The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-06-24
SPEARFISHERMlAN
Continued From Page OrAt

l
fish would soon attrack sharks
was told. l swan back in the chop
DIV seas to the boat. climbed up the
ladder painting from excitement.
Hesvs Ho
The spearfishermen, winded as
they were from the fight with the
fish, had their biggest job ahead
of them, heaving the Jewish
from beneath the waters surface
to hang alongside the boat.
Straining and sweating in the hot
sun baking the cockpit of the boat,
the men attached still another hook
inside the giant mouth of the sea
monster. Ed Gibson got his finger
almost bitten off by the teeth of
the animal. The Jewish do have
teeth, he learned, not just gums.
Winding the quarter inch line
around the cleat on the port side
of the boat. the three men pulled
the animal up by inches in res
ponse to Eddie Ciensinski's call
"Heave'
My contribution to the struggle
was to tighten the slack in the line
on the cleat, so that the Jewish
would not drop back into the wat
er.
After about 20 minutes of strain
ing and struggling the Jewish
was secured on the starboard side
of the boat where his girth gave
the cruiser a distinct list, until we
locked back in Key West.
That was three or four hours
later. 1t was only l pm. when the
men got the Jewish on the boat.
Z Jewish in Z Days
Clint took his escape from death
calmly.
Il wouldn't let 60 even if it killed
me-" he said.
Some people come to Key West
for fishing. and try for two years
to get fish. Today helped get
this one, yesterday with Eddie I
helped spear a 2S6 pound jew
fish"
Eddie took out one of the spears
from the Jewish, it was bent like
a horseshoe.
This is fooled steel and look
what happened to it," he said.
Eddie had first spotted the mon
ster about Is yards away from the
boat. With his snorkel in his mouth
he tried to shout about his find. He
finally took out the snorkel and
said Jewish bring me another
gum"
Underwater weapons
He had with him in the water
a small c o 2 gun and shot the
first spear with it. He urged Clint
to load his French metal gun which
has more force because Of the
strength of the rubber tubes which
operate like an diversified sling
shot.
The Jewish had taken off under
a coral ledge. Eddie swan down
and made his second shot into the
creature with his French gun. The
Jewish again took off, but Clint
and Ed Gibson stayed in the water
to mark the exact spot where it
was.
Eddie Ciesinski clambered back
on the boat to load his heavy duty
gun, a huge wooden weapon he
built himself. | watched but could
not help much as he strained to
pull the five rubber tubes back TO
taut tension so that they would pro-
vide the coup de grace for the
dying Jewish.
He carried ii back in the water
and took another shot into the ami
NAL. Then Clint with the lighter
French metal gun took his final
shot. 1t was then that the animal
took off on his fatal race through
the water.
After the battle Eddie said:
II don't care If | don't spear
another fish today, except for Su-
sans cat. "
He shot two red snapper and an
amberjack for the cat l am caring
for this month.
Ed Gibson, meanwhile armed
with an underwater camera in vat.
er tight case. said hopefully.
This Jewish should draw some
sharks around the boat | want 10
get some pictures Of them .
Eddie Ciesinski sliced a hole in
the fish TO bleed him.
That should draw the sharks
any minute, he said brightly,
Ny heart was beating mighty
fast as ! donned my nippers. mask
and snorkel TO 90 in the water.
l knew that any shark heading
for the Jewish hanging appetizing-
" on the side Of the boat would
have 10 pass the men and me 70