Matthitjah Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted April 27, 2006 Grace to you, Quote Palm Beach Post; Gator Bites Diver Retrieving Golf Balls Wednesday, April 26, 2006 BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - A diver hired by the city to retrieve golf balls from a lake was attacked by a 9-foot alligator that bit the man's arm, authorities said. Stephen Martinez, 43, of Coral Springs, was treated at a hospital for injuries similar to a dog bite, said Palm Beach County sheriff's Lt. Rolando Silva. "It's serious, but certainly not life-threatening," he said. Martinez was under murky water at The Links golf course when a group of golfers heard him yell for help, said course manager Dan Hager. The alligator apparently bit Martinez's air tank and tried to pull him under the water. Martinez grabbed a utility knife strapped to his dive suit and tried to stab the animal. That's when it bit his arm, Hager said. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was investigating. The alligator was trapped and will have to be euthanized, commission spokeswoman Dani Moschella said. --- Information from: The Palm Beach Post, http://www.pbpost.com Yikes! What a job? I wonder if he was covered under Workmans Comp.? Peace, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tah Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 105 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,131 Content Per Day: 0.45 Reputation: 126 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/12/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted April 27, 2006 How in the world did they NOT know the gator was there to begin with??? You would think they would have see him.. Is a golf game that fascinating? And why do they not turn him loose into the everglades?? Glad the guy got away without to much damage.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 Grace to you, I think I would invest in a Lamb shank. (Or at least a small kitten, JUST KIDDING, just kidding ) Then troll the waters before entering. I actually saw this episode of ,"Dirty Jobs", where these guys in Florida actually make money as a business doing this same thing. They retrieve the High Dollar balls and resell them after cleaning them up. They make quite a handsome profit too. They also had to navigate around a gator in this episode. Peace, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tah Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 105 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,131 Content Per Day: 0.45 Reputation: 126 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/12/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted April 27, 2006 As much as I would like a job I think I would let this one pass ... no for me... I don't know too much about golf..just that my husband and kids like it... I Had no idea golf balls were expensive..odd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGR Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 512 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 8,601 Content Per Day: 1.13 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/16/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/04/1973 Share Posted April 27, 2006 What some people will do for money! Sheesh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giaour Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 179 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,941 Content Per Day: 0.55 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1964 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Being a golfer who lives in Florida, I can tell you that the gators normally flee from us. They don't want anything to do with humans. But we still know better than to reach into a water hazard after our lost ball. They can get territorial during nesting but usually, they disappear when they see us coming. I think this gator was probably a rogue that NEEDED to be removed. I'm sorry they killed it but for safety sake it was necessary. It could have been sick or infected or just plain crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonL Posted April 27, 2006 Group: Senior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 45 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 526 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 6 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/01/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 06/25/1984 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Being a golfer who lives in Florida, I can tell you that the gators normally flee from us. They don't want anything to do with humans. But we still know better than to reach into a water hazard after our lost ball. They can get territorial during nesting but usually, they disappear when they see us coming. I think this gator was probably a rogue that NEEDED to be removed. I'm sorry they killed it but for safety sake it was necessary. It could have been sick or infected or just plain crazy. That's exactly it. In FL, the rule of thumb is that if you have a body of water big enough for a gator to live in, then there is a gator living in it. That's the simple truth. That's also why FL opened up a hunting season for gators a few years ago. They're over-populating the state. Normally they just run away, like Giaour said, but occasionally, if you get too close to their nests, or if they're sick or something, they will attack. Occasionally, in this case, means three times in like 20 years. Not all that often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peaches Posted April 28, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 95 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 2,315 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 14 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/25/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted April 28, 2006 That's also why FL opened up a hunting season for gators a few years ago. i am calling PETA on y'all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giaour Posted April 28, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 179 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,941 Content Per Day: 0.55 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1964 Share Posted April 28, 2006 mmmmm gator meat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candi770 Posted April 28, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 119 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,316 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/01/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/01/1970 Share Posted April 28, 2006 Having grown up in Florida, I remember that my mom happen to be driving us home after school and we saw a ambulance- a little boy with a bloody towel. In the paper the next day- I found out he lost his hand- the gator attacked his dog and took his hand. Needless to say, We never when to that lake!!! Of course, the city probably killed the thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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