keith, formerly a commercial spearfisherman told me, "It's a good thing the great white didn't have a cobia or two trailing it ... that would have been a tough decision."
The great white shark is an infrequent visitor to this coast. Scientists estimate there are only a few hundred left off the West Coast. I estimate there is only one on this coast and he is headed south toward South America never to be seen again.
The great white can get up to 20 feet long and is the largest predator in the ocean. The largest that we know about! Maybe I am a little sensitive after watching 20 hours of "Shark Week," but the thought of a great white swimming in my waters causes tightness in the pit of my stomach I have not known before.
When we got the report of the sighting this week, I immediately donned my superdiver gear, grabbed my speargun and headed out to the Hole in the Wall to try to get a first hand view of this monster. After spearing a grouper, two hogfish and a mutton snapper, I was sure the dinner bell was ringing in the big shark's ears. Nothing happened, and after a titillating, adrenaline-rushed dive, I was glad nothing happened and I hope it stays that way.
You got a great white in your waters. Send me a picture and keep the shark. I started diving two years before "Jaws" came out and I am still afraid a great white will eat the boat.
Randy Jordan is the owner of Jupiter Dive Center on Alternate A1A in Jupiter.
He can be reached by e-mail at randy@jupiterdivecenter.com or call (561) 745 7807.
Randy Jordan: Divers meet great white shark at Hole in the Wall
By Randy Jordan
outdoors columnist
July 24, 2005
All this talk about sharks being man-eaters never really worried me ... until now.
Two scuba divers spear-fishing at the Hole in the Wall dive sight off Jupiter were alarmed when they came face to face with a great white shark. Now you have my attention!
Keith Hennessy and Danny George were out in 130 feet of water when they came upon a nice 20-pound grouper. Hennessy took the shot and impaled the big fish while George opted to shoot a mutton snapper that came over to see what was going on. The fish "holed up" in a cave structure on the ledge.
As Hennessy fought to free the prey and recover his shaft, his buddy began honking on his underwater signaling device. Annoyed, Hennessy turned to see what had George excited enough to violate his quiet solitude.
George was on the other side of what was unmistakably a great white.
"When I first saw the fish, it looked like a submarine. Just like you see on TV with a gray top, white belly and big black eyes." Hennessy told me.
The guys both agreed they were more in awe than scared.
"The shark was slowly swimming south into the current and did not seem to show any interest in our activities," Hennessy said. "The caudal or tailfin was taller than Danny's 6-2 profile and we estimated the shark to be 15 to 17 feet long weighing about 2,000 pounds."
Hennessy and George have been diving "a long time." They live in Vero Beach and come down here two or three times a week to enjoy our clear waters and bountiful harvest.
Until now the biggest shark they had seen was a 12-foot tiger shark off Vero.
Keith, formerly a commercial spearfisherman told me, "It's a good thing the great white didn't have a cobia or two trailing it ... that would have been a tough decision."
The great white shark is an infrequent visitor to this coast. Scientists estimate there are only a few hundred left off the West Coast. I estimate there is only one on this coast and he is headed south toward South America never to be seen again.
The great white can get up to 20 feet long and is the largest predator in the ocean. The largest that we know about! Maybe I am a little sensitive after watching 20 hours of "Shark Week," but the thought of a great white swimming in my waters causes tightness in the pit of my stomach I have not known before.
When we got the report of the sighting this week, I immediately donned my superdiver gear, grabbed my speargun and headed out to the Hole in the Wall to try to get a first hand view of this monster. After spearing a grouper, two hogfish and a mutton snapper, I was sure the dinner bell was ringing in the big shark's ears. Nothing happened, and after a titillating, adrenaline-rushed dive, I was glad nothing happened and I hope it stays that way.
You got a great white in your waters. Send me a picture and keep the shark. I started diving two years before "Jaws" came out and I am still afraid a great white will eat the boat.
Randy Jordan is the owner of Jupiter Dive Center on Alternate A1A in Jupiter.
He can be reached by e-mail at randy@jupiterdivecenter.com or call (561) 745 7807.
