I’m not exactly sure how this 11 foot nurse shark ended up with a 4 foot long gaf stuck in its mouth, but my guess is it must have ate a fisherman. Actually, nurse sharks are not known for attacking humans, but it is common practice (sadly) for fishermen to gaf a shark. Luckily, a few divers came to the rescue, and removed the obstruction which would have the shark a lot of grief while trying to feed.
\ A brave marine biologist shoves his arm deep into the shark’s mouth to try to remove the hook
Off Australias southern coast near Louth Bay, well known for sharks, and the location of live shark action shots in the 1975 movie Jaws, a “vodka-fueled” local fisherman wrestled with a shark and won. Philip Kerkhof, 41, caught a bronze whaler shark, about 4 feet long, after he spotted it chasing squid lures. Philip said that he just snuck up behind the shark, went for the big grab, and was simply lucky (not to mention inebriated). It wasn’t until the next day that he actually realized the danger of his actions.
“It’s not something I’d recommend to do,†he said. “When I sobered up I thought about it and I said, ’I’m a bit of an idiot doing it’.â€
An Australian couple fishing off the Duck Pond at Fisherman’s Warf, Darwin, reeled in a standard army-issued mortar shell sealed in a bag. The Army’s Explosive Ordinance Unit reports the bomb found was in fact a 81 mm artillery projectile, in service since the 80s. The Army dismantled the unit on site and discovered that it did not contain explosives.
The world still seems to still be in shock over the death of Steve Irwin, the people of Australia even more so. Steven’s body arrived home early yesterday morning, where police viewed the video tape of his death.
“It shows Irwin ripping the ray’s barb out of his chest just before he lost consciousness and died.”
“It’s a very hard thing to watch because you’re actually witnessing somebody die … and it’s terrible.
“It shows that Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here (in the chest), and he pulled it out and the next minute he’s gone.”
According to police and marine experts, Steven did not aggravate or intimidate the ray in any way that should have resulted in an attack.
Experts say stingrays do not lash out except as a reflex action when threatened, but Queensland police have viewed the dramatic footage of his death and ruled out the possibility that Irwin aggravated it.
“There is no evidence that Mr Irwin was intimidating or threatening the stingray,” Queensland Police superintendent Michael Keating said.
“My advice is that he was observing the stingray.”
The Australians, full of grief and mourning, over the death of what some would call a national hero, have been leaving flowers, mementos, and cards at the Australia Zoo to commemorate the world famous Crocodile Hunter.
“I thought you were immortal. How I wish that was true”, said one card tucked into the huge growing floral tribute outside the zoo.
“Hero to our mother nature”, said another.
Two people signed their condolences on a khaki ranger shirt of the type made famous by the Crocodile Hunter, while another placed flowers in the mouth of a large timber crocodile at the zoo’s gates.
Australia Zoo spokeswoman Louise Martin said the intense reaction was triggered by Irwin’s larrikin nature.
A local Australian news network has put together a short web memorial for Steve Irwin, showcasing his love of life, nature, and family, while briefly touching on the anatomy of a stingray attack.
Since Steve Irwin and his show the Crocodile Hunter first aired on television many years ago there have been widespread rumours of his death on the internet. Everything from being killed by a shark, to being eated by a huge crocodile. I woke up this morning to headlines of his death and I thought it was just another joke, but all the major newspapers and even CNN claims that Steve Irwin is really dead.
This morning, at 11am Australian time, things finally came unglued for the 44-year-old as he was shooting a documentary segment on stingrays. Snorkeling on Batt Reef , a stretch of the Great Barrier Reef about 15km from Port Douglas in North Queensland, Irwin happened to swim over a large ray which, startled, whipped its barbed tail upwards into his chest. He died instantly. Veteran marine wildlife documentary maker Ben Cropp, who has spent hundreds of hours filming on Batt Reef, says Irwin had come too close to a bull ray. Citing a colleague who saw footage of the attack, Cropp says Irwin had accidently boxed the animal in, causing it to attack. “It stopped and twisted and threw up its tail with the spike, and it caught him in the chest,” says Cropp. “It’s a defensive thing. It’s like being stabbed with a dirty dagger.” Says Cropp: “It’s a one-in-a-million thing. I have swum with many rays, and I have only had one do that to me.”
Irwin leaves behind his wife Terri and their children, two-year-old Bob and eight-year-old Bindi Sue.
He has been a wildlife icon and an inspiration and will certianly be missed.
At 11am today, the 4th September 2006, Steve Irwin was fatally wounded by a stingray barb to his heart whilst filming a sequence on Batt Reef off Port Douglas for his daughter’s new TV series.
Emergency services were called from Cairns Rescue Base and met Croc One, Steve’s rescue vessel at Low Isle on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Croc One crew performed constant CPR during the thirty minute dash to Low Isle, but the medical staff pronounced Steve dead at approx. 12 noon.
His producer and closest friend, John Stainton said on Croc One today,
“The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest Dads on the planet. He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. Crocs Rule!â€
Lucky the Comet Goldfish underwent a surgical procedure to remove 6 unsightly, but benign, tumors that had grown over his scales. It’s not uncommon for goldfish over the age of 10 to develop tumors according to the vets. The surgery took about 35 minutes and would have costed nearly $150, but was done for free because the operations were performed in front of aquarium staff and veterinary science students to help educate them on health and diseases among fish.
“Goldfish can live until they’re 20 years old and owners become attached to them just like any other pet,” he said.
“It isn’t uncommon for people to seek vet treatment for their fish.”
The cosmetic procedure is so popular that Dr Greenwood performs up to 60 operations each year to fix aesthetic flaws on pet fish in Victoria and NSW.
“Performing operations in front of aquarium staff and veterinary science students helps to educate them about potential health problems and diseases of fish,” Dr Greenwood said.
I have a friend whose cottage is on Lake Chemong, never fished in it although I've heard all the stories. I was walking in it this weekend past, paddled it too, with Alexander directing.....check out the Curve Lake Powwow sometime!!!!
I worked so hard this weekend, the shirt fell right offen me, so I need that shirt more than ANYONE else!
Love your site!
Hi all,
I am Dick van Hattem. The men who caught this wonderfull pike in the Netherlands.
The pike was actualy 120 cm long, weight exactly 16.5 kilo's and was caught on a death perch on 10 meter deep water on 27 december 2000.
But now.... the photo was shopped for fun. I had a reading for a fishingclub and this was the last picture of the reading I had for 100 quest. Name of the picture.... I have a dream..... Everybode was laughing. Really funny, never claimed the world record. Because it is not by far.
http://www.metersnoeken.nl/inde x.php?option=com_content&task=s ection&id=13&Itemid=48 here you can find [...]
[...] at Fishing Fury have always been advocates of getting girls into fishing. For some strange reason, fishing has been seen as a mans sport, but anyone and everyone can (and [...]
Fishing Fury - A fishing blog about two guys with a serious passion for fishing, the great outdoors, crazy adventures, and heart-pounding entertainment.(1 month ago)
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Lucky the Comet