Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

I grew up surf fishing the wonderful beaches of Hallandale Beach, I lived in a condo right on the beach with my grandparents and my sister. Every now and then I got up very early around 6 or 7 am (I was very young, so it was early for me back then) grabbed my rods, bait , bucket and headed down to the beach to surf fish. One morning in particular I will never forget, I did the same routine, got up, grabbed my gear and headed down. The beach was gorgeous, the water was flat calm and the day was beautiful! I set up one rod with some squid and placed it in the sand spike, then I grabbed my second rod and decided to go in up to about my waist and cast some bait further out. As the bait sat out there I looked around the water for small fish around my feet or other places, suddenly I decide to look to my right and what I saw next scared the living crap out of me. About 15 yards to my right I saw two large shadows, each about 6 or 7 feet in length swimming at me!! Shortly after that two small dorsal fins rose up out of the water as the shadows swam slowly around me. When they had passed I quickly got out of the water assuming they were sharks. I placed that rod in the sand spike and followed the shadows on the beach, when I caught up to them, they were two huge tarpon!! I thought they were sharks, but then breathed a sigh of relief. This story is 100% true!!!

I was stationed at Mayport in the mid 80s while in the navy and while swimming of a small beach on base I saw my first Manatee.Had never heard of one growing up in NY and to be honest, it scared the hell out of me.
I ran out of the water and my buddy who was from Jax was like where the hell you going.
I said what the hell is that thing.
He laughed his ass of .