Boater Chases Mysterious Periscope Off Hollywood, Florida Beach

[Ryan Ruck]

Who knows if it was one of ours or someone else's...

Boater Chases Mysterious Periscope Off Hollywood, Florida Beach

June 17, 2010

Talk about the big one that got away.

Ryan Danoff was fishing with two friends about four miles off Hollywood beach Sunday when he spied what appeared to be a mast on the horizon.

Funny thing: There was no boat underneath it.

Danoff, a Fort Lauderdale fish farmer who's on the water at least three days a week, aimed his 31-foot center console Fishy Business at the mysterious upright and found himself eye to eye with a periscope.

"It was crazy," he said. "If it was just myself out there I wouldn't believe what I saw."

Danoff moved closer. "It took off," he said. Very fast, about 20 knots. The periscope sank beneath the waves, and whatever was below the surface blew its ballast, sending aloft a mighty hiccup of bubbles. After five minutes the sea lay once again undisturbed.

Danoff, 30, reported the episode to the Coast Guard. They said they'd get back to him, but never did.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Barry Bena said Danoff's information went to the proper authorities. "As of right now, they're still looking into it," he said.

So could it have been a Navy sub taking a peek at the beach? "It's kind of uncommon," Bena said. "But it's a definite possibility."

[Backstop]

It was Capt. Nemo!

Actually, that's kind of interesting.

Wonder what the depth was where they saw it.

[Luke]

I can't help but wonder if this means the good Captain Donaldson will be adding depth charges to his vessel?

[American Patriot]

I can't help but wonder if this means the good Captain Donaldson will be adding depth charges to his vessel?

lol

[Ryan Ruck]

Go big or go home! RUR-5 ASROC


"USS Columbus (CG-12). The cruiser's ASROC (Antisubmarine Rocket) launcher, 1962. Note the shipping canister on deck by the launcher, probably containing an ASROC rocket."


On May 11, 1962, Razorback participated in the "SWORDFISH" nuclear weapons test. An ASROC with a nuclear depth charge warhead was fired by the destroyer Agerholmn (DD 826) at a target raft from a range of 2 nautical miles. Razorback was submerged at periscope depth 2 nautical miles from the target raft. The ASROC weapon produced a powerful underwater shock wave which visibly shook Razorback and her crew. The resulting data was used to formulate tactical doctrine for ASROC, a weapon that remained in front-line service for nearly 30 years.

[American Patriot]

K... I want one. Cept.... a fiberglass boat, launcing one at something a couple miles away might be a very, very BAD idea.

Kind of like nuclear hand grenades.... can't get out of the blast zone one you fling one. lol

[vector7]

Boater chases mysterious periscope off coast of Hollywood beach



Talk about the big one that got away.

Ryan Danoff was fishing with two friends about four miles off Hollywood beach Sunday when he spied what appeared to be a mast on the horizon.

Funny thing: There was no boat underneath it.

Danoff, a Fort Lauderdale fish farmer who's on the water at least three days a week, aimed his 31-foot center-console Fishy Business at the mysterious upright and found himself eye to eye with a periscope.

"It was crazy," he said. "If it was just myself out there I wouldn't believe what I saw."

Danoff moved closer. "It took off," he said. Very fast, about 20 knots. The periscope sank beneath the waves, and whatever was below the surface blew its ballast, sending aloft a mighty hiccup of bubbles. After five minutes the sea once again lay undisturbed.

Danoff, 30, reported the episode to the Coast Guard. They said they'd get back to him, but never did.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Barry Bena said Danoff's information went to the proper authorities. "As of right now, they're still looking into it," he said.

So could it have been a Navy sub taking a peek at the beach? "It's kind of uncommon," Bena said. "But it's a definite possibility."
Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

[American Patriot]

I'm not aware of any nearby sub bases.

On the other hand.... I still think the Gulf oil episode was an attack.