Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind

[Capt. Bill]

This past Sunday I finished out my Fluke Season, summer flounder for you southern gents, the season closes Friday.  The weather report wasn't the best and I stood at the dock debating whether or not I should go and watching the west wind howl down the lagoon. But because it's the last day I could fish, and I'm a half bubble off anyway I loaded the boat and headed out.  I worked my way to the Barnegat Light Reef roughly 3 NM east of the inlet, I figured the seas weren't that bad so I set up and started fishing.  First thing I noticed was everyone else heeded the weather mans warning because I was the only boat out. It was turning out to be a really slow day and all I was catching was small bluefish and short fluke....until the incident.....I was tending the lines when form behind me I heard somthing that sounded like a loud gasp for breath. I quickly spun around and seen what can only be described as a small country 10 feet from the boat and headed right for me.  I let out a few explatives at a very high decibel and figured this is it, I'm going swimming, and there isn't a sole around. There is no way and animal that big, that close, will be able to dive under my boat without upsetting it.  But dive under he did and how he missed me I'll never know. As he passed under the boat, and me hanging onto the arch for dear life, he was as wide as the cockpit is long, from the back of the seats on the 215 explorer to the ouboard. As its head cleared the one side the tail was just splashing the surface on the other and hadn't reached the spot to where he first surface, than with one flip of the humongous tail he was gone never to be seen again. After a while my herat rate turned to normal and I could see how insignificant we are in mother natures grand scheme. That whale could have easily tossed me around like a beach ball if it wanted.  

I don't know what kind of whale it was except for a BBIIIIGGGGGG one. It was gray, roughly 10 to 12 feet wide, it's blow hole was about as big around as a volley ball, and the tail was 18 to 20 feet across. Incidently I finished the season with 3 keeper fluke and 2 black sea bass and one fish story a won't soon forget.

[Capt. Bob]

Well CB,
I don't know a lot about whales (not a popular species in the Big Bend shallows) but...

I know a great fish tale when I read it.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gciFoEbOA8

Happy you did get some keepers and oh by the way.......

[gran398]

Wow, what a story  

Glad you're home safe!!

[seabob4]

Although I'm sure the experience was harrowing, Bill, but really, that's pretty cool!

[wingtime]

Holy cow!  Sounds exciting.  How deep was the water you were in?  If it was grey I'm thinking it was a sperm whale.

[pigbike]

Sounds like "Moby ".  You didn't by mistake name your boat the "Pequod" did you.

[Capt. Bill]

Unfortunately the only picture I could have taken was the one of the load in my pants afterward LOL

 

Holy cow! Sounds exciting. How deep was the water you were in? If it was grey I'm thinking it was a sperm whale

Water is 53 feet there. I suppose anything is possible but if I had to guess I'd say a Humpback or a Fin Whale. There common this time of the year and are both quite large. I have never seen a sperm whale in that close,I've only seen them at the offshore canyons. Here's a link of some Humpbacks feeding on the bunker pods south of the Inlet.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlBpYMXSpGs

[John Jones]

Cool experience Bill.  I know I would have had to toss my undies overboard afterwards.