Ole' Hitler

[HenryC]

This is for all you Punta Gorda/Charlotte Harbor sailors.

When I used to live in Port Charlotte, the old timers swore there was a huge hammerhead shark that regularly patrolled the Boca Grande Pass area.  I never saw him myself, but I heard the story often enough, from enough reputable witnesses, that I had no reason to disbelieve it.

Is Ole' Hitler still around, or was it all just a folk tale?  Or has he just moved on, or died out?

I used to live and work down there, and I really miss the place.  My regards to you all. 

[Potcake boy]

Henry,

Been here for 12 years and that's the first I've heard of such. Although there is a bunch of stuff under that water. Fortunately, the outflow from Lake O didn't reach this far North this year, there was a real algae problem around the Caloosahatchee.

This is still a fantastic place to sail, and still not too crowded.

[Bob23]

I only visited Punta Gorda twice while my daughter lived there and I didn't hear of such a tale. I did, however enjoy more than one Guinness at the Celtic Ray which could very well be the birthplace of such a yarn!
Bob23

[Greene]

It seems to be a local yarn.  We've been in Punta Gorda for 3 months now and have heard "someone said that someone said that someone else said that someone saw a hammerhead" twice now.  Bob, I was at the Celtic Ray just last night, but I'm more of a Smithwick guy.

Mike

[Tim Gardner]

Was just down in the area last week to do a home inspection for my daughter who is moving to Naples.  Had lunch up in Venice at what used to be Marker Four.  Food is still great.  Hammerhead; the only evidence of a hammerhead must have been the Pool guy who dug too close to the house i inspected and caused the slab foundation to crack.  House deal gone asunder.

[Potcake boy]

Tim,

You have just exposed a well-kept secret of SW Florida. Yes, the hammerhead shark and the quality of construction work are indeed legend here (Urban legend that is). However, the cruising and the winter weather here are legendary. But I also enjoy the weather here in the summer, amazing meteorological displays, including otherworldly sunrises and sunsets. My personal opinion is that all waterside condos should be torn down, there is such proliferation here as if it is one big seaside resort. A developer from Miami is doing the right thing, by building a huge community east of here on the old Babcock Ranch property. It will be self-sufficient with solar and won't occupy any precious seaside land. I'd love to see a moratorium on seaside construction and let the rising sea level reclaim the coastal areas. Thankfully the advance of developers into the Everglades was subdued years ago by environmental groups, but the restoration project has yet to gain sufficient political support to progress in a meaningful way. You can still enjoy an old Florida sailing experience by cruising south of Marco island along the coast and through the Ten Thousand Islands, all the way to the Keys. If you are a fit and adventurous sailor you can enjoy the Florida of legend on a personal basis by joining the annual Everglades Challenge organized by the Water Tribe.  http://www.watertribe.com/events/evergladeschallenge/  A lifelong memory of getting up close to the Florida environment, as it still exists. Besides, you'd meet a lot of really cool sailors, with a story.

[HenryC]

We must be getting old.

Because if you really want to know about "Old Hitler", the place to find out is the internet.  It finally occurred to me to do a Google on the big fish and got lots of hits.

Here's a good place to start:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/shark-nicknamed-old-hitler-is-legend-on-gulf/2193306

Old Hitler may not be a real beast, but the legend is definitely legit.  I moved out of Port Charlotte (Murdock, actually, I worked for the County, and I lived on Bangsberg Rd) in 1995, and people were still talking about the big hammerhead then.  But judging from your responses, it appears even the legend is dying out amongst the locals.

20' is a bit big for a hammerhead, about half that size seems to be the upper limit these days.  Still, fishermen have been known to exaggerate...

BTW, I'm a Tampa Boy myself, Ybor City born and bred. My mom and dad were from there too, (the grandparents came from the old country around 1910). I didn't even leave town until I was 20 years
old, in 1967.  And I can tell you for a fact that Jose Gaspar pirate dude never existed.  That whole Gasparilla festival was all a scam by the Chamber of Commerce (the old Cracker Mafia called Ye Mystic Krewe), to bring down the Yankee tourists.  But that's another story...

For you Florida West Coast boys, remember this one?

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=4701.msg32687#msg32687

[Craig]

Wonderful reminiscense Henry!! Reminded me of the summers I spent at Orient on the north shore of Long Island, NY, crabs, lobsters, clams  and the smell of the salt flats at low tide! Great food and family gatherings. Different venue, same nostalgia. Thank you my friend!

[Bob23]

And....let's not forget about the Jersey Devil! http://weirdnj.com/stories/jersey-devil/

[HeaveToo]

If we are talking about those things, let's not forget about Chessie.

http://livingdinos.com/2011/07/chessie-the-chesapeake-bay-monster/

[Potcake boy]

Is it possible that these are the well-traveled children of Nessie? Keep an eye out for men in kilts playing bagpipes at water's edge.