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Having been a couple of months since my last nitrogen fix, I was getting 
a bit antsy for a dive. So when Dave at the local dive shop suggested 
that I come down to Hatteras, N.C. and jump in the water with a bunch of 
full-grown tunas in a feeding frenzy, it sounded like a good idea to me. 
So on Sunday I got up at 3am and drove down to Teach's Lair to join the 
Lynnhaven Dive Shop boys in an experimental tuna dive.

The idea is to find some tuna on the sonar then chum them to the surface 
with chopped up mullet for bait. When they are crazed on gulping down 
chum, hop in the water and drop down to 60-70 foot and watch the fun. 
Keep in mind that this are not spanish mackerel we are talking about 
here, but full grown 400-750lb tuna buzzing around at 40mph. Not knowing 
anyone who has tried this before, we were not sure what to expect.

We left on the Margie II, run by Capt. Art, known as "The Legend". He 
acquired this moniker by giving it to himself and also by going scuba 
diving with nothing more than a mask and a steel tank slung over his 
shoulder with a spare piece of rope. A first and second stage and 
absolutely nothing else but an oil-stained pair of swim trunks. He jumps 
over the side and sinks to the bottom and walks around for awhile. When 
he's finished he pulls himself up the anchor line. Talk about a clean 
gear configuration.

Anyway, we chummed for about 6 hours amongst a fleet of 50-60 sport 
fisherman. Tuna showed up on the sonar at about 150', but we could not 
coax them any shallower. Capt. Art suggested that someone hop over the 
side and see whats going on down there, but we were all gassed with 
EAN32. And besides, no one wanted to wind up on the scales back at the 
marina. Oh, well, will try again soon.

We finally gave up and did the Proteus. Nice dive, conditions lousy for 
the graveyard, but like a good day off of Va Beach, temp and viz-wize.

   Jim

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