Seaduced
Contributor
Yesterday, I was swimming about three feet above the bottom over some rocks at my favorite beach dive site. My fin buckle became entangled in a piece of monofilament fish net that was tangled in the rocks. I didn't see it because I was checking my computer at the time and frankly, it was pretty hard to see. As I started to clear my fin, I realized there was a scorpion fish caught in the net also. I was slightly positive buoyant which pulled the scorpion fish off of the bottom. He was very displeased with this and began to struggle, raising my anxiety.
So we have about 3' of net, one end hung on the rock and the other on my fin buckle, with a fairly large scorpion fish desperately trying to get back to the bottom, in between. I'm a big guy and have long fins, of which he is banging against the blade and foot pocket.
I was afraid if it took too long to get free, the net might come loose from the rock and there would be an irate scorpion fish wrapped in a net around my ankle. I usually just carry a folding dive tool in my BC pocket, but this morning I had strapped on my Sea Hunt Sword, okay, its not that big, but I was thankful for the readily accessible extra inch or two to cut the net clear of my buckle.
I always figured I would need the dive tool to clear an entanglement, just didn't figure I would be entangled with a poisonous critter. They say, "You don't know, what you don't know." Amen.
As a post script, I usually pick up all of the fish line, hooks, cans and bags I find on the bottom. I tried to free the scorpion fish for about 5 minutes, but he kept thrashing around and making the entanglement worse. I cut free as much of the net as my nerves would allow and let him swim away.
So we have about 3' of net, one end hung on the rock and the other on my fin buckle, with a fairly large scorpion fish desperately trying to get back to the bottom, in between. I'm a big guy and have long fins, of which he is banging against the blade and foot pocket.
I was afraid if it took too long to get free, the net might come loose from the rock and there would be an irate scorpion fish wrapped in a net around my ankle. I usually just carry a folding dive tool in my BC pocket, but this morning I had strapped on my Sea Hunt Sword, okay, its not that big, but I was thankful for the readily accessible extra inch or two to cut the net clear of my buckle.
I always figured I would need the dive tool to clear an entanglement, just didn't figure I would be entangled with a poisonous critter. They say, "You don't know, what you don't know." Amen.
As a post script, I usually pick up all of the fish line, hooks, cans and bags I find on the bottom. I tried to free the scorpion fish for about 5 minutes, but he kept thrashing around and making the entanglement worse. I cut free as much of the net as my nerves would allow and let him swim away.
to you and your lady!
But I was real interested in being free of the net, right now. I had gotten complacent about having a dive tool in easy reach and this little event brought that lesson home again.
