Seriously. This is like watching a horror movie where everything is the fault of the dumb characters.

Worse than Bull sharks?

I think bull sharks fuck with divers more than boat people, when I see them they don't really acknowledge me like hammerheads do, if I've caught anything at all the hammerheads can smell it or something and will sometimes kind of menace the kayak, not anything as bad as this guy though

you get the distinct impression that the bulls are after the fish in the water but the hammer wants the fish in your boat and probably you too

@cracker I'll give an infinitezest level LJ story on that.

My experience with hammerheads is in the Gulf, specifically St. George Island. Google "st george island sharks" for a laugh, the locals don't swim there.

We used to fish the surf at night. Catch a few croakers, cut them up, and then toss out the chunks out on a pyramid rig and wait for a pull. Sit right on the sand where the warm break was, have a beer, talk shit, look at the stars and oil rigs.

That was all good fun as a kid, and I was pretty cozy with that routine until I realized we were scaring the snow crabs near the break, and the hammerheads and bulls were right fucking there waiting for them. They will come to the shore to feast and then flop back into the water.

There's a shit ton of dolphins there as well, very playful. Had one bump into me once when I swam a bit too far out, but you just get used to them. So I'll never forget one night when my friend and I were sitting in the wake, waiting for a bite, no headlamps just moonlight and he said "Oh look there's a dolphHOOOOOO FUCK FUCK FUCK" as a very massive hammer is right next to us in about 5 inches of water and we had ourselves a big scurry.

damn I've never hammers come that close to shore to feed, that's crazy

I see dolphins every single time I go out, whether on the kayak or on the jetski, and have a million stories about those rascals; the dolphins in Clearwater harbor are so comfortable around people that they will follow you and wait until you get something on the hook and then swoop in and steal it right off your line

CS, you sound rich, no wonder you're conservative 🤣🤣

yeah I have a lot of rich people shit like a kayak I bought for $400 at costco and a 15 year old jetski that was given to me in non-running condition

Inspired by YF's story, I found this. If you can get pat the deeply annoying production and Pacific Rim soundtrack, it's pretty stunning footage of HHs hunting Blacktips, but the opening shot (of the shark) shows how close in to shore it gets. And its a giant. Pretty impressive.

Forgot to add the link: https://youtu.be/Up-XFz1b-jo?t=29

@rural lol good God that thing is massive. The one we saw was probably 7 or 8 feet, but if that thing got close to me I would have involuntarily projectile shat myself out of the water.

"cool, I got a big one on my line!" (suddenly imitates Dawn Brancheau)

You did not try to sit still in water so that you could ineffectually jab at it with the paddle rather than use it to actually paddle to shore?

(with the side bonus of each jab having a chance of losing the paddle and being totally shit out of luck?)

they usually take off like lightning as soon as you put a paddle anywhere near them, that's what makes this one so scary