Luckily for Pope, it was a juvenile fish- something that can be determined because the bill still had teeth on it, which swordfish lose once they grow larger than 3 feet. If it had been an adult, it’s more than likely that he wouldn’t have survived to tell the tale. And now for number 7 but first be sure to subscribe!! 7.
Sperm Whales The Gulf of Alaska is a prime fishing location, especially for those trying to catch black cod. In these waters, though, there is a much larger creature that also likes eating the fish- sperm whales. They are the ocean’s largest toothed predators, and while they are quite capable of catching food for themselves, they much prefer taking the easy route. They let the fishermen do all of the hard work, and just as they are about to haul the catch onto the boats, the whales strike and steal them off the lines. Smart!! They use their long jaws to create extreme tension on the lines, which then snaps the fish off the hooks and they can start eating them up!! Not only does this take the prize catch away from the fishermen, but it also creates dangerous conditions for the boats which are pulled off course by the immense power of the whales. This behaviour was first noticed in the 1970’s, and as each season passes it becomes even more common. They have perfected their technique, and there are now far more whales in the region since whaling has been banned. It’s thought to cost the economy hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and has led to scientists being called in to try and develop techniques to stop it from happening. Nature is fighting back!! 6. Giant Squid Mostly creatures of legend, giant squids are mentioned in many old mariners tales of dangers at sea. But they are rarely seen, let alone involved in attacking boats. So when a team of French sailors came face to face with one in 2003, they almost didn’t believe it!! They were taking part in the Jules Verne Trophy, a sailing race around the world. Several hours into their journey on that day, off the coast of the Portuguese island of Madeira that lies to the west of Africa, they discovered that a giant squid had clamped onto their hull. Uncertain at first what was interfering with their steering, one of the sailors spotted a tentacle through a porthole. He described it as thicker than his leg, and pulling incredibly hard. They then found that another 2 tentacles were blocking the rudder, which would explain why they had difficulty in navigating. Giant squid can grow to up to 60 feet long, and this one was estimated to be about 26 feet. Without anything on board to help fend it off, they had no choice but to stop the boat, and luckily for them it released its grip. Giant squid? Or maybe the Kraken!! 5. Bull Shark You might think that a great white shark would be the most problematic shark species to boats, but there’s another type that can be more aggressive, and more likely to risk an encounter. In 2007, Captain Roger Schmall and his crew were doing what they always did- they were out on the shrimping boat off the coast of Florida catching shrimp. Despite his many years of experience, nothing had prepared him for what he’d face on this trip. An unknown number of bull sharks took interest in the boat, and followed it for four days, taking advantage of all the refuse that was being dropped into the water from the boat. Pretty smart creatures huh? You thought that a great white was bad? Think again!! Eventually the sharks became aggressive and started striking the hull. Then, things got worse, and a giant 14 foot shark knocked the propeller from the ship, and left the crew stranded and slowly sinking. Fortunately they were able to radio for help, and were rescued just in time. The sharks swim off to search for food elsewhere, and the captain managed to get his boat fixed, and was back on the water within a matter of days.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorBen Black is author of this blog, gambling tutor, successful entrepreneur and writer at Casinoslots NZ Casino Authority platform. He is also a music buff, coffee lover and social media fanatic. ArchivesCategories |