We've all had those times in the water when we've thought, "yep, this time i'm cactus..." so I'd like to put it to you to share some of your most scariest dacks packing encounters under the sea.
I know that once when I went for a leisurely dive off the normally subdued portsea pier, I had to call for a change of the old 'Reg Grundy's' after my leg was engulfed by the tentacles of a 2.5 m octopus. His head was mounted on my thigh like a semi inflated sherrin with a beak, and I had nout but a prayer to rid the beast from my person as my eyes met the cold gaze of his single eye.
The sea was angry that day my friends, and while the sucker marks left on my violated leg gradually faded, the emotional scaring remains...
good story rohan. did the octopus try to bite you or was is just hanging on to your leg?
cheers, glen <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':woot:' />
Good thread rohan <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':woot:' /> I had a big occy try and steal my speargun one day, I was taking aim at a fish in a deep ledge, when this fat tentacle emerged from the shadows and decided to take possession of my gun. It took a fair bit of persuading to recover it. I reckon I'm more scared of big occys than sharks, but that's just me (and maybe Rohan too!)
Most of my scariest underwater adventures have involved scuba diving from shore based locations when the waves were too big for any sensible person to consider diving. A few times I've found myself nestled behind a rock clutching a piece of kelp for dear life, and watching the big breakers roll over the top, only to lose my grip and get tumbled around in a series of 360 degree rolls, coming to rest in a mess of foam and bubbles, not sure which way is up....
A word of caution, DO NOT try to shore dive if the waves look dangerous. Even if you think the conditions look borderline, it is probably too rough.
its pretty scary when u almost spear a sting ray thinking its a flounder
she'd have to be a damn big flounder you had in mind to confuse him for a ray. Mate, a flounder as big as a full grown stingray would be a deadset bobby dazzler.
when you are looking from a distance they do look quite alike because they both burry them selfs in the sand its hard to tell untill you get close enough
i found the same thing new found. the thin tail is what eventually gives them away when you get close enough <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
[quote name='glen' date='May 2 2005, 08:35 PM']i found the same thing new found. the thin tail is what eventually gives them away when you get close enough <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
[right][post="4688"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
too true fellas, too true. Still, the minute you see an eye ball sticking out of the sand its asking for a good spearing whatever it is.
in the early 19th century the aboriginals use to spear flounder the size of sting rays down patterson lakes...i wouldnt try to spear a sting ray if i was you.. but if you do there pretty good eating...the wings also known as the flaps are very nice...
[quote name='new found' date='May 2 2005, 11:18 PM']in the early 19th century the aboriginals use to spear flounder the size of sting rays down patterson lakes...i wouldnt try to spear a sting ray if i was you.. but if you do there pretty good eating...the wings also known as the flaps are very nice...
[right][post="4692"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
Care to share where you got that information?? I didnt think flounder got that big around here.
Also, i see stingrays ALL the time...they are there in plague proportions if you ask me. Only ever speared one to eat and well...i guess it was ok....nothing special. Maybe its in the way you cook it...i dunno.
not anymore that was a while ago now that the big flounder were speared,,
i didnt cook the stingray it was a mate who cooked it..
new found...where did you hear the story about the big flounder?
is the book about aboriginal dreamtime because all those stories are myths and also, there havent been many aboriginals in melbourne even a long time ago!
pj
[quote name='glen' timestamp='1115030158' post='4688']
i found the same thing new found. the thin tail is what eventually gives them away when you get close enough <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
[/quote]
I agree 100 %