Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-31
ASea Beast
That Due|SW With
Fishermen

s-IE dark green waters of the Florida Keys for cen
channels OF cuass clashing pirates
] are now the piscatoral duelng grounds of daring
sports fishermen who venture there literally to
swords with the devilish whip ray.
When fisherman and ray meet furious night as old
piratica waged, be expected Even
Jose Gaspar one OF the cleveres svordsnen of them all
could picked tricks from the spotted Leopard
Ray who dues with weapon but sometimes with
flashing them together with the s~ness and skill Of
half dozen swordsmen.
Or Carroll Bowen Paul Bowen Guy F1eden and Ted
Ganvard Of Miami out o tho skcpcs who
that salfish tarpon marlin and tuna fishing
for thrills adventure and craftsmanship how much more
exciting ray fishing be.
Hunting sailfish and whip rays different
hunting deer and tigers pr Bowen cxplains Each Of
fers good fight and each requires stamina but there the
similarity ends.
The sail fisherman sits in the stern stoutly
3O-foot and his chief problem the fish
hooked is to keep his quarry from shaking loose
The ray hunter with and harpoon stands poised
perilously the forward deck Of t4oot srif
bumped along by an cupboard motor The minute the ray
feels the hapoon thrashes back with sevenoot tail
armed with venombarbed stcttos The fshermans prob
lem is TO get the ray before the gets him Saihsh
and marlin fshed for, Or. Bowen points out, but
rays salked"
Or. Bowen got a severe fasffug recently from
pound gray ray which after hours battle still had
enough dynamite left shake the hunter his
knees The poisoned barbcd spine standing out from tho
middle Of thc tail narrowly missed the doctor.
Another a rays tail thick a mans 20
the end knocked the then lashed back
and knocked brother Paul the pilot the top Of his
motor Hair raising 100 was the moment "hoH Il grant
ray leaped of the and sank OF s brsng dag
gers into the hunters harpoon handle
Bowens self-appointcd job Of popularznc whip ray
hunting among fishermen Florida visitors admits
is like inviting guest 70 sleep at his home and enjoy
nightmare.
For who could believe even after seeing 1T" he said
that a shaped body Of cartilage with Yolous
pggish eyes set close together could be anything bat
had dream
Rising from the sea the doctor explained the unhealthy
whtencss the rays belly and cruel gaping mouth
make it look like the ghost of clustering buccanccr
In hunting whip rays the first thing the doctor does IS
long cord and sealed float sporting" 10
gig and then sink the gig into the ray This little trick
keeps the ray located.
Then follows thrilling chase 80 swift that II often
becomes mad race Of perous straeht-aways and "hir-
ing harpiU turns which have tossed harpooner Carroll
. Bowen from his perch more than
An aggravated ray the hunters determined
chase shadows TO deep water and back IN
effort to ground the little skff sand bar. and many
times have been deceived this fashion
With intelligence the beast sometimes fattens
itself the bottom and blows up sand to obscure the
Of the hunters and then under this camouaEe It
streaks away right angle swiftly that the spottng
pulled under for hundred yards
The ray a beast that uses its head" Dr. Bowen
says.
Once cor1ered the ray turns draws its weapons and
takes the offensive with horny tail hard concrete and
itching crush somebody's skull and row Of drks which
it drive into its enemy with the force Of trip hammer
Doctor Bowen hurls the harpoon into the ray and the
monster leaps into the air ashes its tail in deadly arc
snashcs into the again sweeping enough ocean
the boat almost capsize It,
Again and again hurls itself clear Of the surface
thristnE menacingly with its spnes More than once
It has crossed the stern or tho heads OF the
hunters frenzed leaps and appalling power dives
The Bowens not supermen but one day they dueed
six rays weighing altogether 1000 pounds The biggest
thrill they into three together one OF
the creatures charged propeller sheared off the
gear pin got away The boat had to be towed to shore
the Bowens with good craftsmanship, chalked
for the rays that day.
The stupendous horned Mania Ray, weighing nearly
$500 pounds good and armed with hun
dred rows Of ton ppers capable Of crushing
fishing like shell. is one specie that the
tiny 14foot sff will stay clear Of for the
nto IF II Tho
hopes when they properly equipped for IT, Such
encounter when happen VIII put all the tall tales