Captain, fellow veterans tagging great white sharks off the Georgia coast
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - The World Wildlife Fund says the great white shark population is decreasing making them a vulnerable species.
Because of that, there are teams all over the world trying to save these apex predators, including one group in Savannah.
The hope for Captain Jimmy Armel is always the same; a great white shark.
He’s had 29 on the line, and four up to the boat but there’s one encounter that just means more than the rest.
“You got him, you got him. Ryan hold on for your dear life.”
In this moment, a $6,000 satellite tag, less than a foot from tip to tale, deployed in a predator bigger than anyone on board.
“It records every turn this animal takes, the water depth and the water temperature,” Capt. Armel said.
That satellite tag data is critical in trying to help save this species and getting his first one out is a moment he can barely describe.
“Oh wow, sorry. It was complete and utter disbelief.”
You can see what it means to him, but you can’t see why. Capt. Armel served our country as a Ranger over six tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading him to feel a specific connection with white sharks.
“It’s the apex predator in the ocean. As a former gunfighter, me and my boys were the apex predator on the land.”
Beneath the surface that connection is helping more than the fish swimming below. Capt. Armel saying trying to save sharks saved him.
“I was physically dependent on alcohol, depressed, PTSD, anxiety, not sleeping and fishing was the only thing that made me want to stay alive,” he said.
He knows other veterans struggle with those same problems, so the crew who takes care of this boat and tries to tag sharks on it, is made up of vets just like Capt. Armel.
”If we get these guys out there into the world with the right mindset, they’re going to do great things for Savannah and for this country.”
With their shark tagging quality proven, the operation is now sponsored and over the next few months as they hope to bring that success into a new season, Capt. Armel knows the real accomplishment will come more with the crew than the catch.
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