# Jon Boat - with fisherman - with shark



## John Smith_inFL

During my tour of duty at Guantanamo Bay Cuba a long time ago - - - 
I had this friend and coworker from Wyoming. His name was Dennis - a real cowboy - the real deal.
Never been to the ocean before. His main duty stations were in land until he got to Cuba.
He got interested in saltwater fishing as that was the biggest pass time besides diving and he loved it.
He grew so self confident in his fishing skills that he often checked out a 16 foot flat bottom
Jon Boat from Rec Services with a small motor, Coleman Lantern, Cooler, etc etc etc and set out at sunset
to catch some nighttime snapper which were very plentiful. okay, this one night, Dennis goes out fishing alone .....
A few hours into the night, he is catching a lot of fish.
okay - in your mind try to picture this layout . . . . .. 
Dennis is at the bow of the jon boat - the Coleman Lantern is on the cooler in the middle of the boat. PITCH BLACK DARK.
He is casting towards the back of the boat - - - catches a fish, the fish goes out behind the motor and he
gives it a big tug to bring it into the boat.
but wait - - - there is a 5 foot SHARK after that fish !!!!! the shark lunges, airborne, at the hooked fish and 
sails INTO THE BOAT !!! Knocks over the lantern, it goes out. PITCH BLACK DARK.
My shipmate and friend, Dennis, is HORRIFIED and MORTIFIED. Up on the bow as far as he can get without falling out of the boat.
Afraid to move, he can hear the shark thrashing about in the middle of the boat. all - - - night - - - long. no light what-so-ever.
ok, Dennis, - who has NO knowledge of sharks what-so-ever, can only imagine the shark trying to move
forward to eat HIM !!! ALL NIGHT LONG, he sits on the bow, he can't move, can't get to the motor, afraid to pull up
the anchor b/c he may drift over into Castro's Territory (which is a big NO NO).......
daylight comes, the shark is still very much alive and still moving. Dennis is still frozen to the bow.
At 07:30 our crew is at our morning muster, Dennis, our faithful crew member is MISSING.... A W O L. This is very much
out of character for a senior enlisted man..... I call his house .... his wife says he went fishing last night and has not
come home yet and she is frantic with worry. He normally comes home between 2am and 6am from night fishing. We notify 
Base Security. It takes them quite awhile to round up a boat crew and boat. So three of us go get my boat which is already
at the marina and we head out to Back Bay where he normally is known to fish and there, a mile from the boat landing,
is Dennis.... frantically waving and shouting..... after we put together the story, we could not help from crying we laughed so hard.
put a rope onto his boat, pulled it to the marina.... The Chief gave Dennis the day off to recover. We gave the shark to some local Cuban
workers on base. the next day, Dennis _GAVE AWAY_ every piece of fishing tackle he owned !!! not sold it - GAVE it away !!
I'm telling you folks, it is hard to make this stuff up !!
Dennis and I kept in touch over the years, and was even stationed together at another base later on. And of course, I had to keep
the adventure alive !!
Dennis is long retired now and is punching cows somewhere in Wyoming . . . but every time I think of him, a big smile comes across my
face. and every time I hear about someone shark fishing from a Jon Boat, I smile even bigger. Just knowing what CAN happen.
Be careful boy n gurls - the boogy man lurks in the darkness.


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## SloppyTilapia

Great story. Sounds like my kind of luck! Definitely keep that story alive. Lol


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## tymcneely

Wow. That had me laughing in the office at work. Thanks for that. Great story.


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## Fishman

Nice read. It's sounds funny know but could no imagine being in that situation at the time.


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## Papa-T

Yea, can't make up something like that. Thanks for sharing. LMAO


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## Catch This

Good read...thnx


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