Posted on 03/12/2009 5:49:47 PM PDT by driftdiver
These amazing pictures show an epic, two-hour battle between spear fisherman Craig Clasen and a 12-foot tiger shark in the Gulf of Mexico.
The life-and-death struggle took place off New Orleans when Clasen, filmmaker Ryan McInnis and two friends were hunting tuna.
Suddenly McInnis found himself cut off and the shark began circling.
"I positioned myself between Ryan and the shark and I tried to watch it for a second, hoping it would pass," said Clasen, 32, who was wearing a snorkel. "The shark made a roll and looked like it was going to charge us.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...

Look at the pictures at the link.
Ok, the guy jumping out of a helicopter to wrestle a Marlin, and now these guys wrestling tigersharks. Extreme sporting. I think I’ll stick with golf.
Never bring a tooth to a spear fight...
The first time I saw a shark coming at me underwater it was quite scary. A tiger shark isn’t something to fool with.
A lot of the comments at the end think the story is faked. I’ve seen guys holding their breath all the way down to 60 feet. Would love to do it but I can’t make it past 10.
Yeah but if you bring 300 teeth to a spear fight backed by pure muscle and amazing speed it is usually a different story.
There is nothing like a poke stick if you are underwater in the ocean.
A shark is usually harmless, however, if it is threatening, you will all of a sudden feel the urge to kill it with a weapon that can blow it to the next world. There is no reason to have to fight for two hours if you are carrying the proper weapon.
One week later a diver collecting tropicals about a mile away from that site was attacked at Alligator Reef, all they found was his bit up wet suit.
According to the story he only had a spear gun.
My son and I were diving offshore Venice Beach (florida) looking for fossilized sharks teeth and had surfaced to talk. Right about then my son saw a sharks dorsal fin about 20 feet from us. It was the longest 200 yd swim I’ve ever made.
This is prime bull shark area which we try not to think about while looking for sharks teeth. :)
Oh, I believe the guy killed the shark, alright. But it’s far more likely the diver attacked some dopey shark swimming by, then the other way around. A two hour battle? If the guy was in any real danger, why didn’t the boat just drive over and pick him up? Or did they swim out there to do some tuna spear fishing? Were they gonna just tow the tuna back with them?
I surfed beside a big tiger once. Got out of the water, didn’t have my knife.
Knife wouldn’t have done you much good if it wanted you dead.

Good point. The story sounds a little fishy to me
The guy only had a snorkel. How did he get enought time away from the shark he was fighting, for two hours, to get enough air to fight it. Exertion uses air. You need to get more to exert more effort. How long could he hold his breath?
Just asking.
I agree with you. They were filming it too. I think they were trying to get dramatic footage
My husband and son spearfish all the time. They free dive...usually to about 40 or 50 feet (plenty deep to keep us supplied with fish, LOL.) They have a friend that dives with them who can hold his breath for more than 3 minutes and can free dive to 100 feet.
Amazing footage of freedivers shooting huge tuna and other sorts of fish can be seen on a documentary called Oceans in Action. Here’s a trailer...if you watch to the end you’ll see the tuna.
http://www.oceansinaction.com/trailer2.php
I’ve seen the pictures and I don’t buy it.
Thats how I got out of the mess I was in.
“Ive seen guys holding their breath all the way down to 60 feet”
I dropped a spear once and dove 50’ to retrieve it. It didn’t hit me what stupid a move it was until looking up from the bottom the surface light was about the size of a dinner plate.
And thats why I didn’t post that picture. :)
I know and I said my thank yous when my feet hit the sand.
“I dropped a spear once and dove 50 to retrieve it. It didnt hit me what stupid a move it was until looking up from the bottom the surface light was about the size of a dinner plate.”
Only stupid if you black out and drown, otherwise its fun. I’ve been deeper but then I take my air with me. I don’t go to the extreme depths that some people do.
Holding breath is one thing. Engaging in a a fight to the death while holding your breath is is quite another.
“Engaging in a a fight to the death while holding your breath is is quite another.”
Engaging in a a fight to the death while holding your breath AND WINNING is quite another.
Have you seen this yet?
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