Flipperfla
Sr. Member
A couple weeks ago when the weather turned cooler we planned a trip on the Ocklawaha River in Central Florida to explore old Riverboat Landings, main target was Osceola Landing and a Steamboat Wreck location I had been researching. Launched at dawn just when the sun is starting to touch the tallest tree tops. It was going to be a day long trip and my main concern was downed trees from the recent hurricanes blocking the river.
The river was calm like a black mirror and the jungle just beginning to wake. About a 1/2 hr into the trip We heard a really loud primal scream. We looked at each other, wide eyed, with a WTF was that look. Then all the large trees started to shake. It looked like a Horror Movie where King Kong was just ready to break thru the tree line for your first big look. Then we saw them, first one was a large Alpha, about the size of a large dog, dozens of little ones, about the size of a football scurrying all over the trees and monkey heads popping up all along the shoreline. A good guess would be around 40-50. They started
running out on the tree branches above us, the more Monkeys the lower the branches came to just a foot or two above us. While they were screaming and screeching, with fangs showing, their rear legs pumping, eyeing the boat on where to drop down and land, the situation went critical. The Wife started to lose it. They were on us in seconds ready to pounce. I always carry when in the backcountry. First two rounds are 38/357 CCI Big4 Shotshells, the next 3 are 357mag Buffalo Bore Heavy Loads. It was useless, Bear Spray, useless…… 12’ Skiff with a cockpit the size of the inside of a compact car……. Wifes head a foot or so away. Not gonna happen. Really going critical now. Just seconds before they start dropping into the boat. Can’t jump overboard…gators everywhere. About 10-15 right above our heads. I jumped up, grabbed the paddle, raised it above my head and started to scream. The little ones took off but it really pissed off the larger ones, I shouted again and dropped down to the drivers seat, grabbed the tiller and floored it. Then they were jumping out of the trees into the water around us like cannonballs hitting the water, SCARY AS SH!T!!! We have seen one or two monkeys before but nothing like this. It was a well cordinated attack. FWC better get a grip on this before someone seriously injured or killed.
There are several YouTube videos. Search ………Silver River Monkey Attacks, wait till you watch the videos then you will get the pix, glad we weren’t in kayaks.
The river was calm like a black mirror and the jungle just beginning to wake. About a 1/2 hr into the trip We heard a really loud primal scream. We looked at each other, wide eyed, with a WTF was that look. Then all the large trees started to shake. It looked like a Horror Movie where King Kong was just ready to break thru the tree line for your first big look. Then we saw them, first one was a large Alpha, about the size of a large dog, dozens of little ones, about the size of a football scurrying all over the trees and monkey heads popping up all along the shoreline. A good guess would be around 40-50. They started
running out on the tree branches above us, the more Monkeys the lower the branches came to just a foot or two above us. While they were screaming and screeching, with fangs showing, their rear legs pumping, eyeing the boat on where to drop down and land, the situation went critical. The Wife started to lose it. They were on us in seconds ready to pounce. I always carry when in the backcountry. First two rounds are 38/357 CCI Big4 Shotshells, the next 3 are 357mag Buffalo Bore Heavy Loads. It was useless, Bear Spray, useless…… 12’ Skiff with a cockpit the size of the inside of a compact car……. Wifes head a foot or so away. Not gonna happen. Really going critical now. Just seconds before they start dropping into the boat. Can’t jump overboard…gators everywhere. About 10-15 right above our heads. I jumped up, grabbed the paddle, raised it above my head and started to scream. The little ones took off but it really pissed off the larger ones, I shouted again and dropped down to the drivers seat, grabbed the tiller and floored it. Then they were jumping out of the trees into the water around us like cannonballs hitting the water, SCARY AS SH!T!!! We have seen one or two monkeys before but nothing like this. It was a well cordinated attack. FWC better get a grip on this before someone seriously injured or killed.
There are several YouTube videos. Search ………Silver River Monkey Attacks, wait till you watch the videos then you will get the pix, glad we weren’t in kayaks.
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