Boating Death Marathon Fla.
#21
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That is sad,
Last year in fort pierce a friend of my father inlaws who also lives in the same community went fishing,on the way home a ray jumped up while they where running at approx 30mph and hit one of the passengers so hard it knocked him backwards over the back of the boat.It also crushed the plexiglass windsheild of the center console.this happens alot.
They say the rays jump to dislodge parasites!
Last year in fort pierce a friend of my father inlaws who also lives in the same community went fishing,on the way home a ray jumped up while they where running at approx 30mph and hit one of the passengers so hard it knocked him backwards over the back of the boat.It also crushed the plexiglass windsheild of the center console.this happens alot.
They say the rays jump to dislodge parasites!
#22
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They really dont like to jump out of the water, most of the time if they are jumping out of the water it's to get away from a predator such as a shark.
in-which case would probably be aggresive as it landed in the boat.
Tragedy, thoughts are with the family and friends.
in-which case would probably be aggresive as it landed in the boat.
Tragedy, thoughts are with the family and friends.
#23
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Anybody see the movie "Final Destination" ?!?!? This sounds like one of those freaky stories where she avoided death somewhere before and death came after her in a strange way.
Regardless, that is awful and feel so sad for her and her family. They will likely never boat again after something like that.
Regardless, that is awful and feel so sad for her and her family. They will likely never boat again after something like that.
#24
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Ihad one fly in front of me in 1998 at the Miami to Key West poker run Scared the crap out of me and it was 50 yards in front of me
How scary this musta been close up
How scary this musta been close up
#25
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D38ZR has it right.. They are not really freejumpers, but when being pursued by a predator, with sharks being the main one, they do take flight..
Prayers to the family involved. We have a place down there, I can't imagine a peaceful day on the water being shattered like that.
Prayers to the family involved. We have a place down there, I can't imagine a peaceful day on the water being shattered like that.
#28
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More info from www.usatoday.com
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...terstitialskip
![](http://i.usatoday.net/news/_photos/2008/03/19/stingrayx-large.jpg)
MARATHON, Fla. (AP) — A 75-pound stingray killed a Michigan woman Thursday when it flew out of the water and struck her face as she rode a boat in the Florida Keys, officials said.
Judy Kay Zagorski, of Pigeon, Mich., was sitting in a boat going 25 mph when the spotted eagle ray, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, leaped out of the water, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The 57-year-old woman's father was driving the boat on the Atlantic Ocean side of Vaca Key, Pino said.
"He had absolutely no warning. It just happened instantaneously," Pino said.
The impact likely killed the woman, but it was not immediately clear whether she had any puncture wounds from the ray's barb, Pino said. An autopsy is planned, Pino said.
The stingray died from the impact, officials said.
Spotted eagle rays can weigh 500 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 10 feet. They are known to occasionally jump out of the water but are not aggressive and use the venomous barb at the end of their tail for defense.
The rays are protected in Florida waters and are typically seen swimming on the water's surface.
"Rays jump to escape a predator, give birth and shake off parasites," said Lynn Gear, supervisor of fishes and reptiles at Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. "They do not attack people."
![](http://i.usatoday.net/news/_photos/2008/03/19/stingrayx-large.jpg)
MARATHON, Fla. (AP) — A 75-pound stingray killed a Michigan woman Thursday when it flew out of the water and struck her face as she rode a boat in the Florida Keys, officials said.
Judy Kay Zagorski, of Pigeon, Mich., was sitting in a boat going 25 mph when the spotted eagle ray, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, leaped out of the water, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The 57-year-old woman's father was driving the boat on the Atlantic Ocean side of Vaca Key, Pino said.
"He had absolutely no warning. It just happened instantaneously," Pino said.
The impact likely killed the woman, but it was not immediately clear whether she had any puncture wounds from the ray's barb, Pino said. An autopsy is planned, Pino said.
The stingray died from the impact, officials said.
Spotted eagle rays can weigh 500 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 10 feet. They are known to occasionally jump out of the water but are not aggressive and use the venomous barb at the end of their tail for defense.
The rays are protected in Florida waters and are typically seen swimming on the water's surface.
"Rays jump to escape a predator, give birth and shake off parasites," said Lynn Gear, supervisor of fishes and reptiles at Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. "They do not attack people."
#29
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So sorry for all involved.
I got a call from a good friend (an X actually) earlier asking if my mom was OK. She was listening out of the corner of one ear to the news on TV and this story came on saying that a Judy Zigorski was killed in Fla. My moms name is Judy Sikorski and they are both pronounced pretty much the same, actually caught me off guard for a sec. Up until she called i didnt know the name of the victim and the thought raced through my head that something happened to my mom, than she went on to say it was this stingray story.
so sad
I got a call from a good friend (an X actually) earlier asking if my mom was OK. She was listening out of the corner of one ear to the news on TV and this story came on saying that a Judy Zigorski was killed in Fla. My moms name is Judy Sikorski and they are both pronounced pretty much the same, actually caught me off guard for a sec. Up until she called i didnt know the name of the victim and the thought raced through my head that something happened to my mom, than she went on to say it was this stingray story.
so sad
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08 OPA Class 1 National Champion
08 Class 1 Geico Triple Crown Champion
08 OPA High Points Champion
10 OPA Class 1 National Champion ( happy now Ed! )
Last edited by glassdave; 03-22-2008 at 12:15 AM.